One tip for creating a use-friendly space online is initially avoiding the very latest and greatest new tools. This will help put users of varying virtual at ease and help with varying levels of virtual literacy. "Tool-less" activities like virtual story-telling, role-playing, and debates are accessible and foster connection. While valuable, balancing tool-less and tool-based activities is crucial for effective group engagement.
Zoom provides a variety of built-in features that facilitate collaboration and interaction during virtual meetings. One such feature is the breakout rooms functionality.
Breakout Rooms in Zoom: A Tool-less Activity
What are Breakout Rooms?
Breakout Rooms in Zoom allow you to split your Zoom meeting into separate sessions, facilitating smaller group discussions or activities. This feature is particularly useful for workshops, team-building exercises, or group projects in virtual meetings.
How to Create Breakout Rooms in Zoom:
1. Start a Zoom Meeting:
- Open Zoom and start a new meeting or join an existing one.
2. Enable Breakout Rooms:
- If you are the host, click on the "Breakout Rooms" button at the bottom of the Zoom window.
3. Configure Breakout Rooms:
- A new window will appear, allowing you to set up the breakout rooms.
- Choose the number of breakout rooms you want to create.
- Assign participants automatically or manually.
4. Assign Participants:
- If assigning manually, you can drag and drop participants into specific breakout rooms.
- You can also pre-assign participants before the meeting starts.
5. Open Breakout Rooms:
- Click the "Open All Rooms" button to send participants to their respective breakout rooms.
6. Monitoring and Broadcasting Messages:
- As the host, you can move between breakout rooms to monitor discussions.
- Broadcast messages to all breakout rooms or specific ones.
7. Close Breakout Rooms:
- Set a timer or manually close the breakout rooms to bring participants back to the main session.
8. Debrief:
- After the breakout sessions, reconvene the entire group to share insights or conclusions.
Benefits of Breakout Rooms:
1. Enhanced Collaboration:
- Facilitates focused discussions in smaller groups.
2. Engagement:
- Participants are more likely to actively contribute in smaller settings.
3. Versatility:
- Suitable for various activities, from brainstorming to team-building.
4. Tool-less Integration:
- Breakout rooms are a built-in feature, requiring no additional tools or software.
By utilizing Zoom's Breakout Rooms feature, you can enhance collaboration, engagement, and productivity during your virtual meetings. It's a powerful tool that fosters interaction and teamwork in a digital space without the need for external tools or complicated setups.