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Duo's in breakout rooms exercise procedure

For teachers: why this setup?

Ideally, both learners have a camera and microphone on

This allows for a learning environment that is engaging and where discussion can take place easily.

You will be put into Zoom Breakout rooms, in random pairs.

This assures everyone learns effectively: pairs are optimal.

Ideally, all do the exercises on their computer, yet derive at a shared answer

This assures everyone can give a answer that is not personal.

One should commonly share screens

Encourage teaching and learning.

There is no silent room.

There is no silent room, as:

  • (1) working in pairs allows 'Think, Pair, Share' to work; answering is not personal anymore,
  • (2) getting the experienced learners to teach makes them learn too,
  • (3) this does not work well with Zoom assigning random pairs,
  • (4) this is not designed to be a self-study course

When done with the exercises, go back to the main room

This helps set the pace of the course.

Learners that are done will be asked to try to help the remaining working learners, by joining their breakout rooms

This helps wisdom to spread.

The majority of learners is keen to help out directly.

The majority of the remaining learners feel not knowledgeable enough to help out, but is keen to try to help out. Remind these learners they are here to learn, and not to already know to content.

When two-thirds of the learners are in the main room, all break-out rooms will be closed ruthlessly

The parameter value two-thirds is picked as it means that most learners have arrived at the answer. The hope is that the members of a slower pair in one iteration will catch up when paired up with other learners.

Closing breakout rooms is not ultra-ruthless: learners still have 1 minute left. But it is a simple and ruthless rule.

Breaks are always on the scheduled time. You will be reminded in that chat

Breaks are important.

Take that break, either in the main room or in your breakout room. The breakout rooms will not be closed

Do not disrupt the flow (even more) by closing the breakout rooms.

In the main room, random learners will be asked questions regarding those exercises. Say the answer you agreed upon as a group (i.e. not your personal answer!)

This is form is described as 'Think, Pair, Share' in 'The Fundamentals of Teaching' by Mike Bell

For teachers: breakout room visit policy

The goal of visiting the breakout room, is to ensure there is a learning environment. Try to disturb as little as possible. Avoid to lecture and avoid to correct the learners, as this will make their learning less efficient.

If learners are asking a question, coach the learners in finding the answer. Avoid giving a direct answer, as this will make their learning less efficient.

flowchart TD
  question_asked[Learners ask a question?]
  maybe_answer[Reply, maybe answer the question]
  how_many_cameras[How many camaras are on?]
  concentrated[Do the learners appear concentrated?]
  discussion[Are the learners having a useful discussion?]
  arguing[Are the learners arguing?]
  chatting[Are the learners chatting informally?]
  huh[Then what are they doing?]

  fix[Re-establish learning environment]
  next[Go to the next breakout room]

  question_asked --> |Yes| maybe_answer
  question_asked --> |No| how_many_cameras
  maybe_answer --> |Done| how_many_cameras
  how_many_cameras --> |Zero or one| next
  how_many_cameras --> |Two| concentrated
  concentrated --> |Yes| next
  concentrated --> |No| discussion
  discussion --> |Yes| next
  discussion --> |No| arguing
  arguing --> |Yes| fix
  arguing --> |No| chatting
  chatting --> |Yes| fix
  chatting --> |No| huh
  fix --> |Done| next
  • Ideally, all learners have a camera and microphone on
  • You will be put into Zoom Breakout rooms, in random groups.
  • There is no silent room.
  • Ideally, all do the exercises on their own computer, yet derive at a shared answer
  • One should commonly share screens
  • Stuck? You can (1) wait for a teacher to come by, (2) click on the Zoom option 'Ask for help', or (3) go to the main room
  • When done with the exercises, go back to the main room
  • Learners that are done will be asked to try to help the remaining working learners, by joining their breakout rooms
  • When two-thirds of the learners are in the main room, all break-out rooms will be closed ruthlessly. It may take 1 minute before the room closes though :-)
  • Breaks are always on the scheduled time. You will be reminded in that chat
  • Take that break, either in the main room or in your breakout room. The breakout rooms will not be closed
  • In the main room, random learners will be asked questions regarding those exercises. Say the answer you agreed upon as a group (i.e. not your personal answer!)
flowchart TD
  subgraph breakout_room[Your initial breakout room]
    do_exercise[Do exercises in group]
    stuck[Wait or ask for help or go the main room]
    do_exercise <--> |Stuck?| stuck
  end
  subgraph main_room[Main room]
    get_exercise[Get exercises]
    done_exercise[Done exercises]
    most_done_exercise[Most have done exercises]
    closing_breakout_rooms[Closing breakout rooms]
    feedback[Feedback]
  end
  subgraph other_breakout_room[Another breakout room]
    help_do_exercise[Help do exercises in group]
  end

  get_exercise --> |clear?| do_exercise
  do_exercise --> |done!| done_exercise
  do_exercise --> |breakout rooms close| feedback
  done_exercise --> |help out| help_do_exercise
  done_exercise --> |wait| most_done_exercise
  help_do_exercise --> |done!| done_exercise
  help_do_exercise --> |breakout rooms close| feedback
  most_done_exercise --> |many learners in main room| closing_breakout_rooms
  closing_breakout_rooms --> feedback

  breakout_room ~~~ main_room ~~~ other_breakout_room

  get_exercise ~~~ help_do_exercise
  do_exercise ~~~ help_do_exercise
  help_do_exercise ~~~ most_done_exercise

Overview of the exercise procedure

Questions

  • You are in a breakout room with someone else. You both do not know what to do. What went wrong?
Answer

Before you are sent to the breakout rooms, it is asked if you know what to do, with the goal of preventing this situation.

Try to help the teacher give clear enough instructions next time.

  • You are in a breakout room with someone else. You need to install a piece of software, which takes a couple of minutes of time. Will you still have enough time for the exercises?
Answer

Likely: yes, you will have enough time for the exercises.

It is likely you are not the only one that has this problem. The course follows the pace of the learners, hence, we move on to the next session when most learners have finished the exercises

  • You finished the exercise and are in the main room, waiting for the course to move on. You were asked to help in another breakout room, yet you did not feel comfortable to do so. What do you do?
Answer

These are your options:

  • Wait
  • Ask questions
  • Read the next session. Turn of your camera to indicate you need to concentrate
  • I am alone in my Zoom breakout room. What do I do?
Answer

It is likely a teacher will quickly see this and ruthlessly move you to another breakout room, so waiting is an option.

Else, go to the main room.