How can you facilitate group discussions in a virtual classroom?

To facilitate virtual classroom group discussions, use video conferencing tools, establish clear communication norms, encourage active participation through prompts, and employ breakout rooms for smaller discussions. Foster a respectful environment, provide clear instructions, and utilize collaborative platforms for document sharing. Regularly check in on participants and adapt based on feedback.

I agree with many view points and comments already made, like understanding what platforms that are already being used, the use of breakout rooms, clearly defining learning outcomes, using moderates and additional facilitators to nudge the discussion on etc, but we can also use interactive tools like white board's, questions and polls to help facilitate discussion.

I think it is very important to do two things, it sometimes helps to have a 2nd person to focus on this. a) keep track of who is talking if it is an interactive session. If necessary invite individuals who are not speaking to offer their input, and related, b) If the session has a text chat such as in ZOOM keep an eye out for questions that people are posing. Sometimes someone might ask something in chat because they are having trouble in speaking up.

In addition of a good Virtual Platform, one thing i have found useful is take in consideration the discussion topic and try to integrate strategically members that can lead the discussion to a very productive level and create leaders as main moderators to direct the discussion without lost any good contribution of the participants.

When designing the online portion of a learning programme for another company (rather than in-house), I think the most important question to ask up-front is "What platform do your people use for their day-to-day online activities?" One of the road bumps on the way to successful delivery of online learning is resistance to learning *another* new system, so if the participants are used to using Microsoft Teams, use Teams. Due to the virtual platform arms race following the pandemic, most virtual group communication tools have the same basic functionality, so consider making your design fit where the participants are, rather than risk losing them because they don't understand your preferred system.

Establish Clear Objectives: - Communicate the purpose and goals of the discussion to participants. - Define specific learning outcomes or goals that participants should achieve through the discussion. Choose the Right Platform: - Use a reliable and user-friendly virtual meeting platform that supports features like breakout rooms, chat, and screen sharing. - Familiarize yourself and participants with the platform's features to ensure a smooth experience. Set Ground Rules: - Establish and communicate ground rules for the discussion, such as speaking time limits, respectful communication, and active participation. - Encourage participants to mute their microphones when not speaking to reduce background noise.

First and foremost, platform accessibility should be considered - evaluate how accessible a given platform is for students with diverse preferences and dis/abilities. Platforms that support screen readers, closed captioning, keyboard navigation, and other assistive features should be prioritized when possible. It is also important to pilot and get comfortable with a platform prior to using it for classes. Testing features, tools, settings, and layouts ahead of time will allow you to troubleshoot issues and helps class discussions go more smoothly. And explain to colleagues and students how the platform aligns with their learning goals and activities.

Provide detailed instructions and rubrics outlining how students will be assessed in online discussions. Clarify the criteria for evaluation, including the quality, depth, and frequency of participation.

The level of engagement should help identify the most appropriate platform. Open discussions are best held in small numbers e.g. breakout rooms.

A Group discussion needs: (1) Homogenous members(2) An ego - less Moderator (3) A challenging topic level / content wise (4) judicious time management (5) precise record keeping (6) A cool climate of intellectual curiosity(7) Diversity (8) Bibliographic guidance (9) Proper Platform (10) Democratic voting powers equal for everyone!

My favorite type of task is to create a scenario-based problem that relates directly into what we are talking about for the week. I'll provide the scenario with all of the details and share this with the students, but leave the ending a cliff hanger for them to answer. Depending upon the format of the course, let's say it's on Zoom, I'll send the students into breakout rooms to discuss. They'll then come back into the main room to share their findings. I encourage the other students to chime in. The fun part is when some of these scenarios are based on real world events and I can reveal what actually happened.

First, I suggest providing learners with examples of well-designed discussion prompts that are thought-provoking, topical, and open-ended. You could mention prompts that connect course content to current events, address controversial issues, or ask students to evaluate scenarios. Second, emphasize the importance of background context for a productive discussion. Learners will likely need some base knowledge to thoughtfully engage with and analyze a topic. Third, scaffold complex tasks by breaking them down into more manageable steps or sub-questions. This provides helpful structure for the discussion flow. Also, note the benefits of alternating between divergent thinking (diverse perspectives) and convergent thinking (reaching consensus).

I definitely agree that meaningful tasks is key. Some groups can flourish face-to-face and perhaps even virtually with a general directive "discuss this". But many need some more guidance (and maybe even to support them if they are introverted, which is totally fine). I have had success with my students recently with a system in-person that could work well virtually (I have taught virtually) 10 minutes individuals reflect on the content. Explain 3 areas that were critical to the text/topic Explain 2 areas where you had questions about the text (or whatever their preparation material was.) Explainxplain 2 things that you wonder about linked to the topic/text  15 minutes in groups talking about individual findings. Then discuss as a class

Pour animer des discussions de groupe dans des classes virtuelles et concevoir des tâches significatives, il est essentiel de proposer des outils interactifs tels que des forums de discussion en ligne où les élèves peuvent échanger leurs idées et leurs réflexions. De plus, l'utilisation de la méthode du brainstorming virtuel permettra aux élèves de générer des idées collectivement. Les enseignants peuvent également concevoir des mises en situation engageantes, comme des débats en ligne, où les élèves peuvent défendre leurs points de vue et apprendre à argumenter de manière constructive. Ces approches favorisent l'implication active des élèves et une réflexion approfondie.

I like to invite students to work in small groups in breakout rooms to identify real-world problems and tie in course concepts, sharing their analysis and/or burning questions later with everyone. I find it important to work with students prior to this to identify what good discussions look like so we have some standards we can commit to.

A great way to strengthen social bonds during teaching is to ask learners to complete assignments in small groups and then present them to all their peers, especially in the form of a short oral presentation and a short written report. This teaches them to organize collectively and distribute roles to achieve the proposed pedagogical objective. By working together on the basis of the resources provided by the teacher as well as those they can procure on their own, they exchange their approaches and points of view, allowing them to overcome many of the difficulties they would encounter working alone. Such collaborative activities can be carried out today remotely without difficulty.

Having facilitated numerous virtual group discussions, I've found it surprisingly efficient compared to physical sessions. The advantage of observing clear body language and facial expressions and easily creating closed groups is invaluable. Engagement techniques, particularly using breakout rooms and summarizing discussions, are pivotal. I use these methods as they ensure every member gets a chance to actively participate, making the sessions more inclusive and productive.

Existen plataformas como Microsoft Teams que permiten que se abran salas para que se trabaje en equipos. Estos subgrupos se pueden asignar al azar o bien con base en algún criterio. Aquí la función del docente es preparar esta asignación, definir en una sesión grupal la tarea a realizar, orientar sobre las responsabilidades al interior del equipo y definir las características de los productos del trabajo grupal, así como el tiempo de realización de la actividad. Al final se deben de regesar los grupos a la sesión general y presentar las conclusiones del trabajo realizado.

One of the things I love most about synchronous tools is how easy it is to auto populate breakout groups. It’s truly more random and diverse than what I might think is ‘random,’ which is informed by my assumptions and biases on learners and their knowledge or skills. There’s also a lot of fun ‘tricks’ to getting people to choose a topic and group to join (e.g., change your background, hold something up to the camera, change your name, etc). I think the most important part of any of this is to make sure learners have a concrete task or product that they have to bring back and share with the larger group — this invites reflection and also helps the larger group gain insights from the divergent ideas brought together by all the groups.

When forming diverse groups, it's the responsibility of educators to carefully consider and manage a number of factors. It isn't difficult, for example, to explain how virtual breakout rooms can facilitate dividing students into diverse groups as easily as in physical classrooms; the technology enables flexibility. And yes, periodically changing group composition over the course of the semester can continually expose students to new perspectives. However, avoid grouping configurations that may isolate marginalized students or make them feel like spokespeople for an entire demographic. Set group norms and expectations around inclusivity, respecting diverse voices, and equitable participation. Model and reinforce these norms from day one.

Begin by discussing the importance of "social presence" - building connections, trust and rapport among students in a virtual setting. Then facilitate icebreakers and introductory activities that humanize online interactions. Explain to learners how assigning roles (timekeeper, note-taker, facilitator, etc.) builds accountability and provides structure to balance participation. I often recommend using online collaborative documents or boards to capture and organize groups' thoughts visually. This can facilitate synthesis and summary. I also emphasize the importance of post-discussion debriefs for reflection about both content and group social processes. In other words, gather feedback for improvement.

Ideally, you should schedule several discussion sessions with each group, face-to-face or remotely, at the end of the main stages of the work. They allow the teacher to discuss with each of the group members, answer their questions, help them organize themselves and show interest in the work done by the group, which is an important motivating factor. You can take advantage of these group exchanges to obtain feedback on the entire pedagogical system offered to learners, by asking them to give you their comments and suggestions for improvement: balance between online and face-to-face sessions, relevance of explanations given in the course and self-assessment exercises, preferences in terms of recognition of their efforts and acquisitions...

In my experience, it is imperative that educators emphasize learner-centered approaches to online discussion that give students agency, authority, and responsibility. Discuss with your class why it's valuable to relinquish aspects of instructor control to empower students. Furthermore, discuss the utility of starting discussions slowly and building up to longer, more complex conversations. Early success and scaffolding increase learners' confidence. Again, I caution against instructors dominating conversations; more equitable, balanced discussion comes from student interactions that emerge authentically over time. I also recommend student reflection activities after discussions to process knowledge (ie self-assessments and peer reviews).

I think virtual students really notice when instructors participate in class discussion forums with the students. So, review student posts. Comment on their posts. Keep an open mind to better understand diverse perspectives. Ask students questions relative to their posts to further critical thinking abilities. Monitor discussion forums, and when a student replies to a question you ask about a post, reply back. As instructors, we can better engage virtual students by ensuring that we also engage ourselves.

In the doctoral course I teach remotely, I endeavor to send inspirational notes to class members prior to each meeting. In these I ask that they, following their readings, watching videos and contemplating their professional experience, be prepared to offer their views to the group. During the meeting I strive to ensure that someone who may be more experienced in the topic kick-off the discussion with a "war story" and ask for additional perspectives and questions from others. Bringing in those from outside of the field is critical for their development and if we encourage them to engage, even if only by inquiry in this safe space, we can feel good that we have shared knowledge.

I agree with Remi Kalir's comment in this section. Let students take the lead, scaffold your support, and offer opportunities for reflection. I also watch for places where I can connect student ideas. For example, I might post: "@Tracy, did you see @Taylor's post? They also mentioned the use of open spaces but had a different perspective." This can take the learning deeper for everyone in the discussion.

Reflections are a great way to assess student learning. Depending on the size of the class, students can be assigned to breakout rooms individually or in pairs/ groups and asked to reflect on a set of application based questions. The instructor can then listen to each student or group and record the quality of reflections and also provide meaningful feedback with clear actionable points.

Transcribe and record the discussion for review and replay. Consider experience “debriefs” and other follow up activities like a reflection blog to assess learning. These can enhance communication, empower learning, and foster engagement.

Beware: With access to generative AI to all, problem based assessments require special precautions, because students only need to ask their question to an AI like ChatGPT to obtain a very elaborate answer, which they then only have to deepen, possibly continuing to use AI. Under these conditions, it is no longer necessary for them to carry out the work of self-reflection and critical thinking that is at the heart of these assessments. It is therefore preferable to assess them orally by checking in with them several times, face-to-face or remotely, in order to monitor their progress and verify their personal involvement, and to keep a record of it, which can be used in the event that the student disputes the grade.

Other tips for engagement are: 1. Give everyone a chance to contribute. 2. Create amicable relationships and environment for healthy discussion. 3. Keep audiences involved and engaged 4. Use AI or polls or tools for engagement 5. Use breakout room for sessions 6. Effective questioning 7. Use case studies, stories and anecdotes 8. Use of AV Tools 9. Use of Simulation 10. Active Facilitation 11. Don’t shy away from Repeat and redirect. 12. Bring in hands on activities to maintain momentum

It's important to keep in mind key principles of inclusive facilitation. Does anyone in the room have accessibility requirements, do they need learning support if they're neurodiverse? Making sure diverse perspectives are heard and included with respect - this can be done by establishing ground rules at the start.