JISCMail - SEDA Archives

Hi,

Breakout rooms are an interesting topic aren't they? Just to echo what Benjamin said earlier, I was in a recent online seminar for UK staff where the mention of breakout rooms instantly halved the numbers. I asked my daughters who are both at different universities (one in science and the other arts) about this issue and they both said everyone hates them with a passion. Apparently, breakout rooms are "cringe" (embarrassing) and their peers also leave immediately when those two words are spoken.

In fact, their peer groups prefer a recording compared to attending live sessions although they are fine as long as cameras are not required. Apparently, they enjoy snacks throughout live online sessions and don't wish to be seen at all.

So, theoretically breakout rooms offer great scope, a range of applications, flexibility, and pedagogical potential. However, the perception of them amongst some humans may be different. It will vary of course and some will relish the social and discursive learning opportunities they afford but worth offering recordings regardless (most courses do that now anyway).

That said, I have asked students in live sessions to open a new tab on their browser and to do a specified activity for 5 minutes before feeding back in the chat box. If they do return (and most do) this works very well and you avoid the virtual upheaval of going back and forth between spaces or being suddenly whisked away into some very random social arrangement. It also keeps the class 'together' more. A compromise perhaps?

Have a great weekend everybody.

Best Wishes,

Nick

--------------------------------------
Dr. Nicholas Bowskill, SFHEA, AFSEDA,

Senior Lecturer in Education (UDOL)

University of Derby,

Kedleston Road,

Derby

Bowskill, N., Hall, D., Harrogate, M., and Hutchinson, L., (2022), "Nostalgia, belonging and mattering: an affective institutional framework for digital collegiality drawn from teachers’ experiences of online delivery during the first wave of the Covid pandemic." Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice 19(4). https://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol19/iss4/17/

Nicholas Bowskill is a former Kelvin-Smith Scholar at University of Glasgow. Nicholas is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He was lead tutor for SEDA online workshop on Introduction to Educational Change and still is Senior Lecturer in Education (UDOL) at University of Derby. He is a reviewer for various published journals including: Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, Interactive Learning Environments and International Journal of Art and Design Education and Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. SharedThinking is an independent consultancy.

On Thu, 22 Feb 2024 at 13:22, Benjamin Olsen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hi,

Not really advice, more an observation.

I recently ran an online workshop twice with approx. 20 students each time. Despite maximum effort put into inclusivity, engagement, scaffolding, etc., nearly half of each group left the session at the very mention of breakout rooms. All were already 'barricaded', as Mari describes, with mics and cameras off, which is so often the norm now. I think, unless you are working consistently with students who know you and each other well, there is often a fear of the breakout room. This of course depends on the context and cohort (mine was a one-off session to students I didn't know).

Perhaps lots of us have been guilty of attending a webinar to listen in (over lunch?) and then left at the suggestion of a breakout room and having to actually do something?

Best wishes,

Benjamin Olsen

Study Skills Tutor

MA, PGCert, FHEA

[log in to unmask]

See my staff profile: https://staff.aub.ac.uk/en/profile/benjamin-olsen

aub.ac.uk

Show you have faith in every student. Always. No matter what. You might be the first person who has ever believed in them.

From: Reeves, Houghton and Martin (2021) Believe you can Make a Difference

-----Original Message-----

From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Rina Darwin

Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2024 8:29 AM

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: EXTERNAL: Breakouts

[You don't often get email from [log in to unmask]. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]

CAUTION: This email originated from outside AUB. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

Hello,

I am looking for advice on breakouts in Teams.

What kinds of activities work best?

Optimal size of the group?

How long should a breakout be at one time?

Which tools work well - so, Miro, Padlet, whiteboard….?

I realise that lots of decisions are ‘it depends’ but it will be great to hear any experience stories, views and guidance. Many thanks.

Best wishes,

Rina.

########################################################################

To unsubscribe from the SEDA list, click the following link:

https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jiscmail.ac.uk%2Fcgi-bin%2FWA-JISC.exe%3FSUBED1%3DSEDA%26A%3D1&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cd9b10e1eb60d4d67610108dc3381b5f5%7Cf8eeeb9f09904abf950ceb8f53fe7c77%7C0%7C1%7C638441879396091228%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=04wMIktMqEItF6RL1m7od4no6g4fIkhFJUqitYRgEbM%3D&reserved=0

To unsubscribe from the SEDA list, click the following link:
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=SEDA&A=1