Facilitating online problem-solving using breakout rooms
1- Distribute the problem students can work in the breakout room
2- Designate a specific amount of time they can solve problem in breakout room
3- Assign group members a role (Recorder, Reporter, Time Keeper, Questioner)
4- Have a large group discussion where each group shares/presents their problem strategy and take notes on big ideas or other strategies that arise from the conversation
5-Encourage participants to turn on their camera and microphone when presenting, asking questions, and sharing ideas to create community
Sample questions for facilitating a problem-based discussion
Questions that ask for more evidence:
- How do you know that?
- Where is it stated in the question-how did you know to do that?
Questions that ask for clarification:
- What strategy did you use?
- Can you state that another way?
Questions that ask students to summarize and synthesize:
- Can someone give a summary of the strategy the group used in that problem?
- What are one or two of the most important ideas (strategies) that emerged from this discussion?
- What do you understand better as a result of today’s session?
- Based on our discussion today, what do we need to talk about next time to better understand this type of problem better?
- Based on your experience today, what types of problems do you need to re-work on your own and/or ask your professor about?