Using Quizzes and Breakout Rooms in Live Sessions

In this video workshop below, Dan Rigby explains his approach to live Zoom sessions. This includes the intentions of the sessions themselves Q&A, solo and group work), a demonstration of the possibilities of TurningPoint quizzes the setup, different question types), plus practical breakout room to ensure that students find them enjoyable and worthwhile.

Dan provides recorded lectures to students and uses the timetabled lecture slot to run live sessions for students to recap, review and consolidate the core content provided in the asynchronous lectures.

The live online sessions typically consist of instructor-led interactive Q&A – where students are asked to participate in formative assessment activities (quizzes) to help them check-in, keep on track, interact with other students.

The sessions involve a mix of students responding individually or based on their discussion of the Question in Breakout Rooms.

Dan uses the Q&A to assess levels of understanding of content – no new content in provided in the live timetabled sessions.

To run the live session Dan uses Zoom. For the Q&A activities he uses TurningPoint mobile live anonymous polling – sharing his screen to present his questions in PowerPoint and display student answers. Typically the displaying of class answers is then used as an opportunity to de-brief and cover any further student questions live or in the Zoom chat. Dan encourages students to use the chat to ask question but also to provide responses to questions posted by peers.

For TurningPoint questions discussed in Breakout Rooms, he puts 8-10 people per room for a duration of 3-4 minutes. Group composition does not change per session. To promote effective participation from all students within the group Dan has develop a basic Etiquette for break out rooms: unmute microphone, cameras on. Dan or an assisting TA roam around breakout rooms to ensure groups are working and to assist where required

Results/Outcomes

Students respond positively

Poll results from students confirm that they like the use of breakout groups

Benefits and Added Value

Manage large groups effectively
Allow students to demonstrate what they have learned, how well and indicating where to go next
Helps students gauge how well they are doing. Develops students’ awareness of their knowledge
Engages students in evaluation performance
Facilitates peer learning

Tips

Include a ‘I have no idea’ option among the answers to questions – this encourages all students to participate and gives the lecturer a better assessment of levels of understanding.
Login as a student on another device – to check what students are seeing see without having to continuously check if students can see x or y.
Have a TA to act as co-host, admit late arrivals, post information in the chat window, visit breakout tooms, flag things to the lecturer eg missed questions in the chat or other.
Praise students who respond to other students’ questions posted in the Chat window.