As we reviewed the assessments coming in after the pilot of a newly developed training course, two words stood out: breakout rooms. Half of our team expected the feedback on these virtual discussion groups to be negative, the other wondered why almost every participant wrote about them in their responses. We poured over the data […]
Breakout groups – where small groups talk within the larger group – can help all learners participate more fully, engage with each other and connect to the content in a deeper way. In a virtual setting, breakout rooms help learners get that in-person feel, and can be used effectively to enable personal meaning-making. When to […]
Using the right technique at the right time with the right people, can touch me at my core. When a technique helps to bring the best outcome for a working or learning session, I feel grateful. When I see a technique bring people together around feelings, thoughts, and experiences, I feel immense joy. Does this […]
Over the past months of virtual meetings – and there have been plenty of them – there has been much testing and experimentation with technology. One such technique has been the Chat feature; all virtual platforms have it and most of us use it. For me, the Chat feature has helped to enliven and enrich […]
Many people are afraid of sitting in silence with a group in a Zoom room. Don’t be afraid. Silence can be extremely helpful and needed if timed well. Here are reasons to design for silence: to give people time to think to make space for off-screen work before coming to the large group to consider content, ideas, […]
The Chat box is highly underrated. All meeting spaces have this feature, but it is not often used. And even more rarely, explored. Here are some great reasons to use the Chat box: to invite in all voices Rarely does everyone have a voice in a session (in-person or virtual). Since meaning-making is personal, every […]
In mid-March, the Tax Equity team at the International Budget Partnership was faced with a dilemma – continue planning a two-day convening of researchers, staff, and civil society scheduled for May or take it completely online. Like many organizations in the face of COVID-19 uncertainty, we ultimately decided to turn the convening into a series […]