"getting people to talk in zoom class" tips thread - I'll share mine and you share yours, please!

tip 1: in breakout rooms, ask one person to manage the screenshare or whiteboard, and everyone else tell them what to write/draw. works GREAT for syntax trees, for example, and they feel less self-conscious (can also do this out of breakout rooms, if the group is <25ish)

tip 2: rather than teacher calling on everyone, e.g. for introductions or anything where everyone has to share, do it popcorn style! at the end of someone's turn, they choose who should go next. use participant markers to mark who's had a turn yet

tip 3: any zoom meeting longer than forty minutes needs a BREAK. tell em to go stretch and drink some water, and do it yourself as well.

tip 4: put blank slides in your ppt at strategic spots to write down answers/ideas from volunteers. the blank slide feels motivating - we want to fill it up!

tip 5: if you want students to talk, explicitly tell them they can unmute themselves - they're not allowed to in a lot of classes - and for peer discussions: "this is your time, I'm turning my mic/camera off so I don't distract you" - be explicit about handing over the floor

tip 5 continued - I will also, with adult learners, tell them I'm actually walking away from the computer for 5 minutes (and do so) so they feel less surveilled / less pressure to get stuff "right" in front of a teacher

will continue adding and qt'ing into this thread as I try/hear about/think of stuff!