Making a breakout space in Zoom is an excellent method for facilitating small group conversations or tasks during online gatherings. As a frequent user of breakout rooms for various reasons, I can attest to their ability to greatly improve involvement and cooperation among attendees. This article will walk you through the process of setting up a breakout room in Zoom so you can utilize the potential of these virtual spaces for your own meetings.
Step 1: Scheduling the Meeting
To enable breakout rooms, you need to schedule your meeting in Zoom. Once you have logged into your Zoom account, click on the “Schedule a Meeting” button and fill in the necessary details such as the meeting topic, date, and time. Make sure to enable the breakout room feature by checking the box that says “Enable breakout rooms” in the meeting options.
Step 2: Preparing Breakout Rooms
Before the meeting starts, it’s essential to plan and prepare the breakout rooms. Think about how many rooms you need and how you want to divide your participants. You can create breakout rooms automatically or manually assign participants. To create breakout rooms automatically, click on the “Breakout Rooms” option in the meeting controls, and choose the number of rooms you need. If you prefer to manually assign participants, click on the “Assign” button next to each room and select the participants you want in that particular room.
Step 3: Start the Breakout Rooms
Once the meeting has begun, you can start the breakout rooms. Click on the “Breakout Rooms” button and select the option to “Open All Rooms.” This will automatically assign participants to their respective rooms and they will receive a prompt to join their breakout room. As the host, you have the flexibility to join any breakout room at any time to check on the progress or provide guidance.
Step 4: Facilitating Breakout Room Activities
Now that your breakout rooms are up and running, it’s time to facilitate the activities or discussions happening within each room. You can join any breakout room by clicking on the “Join” button next to the room’s name in the breakout room menu. Once inside the room, you can communicate with participants via audio, video, or chat. You can also share your screen or use the whiteboard feature to enhance collaboration and engagement.
Step 5: Ending Breakout Rooms
When you’re ready to bring everyone back together, you can close the breakout rooms. Click on the “Close All Rooms” button in the breakout room menu. Participants will receive a notification that the breakout rooms are closing, and they will be automatically brought back to the main meeting room. You can then proceed with the rest of your meeting agenda or continue discussions as a larger group.
Conclusion
Creating breakout rooms in Zoom is a powerful way to foster collaboration and engagement in virtual meetings. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can successfully set up and manage breakout rooms for your own meetings. Remember to plan ahead, assign participants strategically, and facilitate activities within each room to maximize the benefits of breakout rooms. Give it a try, and see how breakout rooms can transform your virtual meetings!