Here are some helpful considerations when preparing to facilitate a Zoom discussion group with students around the First Year Reading Experience book:
Connect with your facilitator prior to the discussion to determine how to structure the discussion.
Will there be one facilitator who leads while another manages logistics or will you alternate?
Logistics include: admitting students to the waiting room, assigning students to small groups, watching the chat for questions/comments to highlight, managing participants (calling on students who have hands raised, lowering the hand if the student doesn't)
Log into your zoom 10/15 minutes prior to the discussion so that you know everything is set.
As you begin, share some housekeeping items when using zoom - how to raise your hand, how to ask questions in chat, how to use reactions, etc.
Consider doing a quick icebreaker. You have a total of an hour and 15 minutes for the book discussion so it is recommended that you choose an activity that will last no longer than 5-8 minutes. You could try a couple of different options in zoom:
Ask students to share something in the chat feature (this also ensures they know how to use chat) - perhaps their favorite book or ice cream/non-dairy frozen dessert flavor....and/or something related to SSU - their major, the class they are most excited about, etc.
Assign students to small groups and ask them to introduce themselves, share 1 or 2 things and then come up with something that they all have in common. Ask them to assign someone to report out for their group when they return (either vocally or in the chat feature).
Every group differs - some are quiet, others are fully engaged and talkative. Have more activities or discussion questions than time may allow so if you have a group that isn't as forthcoming you have additional activities to engage them.
Consider starting your discussion by working with the students to set ground rules OR if you are concerned about time, have ground rules in place and ask students if they want to add/alter them. These could be related to using respectful language, sharing the floor, challenging yourself to speak up or share at least once, recognizing different perspectives/views, using inclusive terms, giving permission to ask questions appropriately if you don't understand something, etc.
This is a discussion group, so the focus is on students talking and sharing. The facilitators should talk around 10/15% of the time while the students talk the 90/85% of the time. This experience is not designed to be a class where students are "taught". Various tools in zoom can be utilized to help drive the discussions:
REACTIONS: utilize the clapping/thumbs up feature to ask a yes/no question to get a "read on the room" and then open up conversations. Example: On page 4, the author says "I was different from the other kids." If you've felt different from other kids around you clap, if you haven't ever felt that way, thumbs up. That can then allow students to share once they see they aren't alone.
CHAT: Utilize the chat feature to ask students to share something - while they are typing, read the responses and make a quick comment....pull together themes, and build a discussion around the comments. You could try building off of the authors comments on page 284 that as a kid he was voted "most likely to fail". Ask students to imagine four years from now, at the end of their college experience, what would they like to be voted "most likely" to do or become? OR ask them to share a time that they failed at something...perhaps give an example from your life...and then have a discussion on how failure doesn't have to define you.
BACKGROUNDS AND SHARE SCREEN: To create some "texture" to your discussion, have some backgrounds or a power point slide ready to use in your facilitation. Students will be asked to prepare a background of their favorite book in case you want them to share so they can visibly see each other (if they are able to share) and their book option. Change your background to be a quote from the book that you want students to discuss. Put a power point slide up with a discussion question. Altering how the zoom looks/works can create interest and make the discussion feel more alive.
BREAKOUT ROOMS: Utilize the breakout rooms to assign students something to discuss along with a deliverable at the end of the discussion. For example:
What are the life lessons this book teaches us? Come up with a list of 5 lessons that we can take from Robison’s experiences. Inspired by: “Then I understood. They welcomed me because I didn’t do anything to drive them away. I had learned how to be friendly.” (p. 260)
As a community, what do we need to be more understanding and compassionate about? The author uses neurodiversity as his vehicle - share an issue or cause that is important to you. Inspired by: “And more than anything, we need more compassion and understanding in our society.” (p. 287)
Plan to allow each co-facilitator to ask questions or lead the discussion. There will be two faculty/staff facilitators in each group along with 1- 2 upper-class students who have been asked to bring a question or two that they want to ask the students about the book.
At the end of the discussion, please direct the students to fill out the online evaluation so they can get a free t-shirt - we will provide you the link to share in the chat.