What are some strategies for keeping large group facilitation on track online?

Maintain engagement through interactive activities, polls, and breakout sessions to prevent participants from disengaging. Clearly articulate goals and agenda at the beginning, emphasizing the importance of time management. Utilize collaborative tools like shared documents and virtual whiteboards for real-time input. Encourage active participation through open-ended questions, fostering a sense of inclusivity. Set ground rules for communication and provide a platform for participants to express concerns or suggestions. Regularly check in on participants' understanding and address any issues promptly. Use visual aids and varied media to cater to diverse learning styles. Periodically recap key points to reinforce learning and maintain focus.

Knowing - not only your purpose - but also, the variety of reasons why people are coming to your online facilitation, will shape your session. I was in a session recently and we began as we usually do asking for people to share their personal objectives. One person mentioned they were there because it was part of their learning journey and they had to complete it to tick it off as part of their induction package. They were being humorous about it, but because I knew what they were talking about, I helped them to reframe their mindset and we discussed why the content was more important to them than simply the "tick-box exercise" of completing a course.

Procure trabalhar de forma pareada com outros facilitadores. Construa as dinamicas e etapas colaborativamente junto a eles, estabeleça as responsabilidades de cada um. Procure fazer o movimento de divergencia e convergencia no fluxo de comunicação dos participantes dividindo o grupão em pequenos grupos. Se utilize de ferramentas e mecanismos visuais para que todos possam expor suas percepções de forma clara e direta.

Part of choosing the right platform and tools is setting the right length of time for a session. I was at a conference a couple of weeks ago run by the NeuroLeadership Institute - who I thoroughly recommend. One piece of advice that David Rock (CEO) gave was to break down learning into little-and-often programmes where each element builds on the previous one. Many of the courses I run have tended to be full day, but we are increasingly trending towards shorter, punchier sessions.

Using breakout spaces has mixed effects, but one thing I've learnt is not to leave a breakout group session running for longer than about 10 minutes and, if you need a longer time, add that on at the end. Keep jumping in and out of the spaces to keep a check on whether they are on track and on topic. If the group is larger, then a second facilitator checking the breakout rooms is a helpful consideration. If that's not possible, then signposting that you'll be in and out of the rooms but that if anyone needs you they can message you. Finally, appointment of a suitable leader or time keeper in the group can help keep everyone on track on your behalf.