What is a breakout room?
A breakout room is a virtual classroom space that is separate from the main room. Typically, we use breakout rooms to facilitate group work, and complete pieces of the workshop project. Generally, we complete at least 2 breakout room sessions per workshop.

Who organizes breakout rooms?
The breakout rooms are organized by the Producer. At the beginning of every event, it is highly recommended that the Producer creates 3 breakout rooms to start.

How many breakout rooms should the Producer create?
3 for every workshop to start (listed below). Then 1 additional breakout room for every 4 learners + Mentor group. Example, if you have a workshop with 20 participants, you will have 6 breakout rooms. 2 at the start (Party & Tech) + 4 breakout rooms for all 20 learners + Mentors. Types of breakout rooms to have for every experience:
1) The Party Room. Once learners complete a tech/check-in, they get sent to the Party Room for icebreakers with the Instructor and Mentor.
2) The Tech Room. This room should be created to use in the workshop if someone is having technical difficulties. Troubleshoot the best you can.
3) 1 Normal Breakout Room. This is to be made at the beginning of the experience so you have at least one breakout room ready to go!

Instructors: Before the workshop, you and a Mentor will start in the Party Room! Organize an icebreaker as learners enter the room. Once the workshop starts, it is recommended you only go to the breakout rooms if someone needs help. The Producer will inform you when this is the case. You might be sent to the Tech Room to help with troubleshooting if the Producer needs help for the learner.

Mentors: Before the workshop, you and the Instructor will start in the Party Room! Organize an icebreaker as learners enter the room. During the workshop, you will be in the breakout rooms. Support the learners using the MENTOR acronym to the best of your ability from the video and slide deck.

Producers: You will create any breakout rooms that are needed.
For the Tech Room: Ideally, you have 1 Instructor + learner, or the Producer + learner sent to the tech room when a tech issue arises. During youth workshops please do not have Mentors alone in a breakout room with one learner. Mentors do not have to complete Vulnerable Sector checks, and therefore should not be alone with one learner. Typically, the tech room is used if a tech issue comes up after the check-in. Example, a learner cannot get their code to work and is really behind in the group.

How many people go in a breakout room?
Typically we have one Mentor and 4 learners per breakout room. Normally the Instructor uses the breakout room sessions to rest. Depending on the Instructor, they may want to run a breakout room. Make sure to discuss this as a group prior to the workshop start.

What if someone needs help in a breakout room, and the Mentor is not sure what to do?
If someone needs help, learners can click the “Ask for Help” button, and the Producer can send the Instructor into a breakout room to support. Mentors should not leave learners in the breakout room unattended. Mentor’s can use the ask for help button as well if learners have violated the Code of Conduct and need to be removed from the workshop.

How do I communicate with the learners if I am not in the breakout room?
Only the Producer can do this. The Producer can use broadcast message to reach all learners in every breakout room at the same time. It is recommended the Producer lets the learners know when there is one minute left in the exercise, using broadcast message. If you want to use the chat in a breakout room to communicate with learners, you can. However, that chat will not be able to be viewed in the main room. The breakout room chat remains attached to the breakout room only.

Tips for breakout rooms for each role:

Instructors:

• Before starting a breakout room, the Instructor should mention: what the group is expected to do (the ask or activity), how long they have to do it (the amount of time), and what we will be doing when we get back to the main room. Example: we’re continuing with part 2 of the lesson!
• Before the workshop, the Producer and Instructor need to decide how many times you will use breakout rooms in the workshop and where in the workshop that happens, as well as how long the breakout rooms will last

Mentors:

• Mentors should be prepared to work with learners who finish an activity early, or are having trouble with the activity. As well, it is important not to get ahead of the Instructor while in the breakout room activity! Be prepared to share your screen for reference to the content slide deck if needed.

Producers:

• Before the workshop, the Producer and Instructor need to decide how many times you will use breakout rooms in the workshop and where in the workshop that happens, as well as how long the breakout rooms will last
• If there are users whose browsers do not support breakout rooms, we make the Main room into a breakout room
• We suggest keeping learners and Mentors in the same breakout session for all activities in the experience