Table 1
Tips to organise and implement virtual interactive discussions
|
Stages |
Steps |
Sample strategies |
|---|---|---|
|
Before the session |
Form a community of mentors/leaders |
Reach out to educators with a shared interest in mentoring |
|
Hold multiple conversations to reach consensus on the vision and strategies | ||
|
Decide on formats for virtual events- didactic vs interactive vs hybrid; formal vs informal etc. | ||
|
Respect and welcome a variety of perspectives and ideas | ||
|
Organize the virtual workshop |
Decide on topics for discussion | |
|
Discuss logistics—duration, time zone, publicity, recruitment, registration etc. | ||
|
Compose questions for polls, small group discussions | ||
|
Finalize guidelines for moderators—how to create a safe space, how to engage participants, allow participants to do most of the talking etc | ||
|
Finalize the agenda and timing for each segment of the workshop | ||
|
Do a practice run on the platform | ||
|
Assign roles to moderators, ensure back up if the session leader develops connectivity issues | ||
|
Chat moderators are critical to respond to all participant comments and questions | ||
|
Recruit participants |
Recruit using known health professions educator group lists | |
|
Decide whether to register or just advertise with a link to join the session | ||
|
Discuss whether to limit number of participants. This depends on capacity of the platform and format of the session | ||
|
Pre-assignment of breakout groups if list of participants is available ahead of time and attendance can be ensured | ||
|
During the session |
Welcome and introductions |
Introduce each of the moderators using video and audio |
|
Establish ground rules | ||
|
Explore who the participants are using polls and chat-location, profession, goals for participation | ||
|
Present the agenda and goals | ||
|
If recording the session or saving chats, mention this and ensure that there are no objections | ||
|
Assurance of confidentiality of opinions | ||
|
Set the stage |
Use ice-breakers-personal reflections, challenges faced/overcome, success stories | |
|
Showcase the diversity of the group | ||
|
Demonstrate facilitative and friendly body language | ||
|
Highlight peer learning and leaders model openness to learning from others | ||
|
Small group moderation |
Use trigger questions for participants to reflect on while groups are forming | |
|
Moderators facilitate introductions in small groups‑1 personal fact and 1 professional fact | ||
|
Moderators avoid doing too much talking and ensuring participation from group members | ||
|
Request participants to share audio and video if they are comfortable, but allow chats for those who are not | ||
|
Debriefing and lessons learned |
Conclude the workshop with presentation of key points raised by participants | |
|
Moderators/experts can add other tips | ||
|
Final poll/chat on one take home point | ||
|
Thank all participants for contributing to the learning | ||
|
After the session |
Reflections |
Session organisers meet to reflect on what went well and what needs improvement |
|
Reflections and lessons learned should be applied to future initiatives | ||
|
Educational initiatives, especially those are virtual and global, need a continuous quality improvement mindset |
Fig. 1
Challenges for health professions’ educators in shifting to online learning (points which came out from the discussions in the workshop)
Fig. 2
Narrative themes of enablers to change from the small group discussions in the workshop. Participants provided recommendations to overcome the challenges of the pandemic and promote effective and even innovative online experiences. These recommendations were grouped under different categories: understanding and enhancing, methods and approaches, learner-related, faculty development, mentors and role-models and learning communities
