In live classes, you can break the class up into smaller groups for discussions. You can do the same thing in Collaborate with Breakout Groups.

Setting Up Breakout Groups

First, breakout groups only work if the students are actually in the session.  If you want to pre-set breakout groups, you can create a Group Set in Scholar, and then use that Group Set to create the groups. 

Start your Collaborate session.  Click on the sharing tab of the Collaborate menu. Then, click Breakout Groups

There are three ways that you can assign participants to groups: Random Assignment, Custom Assignment and Group Set assignment. You can select them from the menu at the top of the Breakout Groups screen.

If you choose Randomly Assign, you'll be able to choose how many breakout groups you want, and every participant will be assigned to a group. You will not be able to use Randomly Assign with fewer than four participants.

If you choose Course group set, you'll be able to choose a group set from a dropdown menu.

After either of these, or if you choose Custom assignment, you'll be able to move participants into groups by clicking and dragging.

Conducting Breakout Groups

Click the Start button to start the breakout groups.  Each group is a completely separate Collaborate session.  If you want to join any of these groups, click the door icon. If you leave the main room, your recording will stop.

When you're done with the groups, click the stop button to bring everybody back to the main course room.