Many class assignments require students to brainstorm together, and with tools like Zoom and Google Jamboard, groups can brainstorm together whether they’re all in one place or not. In on-site classes, students might write or draw on whiteboards, take notes on paper, and use colorful sticky notes. Using Zoom with Google Jamboard allows students to have an interactive discussion in much the same way. But before students engage in a brainstorming session, especially if they are using new tools for it, it will be helpful to provide students with a process for brainstorming and technology support to ensure their session is well-organized and runs smoothly.
Weekly Ed-Tech Spotlight:
Catchbox may not be feasible, this year, to assist with large-course discussions, but LSA has several chat tools that can serve many of the same pedagogical purposes.
Brainstorming is a procedure designed to tap members’ creativity by asking them to generate as many ideas as possible without evaluation. Brainstorming is a popular technique in college learning and there has been “extensive research about how to use it effectively and to help groups generate ideas and avoid group tendencies to close the discussion prematurely” (Adams & Galanes, 2017, p. 162). For example, allowing time for group members to generate ideas alone before brainstorming with the group allows room for a variety of ideas to be heard. Another important measure is for students to not evaluate ideas while they are brainstorming, which shuts down conversations and can make some students withdraw. One way to help ensure this is to remind groups explicitly to record all ideas before evaluating. Ideas can be evaluated after the brainstorming session, once everyone has had an opportunity to contribute. The figure below illustrates guidelines that will help students move more smoothly through the brainstorming process. Consider giving students some version of this at the start of the activity.
Since brainstorming is a creative process, students will benefit by being able to write, sketch, and organize concepts to communicate ideas. Google Jamboard is a simple, online collaborative whiteboard that allows students to draw with a stylus or mouse or use the easy-to-read handwriting and shape recognition tool—just like a physical white board. Jamboard also has a sticky note tool that allows each student to add sticky notes in different colors. And each Jambaord created can be turned into a PDF and shared with the group or submitted to Canvas. If the students are working from different locations, they might keep a Zoom meeting to speak with each other, each contributing to the Jamboard on their own devices.
There are times when instructors may want to lead a brainstorming session with the entire class. Christina Jones (2021), a librarian from Indiana University, shares how she uses Jamboard for virtual brainstorming with business students. Students were asked to explore a database and contribute responses on a shared Jamboard using the sticky note feature. Jones found that students were able to easily add content to the Jamboard and felt at ease with the software right away: “The Jamboard provided a forum for student responses, replacing the hastily blurted out answers during a typical in-person instruction session.”
Getting started with Jamboard is easy. All students can access Jamboard with their U-M Google account. For student group work, one person can begin by creating a new Jamboard and giving everyone editing permission, just as they do with Google Docs. They can meet in person or in a Zoom meeting and even use screen sharing to show the Jamboard if they’re more comfortable that way, though the Jamboard will show everyone’s additions in real-time. Then, let the brainstorming begin! For detailed instructions about how to get started using Google Jamboard, see the U-M ITS Intro to Jamboard video.
If you would like to discuss how to use Jamboard or other brainstorming tools in your class, or have any other course design issues you’d like to speak with someone about, please feel free to reach out to the LSATSLearningTeachingConsultants@umich.edu or request a consultation here.
Resources
Find a full list of Jamboard tools here.
References
Christina Jones. (2021). When Breakout Rooms Break, Jamboards Put the Pieces Together. Ann Arbor, MI: Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/t/ticker/16481003.0005.215?view=text;rgn=main
Adams, K. & Galanes, G. (2017). Communicating in Groups: Application and Skills. McGraw Hill.
