How do I know that I have been placed in a group?

There is nothing you need to do if you are already connected to the live call and it is announced that Breakout groups will soon start.  Our MaestroConference platform will place you in a group automatically.  Sometimes, the facilitator will ring a bell to indicate that the group has begun; other times, the teacher will simply announce that groups are beginning.  Then you will hear silence.  This silence indicates that you have been moved from the large audience hall into a small virtual room with a few other people.  Please introduce yourself and state your first name to initiate conversation; otherwise, your entire group might be waiting quietly and patiently for someone else to begin.
 

Dialing in after Breakout groups have begun.

If you dial in while breakout groups are already in session, this is absolutely fine.  Please know that it will take some time for us to locate you and place you into the best group for you.  So, after you are connected to the conference line, please allow about 30 - 60 seconds of silence before requesting technical assistance by pressing '5' or trying again.

If you believe that you have not been connected with others, or if you need other technical assistance while Breakout groups are in session (e.g. extraneous noise which interferes with conversation), do press '5' on your phone keypad and an assistant will be with you as soon as possible.

Can I participate in Breakout groups via Webcast?

Breakout groups are created on the MaestroConference platform itself.  They are not available through the Webcast’s shared line.  Please feel free to stop your Webcast and call in with your dial-in number and PIN when Breakout groups are announced.  In such cases, there will be 30 - 60 seconds lag time while you are place in a group.  Alternatively, you may type questions into the Chat box on the Webcast, to be read to the teacher time-permitting.

Generally, any Breakout groups that occur during the class time proper will be short (10 minutes or less), in contrast to the unlimited Breakout time after class ends.  If we do form Breakouts during class, our facilitator will try to let you know well in advance so that you have time to dial in and get placed in a group before these discussions begin.

You can minimize the costs of dialing in by using an international/long-distance calling card, a discount long-distance service (e.g. http://www.onesuite.com), Skype (http://www.skype.com), or Google Voice (https://www.google.com/voice).

We do not recommend listening via telephone and Webcast simultaneously, though toggling between one and the other works just fine.