Silent listening

Stub article

In a virtual environment

The method has been conducted in virtual settings with success over a range of platforms. In essence, groups can be hosted on a videotelephony platform such as Zoom®, MS Teams® or Google Meet® for instructions and discussions whilst the activities themselves can be hosted on collective multi-access whiteboard platforms such as Google Slides®, Mural®, Miro® and ConceptBoard® to name a few. Similarly to in-person contexts, it is important to have an organised instruction slide deck to share as well as all the virtual "sticky notes" (if applicable) prepared in advance of the session.

In a virtual environment, there is the advantage (if all participants follow instructions) to mute microphones and so the silence is 100% as well as the "act of consciously muting" is an additional learning point and ritualises the exercise in a complimentary fashion. Speakers can be asked to move from one breakout room to another in a circulatory or random method whilst retaining silence.