HELP FILE
What are Activities and Breakouts?
Organizers can share files and break out attendees to make trainings more interactive.
Attendees can collaborate in real time on a shared Google Doc (or any file sharing service), watch a video, view an uploaded material – all while the organizers monitor their progress and provide guidance. Organizers can even split attendees into smaller groups (called "breakouts") for separate discussions or activities. View our Activities & Breakouts user guides.
Important: This feature is only available for organizers on GoTo Training Pro and GoTo Training Plus plans. If you're on a corporate Google account, make sure your shared settings are not restricted or locked down.
How it works
When an organizer start breakout rooms, attendees will experience the following.
Note: Any attendees who join the training while an activity with 2+ breakouts is under way will be launched into the main session rather than being directed into one of the breakouts. Attendees who were promoted to organizer during the session are not launched into the activity and are not able to access the Activity Center page.
- Desktop attendees — A new window will launch attendees into their breakout. Once the breakout ends, they will be taken to the main training room.
- Web attendees — These users will be automatically switched to the breakout within the same browser tab. Once the breakout ends, they will be taken to the main training room.
- Mobile attendees — Breakouts are not supported for mobile attendees. Users joining from the GoTo Training app for iOS or Android will be asked to join from a computer if the organizer starts a breakouts session.
- Co-organizers — These users will remain in the main training room and can join other breakout rooms as desired.
Note: Any attendees who join the training while an activity with 2+ breakouts is under way will be launched into the main session rather than being directed into one of the breakouts. Attendees who were promoted to organizer during the session are not launched into the activity and are not able to access the Activity Center page.
Using activities with or without breakouts
When organizers are setting up activities, you will have the option of keeping all of your attendees together or splitting them up into small groups.
- Activities with all attendees — Launch your activity with the entire group of attendees participating in the same activity together. To use this option, you can select "Everyone" from the drop-down menu when setting up your activity.
- Activities with breakouts — Instead of keeping all attendees together to participate in an activity, split them up into smaller groups called "breakouts" (up to 6 breakouts available). In this case, attendees will be launched into the activity in their respective breakout groups.
Note: Desktop and web attendees must be running Google Chrome in order to join activities that use breakouts.
Available activity types
GoTo Training offers multiple types of activities for you to choose from, each of which engages your attendees in different ways. You can switch to a new type of activity at any time during the session!
- Collaborate on a shared Google Drive file (or any other file sharing program) — Have your attendees work together on a Google Drive file (such as a Google Sheet, Google Doc or Google Slide). They can edit it together during the activity, and then you can share the completed file with them after the session. See How do I set up and share Google Drive files? to learn more!
Note: We have a new GoTo app! This article covers the classic GoTo Training experience. View How do I set up and share Google Drive files? for the new GoTo.
- View a video, PDF or image — Stream a video for your attendees, review a PDF or show an image on their screens. If you select this option, students will see the file in the same way that they view a Presenter's shared screen. View How do I share files?
- Break into groups with audio only — Divide your attendees into smaller groups (known as breakouts) for separate discussions. In this case, nothing will be shared on the browser screen for attendees while they chat. Note that this option is only available if you select 2 or more breakouts.
- Break into groups with screen sharing — Divide your attendees into smaller groups (known as breakouts) for separate discussions. In this case, desktop attendees will be able to share their screen with the other members of their breakout. Note that unlike when in the main session, attendees in breakouts won't need to be made the Presenter before they start screen sharing. View How do I share my screen? to learn more about attendees sharing their screens. Note that this option is only available if you select 2 or more breakouts, and mobile attendees will not be able to see the shared screen.
