Card

Round Robin

Use this strategy to challenge students to brainstorm as many ideas as possible in a short period of time without elaborating, questioning, or explaining.

Round Robin

Summary

Have students brainstorm on a topic without elaborating, explaining, or questioning ideas. Group members take turns responding to a question or a topic with a word, phrase, or short statement. Students share their thoughts one at a time until all students have had the opportunity to speak.

Procedure

Explain that the purpose of brainstorming is to generate ideas.
Advise students that they must refrain from evaluating, questioning, or discussing the ideas to prevent interruption or inhibiting the flow of ideas.
Pose a question or topic that you want students to brainstorm about.
Allow students time to answer the question individually, in small groups, or with partners. Each student should compile a list of ideas.
Ask each student or group to contribute one idea from their list and write them on the board.
Repeat this until everyone has had a chance to contribute. If everything on their list has already been said, invite students to simply say, "Pass."

Barkley, Elizabeth F. et al. Collaborative Learning Techniques: A Handbook For College Faculty. Wiley, 2014. pp 159-163.