Building connections in a virtual classroom requires intentional use of communication tools. BigBlueButton offers several ways for participants to interact beyond audio.
Public and Private Chat
Chat is often the most active communication channel in a virtual classroom:
- Public chat — visible to everyone; great for questions, responses, and shared links
- Private chat — one-on-one messages between any two participants; useful for individual support or quiet side conversations
See Send Public and Private Chat Messages.
Encourage students to use public chat for questions during a lecture. This lets quieter students participate without unmuting.
Reactions
The reactions bar lets participants send quick, visual feedback without interrupting the speaker:
- Emoji reactions appear briefly next to the user’s name
- Use reactions for informal polls (“thumbs up if you understand”)
- Reactions lower the barrier to participation
See Reactions Bar.
Status Indicators
Participants can set a status emoji to communicate their state:
- Raise hand — signal a question or comment
- Away — indicate you’ve stepped away
- Custom status emojis for mood or feedback
See Set a Status.
Tips for Building Connection
- Start with an icebreaker — use public chat or reactions for a quick warm-up
- Acknowledge participation — call out good questions and reactions by name
- Use private chat for support — check in with quiet students individually
- Model the behavior — use reactions and chat yourself to normalize participation
