Random Selection
The random participant selection feature allows a presenter to randomly pick a participant from the current attendee list. This is not a standard BigBlueButton feature — it requires a separate plugin that must be installed and enabled by the server administrator.
Plugin Availability
The random selection feature is not included in a standard BigBlueButton installation. It is only available when the server administrator has installed and enabled the corresponding plugin.
If you do not see the random selection option in your meeting, this is expected behavior for a standard BigBlueButton installation — it is not an error. The feature requires a separately installed plugin.
Plugin Installation and Management
Plugins like random selection must be installed separately by the server administrator. The installation effort depends on the hosting environment:
- In standard BigBlueButton installations, plugins require technical setup by the administrator.
- With premium hosting providers like bbbserver, customer administrators can activate available plugins directly in the management dashboard with a single click and configure them there.
Using Random Selection
When the plugin is installed and active, the random selection feature works as follows:
Look for the random selection option in the Plus (+) menu or in another location in the interface, depending on the plugin version.
Activate the random selection. The plugin picks a person at random from the current participant list.
The selected participant's name is displayed to all meeting attendees.
Typical Use Cases
- Calling on participants — randomly select someone to answer a question via microphone.
- Whiteboard rights — randomly assign whiteboard access to a participant.
- Task assignment — distribute tasks in group work scenarios by random selection.
- Engaging passive participants — encourage participation by using the random picker to involve quieter attendees.
Random selection can be a great way to make meetings and classroom sessions more interactive. Participants stay more engaged when they know they might be called upon at any time.
Since this is a plugin feature, its availability, menu location, and behavior may vary depending on the installed plugin version and server configuration. If the menu item is missing, contact your server administrator.