Welp MagazineA virtual classroom is a space where instructors and learners work together in similar ways to a traditional classroom setup simultaneously. Virtual learning has been gaining popularity in the education industry over the last decade but its demand surged after COVID-19 when the world closed all around to ensure health and safety.
Virtual classrooms avail several benefits like:
- It provides an environment that ensures human connection.
- Instructors and learners can interact in real-time.
- Scalable to accommodate a large number of learners
- Provides synchronous learning through platforms such as in Docebo.
- Creates new standard in learning that is beyond traditional approaches
- Allows learners to pursue their training even while working a job or doing other personal activities.
- It eliminates additional costs of travel as well as accommodation.
Virtual Classrooms are a completely new thing in the world of education that is supposed to enhance the delivery of conventional classrooms in an online environment. But picking the right tool for virtual classrooms is one hell of a task. So, here’s a list of features that you must consider in any virtual classroom tool:
Interactive Features
Today’s learners are already well up on connecting digitally through social media, Google applications, and group texts. The interactive features in virtual classroom platforms create a collaborative classroom environment. The must-have interactive features include
- Multiple screen sharing option
- Whiteboard
- Centralized control
- Content sharing feature
These features enable learners to adapt well in the classroom and avoid boredom.
Easy to use
Virtual teaching software must be easy to use. You may not want to spend hours demonstrating and training your facilitators, participants, or peers on usage instruction of the tool. Thus, the best option for virtual classroom software is to go with a tool that is as easy as a click. You must pick the eLearning solution that’s easy to use and provides an easy-to-understand interface for all.
M-learning support
Another well-known reason for the virtual classroom platforms is their flexibility. Having m-learning or mobile learning support is equally advantageous to the instructors as well as students. This feature must include either of these:
- App-based support
- Browser-based support
Customization
Customization is the prime key while setting up virtual learning. Tailor the content as needed for your students that helps hit all learning styles within the classroom. When online materials such as case studies, videos, and real-life connections are utilized, the students feel connected and engaged. Virtual classroom content should not be left to a single instructor. Rather, it should be available for all to help. Both teacher and student should be granted access and allowed to customize or reuse content to its fullest.
Web conferencing
One of the major reasons for the across-the-board favor of virtual classrooms is because it forms a virtual model of a traditional classroom where educators and students interact with each other. This is because virtual classroom systems are well established with video conferencing features. Thus. which is why the web conferencing prospect of a virtual classroom should be considered while making a purchase decision.
Security
Barred access to learning resources and classroom sessions causes a great risk. Opt for an eLearning system that restricts classroom attendance to specific authorized users which helps in keeping hackers, unauthorized users, and uninvited participants out.
Besides, the virtual classroom solution should also come with a two-way sharing system to enable seamless collaboration and allow the sharing of projects, reports, and assignments on one single platform.
Scalable
Virtual classroom platforms are typically built with the belief that users will automatically be on a broadband connection but it is not all true. So, your virtual classroom should have the following features:
- work even low bandwidths.
- serve a large audience with vibrant VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)
- IP video and audio with full IP multicast support.
- Reliable deployments to serve international as well as national audiences.
- Real-time cloud and remote satellites to support multiple languages across the world.
Conclusion
Virtual classroom platforms should offer for all intents and purposes. But it all depends on your types of preferences and requirements. So, before investing in any type of virtual classroom tool do consider the above-mentioned features and invest accordingly.
