A virtual classroom is an online learning environment wheresynchronous learning takes place among geographically dispersed instructors andlearners. The instruction, a virtual classroom platform, might use any of avariety of technologies:
- Webinar—aseminar or presentation that is streamed over the Internet
- Webconference—Internet or software-based technology that enables theinstructor to share screens, applications, and content with learners
- Livestreaming—transmission of live video and audio over the Internet
- Conferencecalling or VoIP—audio-only eLearning can use telephone- or Internet-basedconference calling
What these disparate technologies share is that theyfacilitate synchronous eLearning. The instructor delivers live orrecorded content, at a predetermined time, to a group of learners. The learnerscan be anywhere, as can the instructor. The instructor might deliverinformation to a group of learners in a single location or to learnersscattered across multiple locations. But all learners can access the streamedcontent at the same time.
Virtual classrooms often supplant physical classrooms whereinstructors and learners complete in-person training. Converting in-personinstruction to virtual can save travel costs and make it feasible to offer thetraining to many more learners, particularly in companies with multiple sitesor a mobile or remote workforce.
While at its heart virtual-classroom-based instructionconsists partly or entirely of synchronous learning, it can also augment an asynchronouseLearning program. Unlike asynchronous eLearning courses, synchronous sessionsprovide instructors with opportunities to offer immediate feedback to learners,encourage discussion of different viewpoints, and foster community, accordingto Martin and Parker (see References).
Thus, a “best of both worlds” approach might combineelements of synchronous or in-person training with elements of asynchronouseLearning, creating a virtual-classroom-based eLearning program that follows a“flipped classroom” or “blended” model.
Asynchronous activities paired with virtual-classroom-basedeLearning could include a shared site for curated content, a discussion boardor blog, or a private group on an office or public social media platform. Learnerswould perform assigned or optional asynchronous activities on their own or ingroups, outside the virtual classroom space and time frame.
Many virtual classroom platforms include tools that allowdiscussion, polling of learners, and sharing the screen among instructors andlearners; this is true of dedicated virtual classroom or online meeting toolslike Adobe Connect or Cisco WebEx as well as full-fledged learning managementsystems (LMSs) like Canvas or Blackboard.
Not a magic bullet
Creating quality virtual eLearning is not as simple astransferring in-person instruction online by streaming live or recordedlectures. The absence of physical cues that tell an instructor whether learnersare engaged, confused, bored, or even no longer present demands a differentapproach.
For starters, many in-person sessions are 45 minutes or anhour long; virtual instructors can follow this format—or they can nod towardthe microlearning trend by offering virtual sessions that are short and tightlyfocused.
Virtual instruction also requires that both learners andinstructors be technically skilled enough to navigate shared whiteboards,chats, breakout rooms, and other tools of the medium. For learners who areuncomfortable with social media or technology in general, the frustration anddistraction of trying to get things working can overshadow the learning ordiscourage participation.
Instructors are advised to prepare and practice well aheadof the sessions and to become familiar with all the tools in the platform thatthey intend to use. The tools can greatly enhance synchronous sessions, turninga one-way presentation into a discussion or offering learners the opportunityto write on the shared whiteboard, vote in polls, present their work, and contributein other ways.
A virtual classroom is a valuable tool in an organization’seLearning strategy, but it is not a magic bullet. Virtual classroom instructionexcels when the material:
- Invites or requires display and discussion ofinformation
- Is likely to trigger many questions
- Can be practiced or applied in small groupassignments or projects, preferably related to the real-world job needs oflearners
Some types of eLearning won’t fit well in the virtualclassroom paradigm. For example, a fact-heavy information “transfer” is bettersuited to a mobile job aid than a synchronous virtual classroom session. Theright eLearning solution depends on the goals of the training, the content ofthe training, and the makeup of the learner community. While a virtual classroomwon’t meet every eLearning need, it is a versatile tool that can enhance anyinstructional designer’s toolkit.
References
Martin, Florence, and Michele A. Parker. “Use of SynchronousVirtual Classrooms: Why, Who, and How?” Journal of Online Learning andTeaching, Vol. 10, No. 2. June 2014.
https://jolt.merlot.org/vol10no2/martin_0614.pdf
https://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/advancesinsocialwork/article/viewFile/20875/20534
