Virtual Classroom Implemantation

The decision to use virtual classroom as one of the tools in your learning process triggers a series of steps needed to implement the virtual classroom. In this article, we take into account, the planning, designing, implementing and maintaining of a virtual classroom, for the success of your learning initiative.

Planning

Fail to plan, plan to fail. Without proper planning of the implantation process, the virtual classroom project might bite the dust. Planning the implementation of the virtual classroom comprises of the following.

Listing the pedagogical goals of the classroom.

Listing the means to achieve them.

Zeroing upon the best method to achieve a goal, among various means to achieve them.

Limitations to achieve particular objects and finding ways around them.

Find out which aspect of learning will you focus upon. Will it be learning through interaction, practical simulations, feedback or the course content? Depending you’re your choice, decide upon a learning strategy and ways to meet it through the virtual classroom.

Constructing and circulating content

The creation and distribution of content is the backbone of a learning initiative. Hence, this step needs to be dealt with utmost care. Pick and choose from an array of authoring tools depending upon the type of audience, and nature of the course. Use a combination of various media to deliver the varied content. Choosing the best authoring tool can be done only by gaining thorough knowledge of different authoring tools and comparing their features to each other. Including images, videos, audio, animation and graphics can be done through specialized softwares for each. Also, all the web pages of the virtual classroom should ideally be hosted upon a sophisticated and fast machine, which has a high bandwidth net connection. If you are planning to use video in your content, you should set aside large hard disks to save the compressed and digitized video clips.

Interaction concerns

The success of a virtual classroom is based upon the interaction among instructor-learner, and peers. Address the issue with proper care, and you have already won half the battle. Choose the appropriate form of communication, by blending synchronous and asynchronous tools. Synchronous tools like audio and video conferencing, text based chat and whiteboards aid in conducting online lectures, while asynchronous tools can be efficiently used for the delivery of the course material. Allowing the students the liberty of posting queries and comments does not mean pandemonium should rein in the classroom. Try making it possible for the instructor to answer queries on a first come first serve basis.

Designing

Designing the virtual classroom is basically looking into the aspects of the course delivery. The designing part comprises of issues such as structuring the HTML pages, listing necessary elements of a web page, or the incorporation of fancy elements in them. The structuring of HTML pages should be done so that the navigation and maintenance of these pages is made easy. Though many regard the look and feel of the web pages as aesthetic vanities that can be done without, they are necessary to keep the flow of the course intact. It is highly advisable to develop a small number of pages with pilot content to get an idea of the look, feel and theme of the site, before converting the whole content into HTML format. If these pages look satisfactory, they can be used as templates for the whole course. The structure of each page needs to have a balance of ease of use and appeal. Like, the navigation must allow learners to know where they are, and how to go forward, backward, up, down or to the home page of the course. Fancy elements can be incorporated in the pages, but not at the cost of data transfer rate, requirement of special plug-ins, and the like.

Managing the virtual classroom

Managing a class encompasses a lot more than teaching in a classroom. The administrative work of the classroom needs to be performed for an efficient and smooth running of the class. In a virtual classroom, these tasks are made simpler with the help of tools that perform class management. In generic terms, class management includes scheduling and fixing the time table, checking learner progress, managing the personal and academic data of the students, counseling to help students, managing the assignments and grades, managing the archives of class related information and records.

Learner assessment

This can be done through quizzes, online assignments, and implementation of online tests. While quizzes provide instant feedback both for the learner and the instructor, online assignments help the instructor gauge the actual depth of the knowledge that the learner has acquired. It allows the instructor to check if the learner has a thorough understanding of the concept taught, or is simply acquainted with only the brass tacks of the subject. Online tests are specially designed quizzes that have limitations in the regard of number of attempts, time of completion, cheating and authentication of learner identity. Assessment of learners can also be based on evaluation by self, peers, and the extent of participation in classroom discussions.

Maintaining the virtual classroom

Although the creation of a virtual classroom involves a lot of spade work, it is only the tip of the iceberg in comparison with maintaining the classroom. Keeping scope for software and hardware updates is necessary in the wake of leapfrogs in technology. The most important aspect of maintenance is the provision of back ups. A fixed routine should be followed for the back up of the virtual classroom, which includes answering questions like – which content to get a back up for, their regularity, the place of storage of the back up, the date of performing back ups, the media to be used for the procedure, and who would overlook the procedure. There is also no escape for content maintenance. Fresh content with a regular revival of related links keeps learners coming back to it.

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