The world is quickly moving towards virtual classrooms and remote learning. It was already a trend before 2020, but it has become the norm for delivering learning worldwide since the pandemic. Developing interactive virtual classroom solutions is important to make the learning experience more impactful.
Virtual classrooms have many benefits as students can learn from the comfort of their homes and at their own pace. Other benefits include the ability to have talent from around the globe participate in a classroom together.
However, in order to make the most of the shift to remote learning, we need effective virtual classroom solutions. The first thing you want to do is plan out your course while keeping a virtual classroom setting in mind.
Here’s how to go about creating courses for virtual classrooms-
Plan for virtual delivery of lessons
While developing a course for online delivery, there are a few things to keep in mind. Strategies that were effective with face-to-face delivery of classes may not work as well for virtual classrooms. It is harder to perform demonstrations and practical lab work successfully in a virtual setting.
For precisely this reason, it’s important to plan your courses from the beginning for online delivery. Your students will have certain limitations when it comes to attending virtual classes. Some students may be viewing your material from a small smartphone screen, while some other students in remote geographical locations may have difficulties with their internet service.
These are some of the limitations to keep in mind while adapting your course to be delivered in a virtual classroom environment. Avoiding lengthy lectures, involving students more in the learning process, and understanding the needs of each student can go a long way in making your course more valuable and engaging.
Use 3D videos and simulations
Virtual classroom solutions don’t have to be inferior to their traditional counterparts. Instead, they have their own advantages and strong points. Virtual classrooms can be used to achieve things that were not easily possible with in-person classroom sessions.
For example, 3D interactive classes are easily implementable as almost every digital device can display these elements.
To capitalize on these advantages, create simulated environments while designing the course that immerses students into the learning journey. Interactivity can be used to pique the interest of students and keep them engaged. With the use of 3D models and video, it’s easy to transform a drab, boring presentation into an interesting and engaging learning experience for your students.
Check course compatibility with online learning tools
While designing a course that will be delivered virtually, there are plenty of things you want to consider and make accommodations for. Firstly, making a course compatible with online learning tools that will be used to deliver your course is paramount.
Institutions around the world are regularizing the use of LMS and eLearning solutions to deliver courses to students. Whether it’s a webinar application, collaboration tool, live conference, or any other virtual classroom solution, having your course integrated with a software can help take your learning program to the next level.
Include actionable elements
A virtual classroom solution such as an LMS or a content delivery platform enables you to include demonstrations and videos in the course, helping students understand the concepts better.
Besides this, an effective way to make sure that your students are paying attention is to increase the interactivity in your course. You can include interactive elements that test your student’s knowledge time and again.
Some of the actionable elements that you can add to your course are –
- Quizzes
- Polls
- Learning games
Create learning scenarios that simulate job environments
Previously, while developing a course, it was easier to replicate actual job environments. Students were able to learn about scenarios that are common in the workplace. However, with remote learning and virtual classrooms, this can be slightly difficult.
While developing online courses, it’s important to ensure that students can experience the virtual scenario in the most immersive manner. Here’s where technologies such as VR and AR come into play. Leveraging these technologies can help create a safe environment where students can learn more about performing certain tasks while on the job and gain relevant experience.
Conclusion
The shift towards remote learning and virtual classrooms has increased over the last year. Consequently, schools and universities have to adapt to predominantly remote learning modes of delivering courses.
Courses delivered through virtual classroom solutions will make your classes more engaging and result in a better learning experience.
Conducting online quizzes, including learning games, and even implementing actionable elements are all ways with which you can enhance your student’s learning experience. This will not only make your course more valuable to students but will also leave them better informed about the topics that they’ve just covered.