Virtual Classes
"A virtual classroom is an online learning environment. The environment can be web-based and accessed through a portal or software-based and require a downloadable executable file.” [whatis.com]
In her 1994 book The Virtual Classroom, Starr Roxanne Hil was one step ahead and explained that, what she called virtual classroom, is “the social invention of building and operating computer-mediated operations communication systems to support dispersed communities of active learners”. Furthermore, she said she was “optimistic about its future in offering a new option for lifelong learning”.
How is it innovative?
Virtual classes have many advantages and the most evident is accessibility.
Students/professionals can take any class from any instructor from any institution in the world using this mode. Thus, nowadays, learning is no longer linked to a geographic location.
Other advantages we should highlight are the flexible time since learners can connect almost any time of the day and get access to all the available resources. Plus, contact with instructors is facilitated.
Another very important advantage is shared workspace and instant editing. Technology makes it easy to share documents, ideas and to work on assignments in group simultaneously.
Why is it so successful?
This learning mode defies, like some other distance learning modes, the constraints of time and location. It’s easy to use and the familiarization with the used tools is usually simple and quick.
Virtual classes are successful especially in big corporates, which have subsidiaries in many countries. Such communication mode allows the implementation of innovative training programs.
