Most of the organizations have adopted virtual classroom facility to enable dispersed teams to attend training without the need to travel, developing flexible work arrangements with no barriers of time and distance.
3 Ways Innovations in Virtual Classrooms Help Fulfil Learners’ Needs
The blend of virtual meeting technology and instructor-led training is known as a virtual classroom. Virtual classrooms allow learners as well as trainers to communicate synchronously by incorporating elements like audio, text, video and interactive whiteboarding the course content. These have the potential to be different from traditional classrooms. First, the approach of having only one trainer and a group of participants all in one place at one time is changed. Second, learners and educators use latest technology to facilitate communication and reinforce learning. In today’s wide-networked virtual workplace, it is significant to ‘think out-of-the-box,’ virtual or otherwise. With digitalization, conducting virtual classroom training programs is feasible and very popular among the audience.
There are various ways of learning that have been followed in virtual classrooms.
1. Collaboration: Transform the classroom learning environment
Advanced collaboration technology is used to organize virtual classes. Collaboration tools are geared towards the management of effective communication between trainers and learners. These help to bring in experts to enhance reach of learning programs and enrich the overall learning experience. Virtual collaboration is fruitful for advertising programs by opening the real world for modern learners. Learners are connected more strongly and are active in boosting their knowledge and expertise, which becomes the highest factor for employee retention. According to a case study, the university’s Social Work Education Enhancement Program, an initiative to improve schooling in Vietnam, uses Cisco WebEx regularly as a means to facilitate two-way communication.
2. Telepresence: A flexible approach
The delivery of bespoke services ensures a successful training and development program. Virtual classrooms incorporate video conferencing feature to provide interactive content. Some of the organizations have taken a step further with robotic telepresence. This has helped learners in remote areas to attend a classroom session. Technology aids remote learners enhance their educational experience and social connectivity. The direction of a robot can also be changed to observe different attributes including instructor, blackboard and learners who are sharing their work with others. Robots have been very useful with courses that teach hands-on skills. For example, robotic telepresence plays an essential role in providing intensive care to remote areas suffering from war or any other natural disaster.
3. Social collaboration: Increase the training potential
Social interactions play a significant role in the success of training program. With collaboration between different learners or organizations, skills can be pooled to enhance business growth. This can be achieved by initiating chat facility for discussions between different learners. For example: The HBX Live classroom is based in Boston, where professors work with a production crew to conduct a session. But, trainer is not the only star of the show. The studio is equipped with a semi-circular video wall that displays 60 students simultaneously, supporting face-to-face interaction. Participants can ask questions and get their queries resolved in real time. Classroom experience is then transformed visually to attain maximum learner participation.
So, add virtual training room to your current training programs to boost employee engagement, increase revenues and take your business to the next level.
Source and suggested further reading: Innovations In Virtual Classrooms: Rethinking Training And Learning Delivery