Over the last two years, we've seen a sharp increase in virtual learning through online class platforms as students and teachers all over the world had to adapt to the pandemic. Lectures, courses, tutorials and seminars have had to go virtual and for some, virtual learning might still remain in the foreseeable future.
Thus, we've come up with a list of virtual classroom software/platforms that have helped students and teachers with learning and teaching online.
1. EventX
EventX is a virtual events platform that is suitable for a variety of online events including online classes and courses.
It provides a smooth 1080P video quality and prides itself on its highly stable network connection that will not cause the students any technical distractions. Teachers and instructors will be able to utilise the attendee report through the attendance tracking tool.
EventX also has key features that make it an engaging virtual classroom for teaching and learning. These include:
- screen sharing for presentations and lectures
- breakout rooms to facilitate collaboration
- polling function to encourage active learning
- Q&A function to allow teachers to address questions immediately
2. Zoom
Zoom has become one of the fast-growing web conferencing apps, and it is no surprise that it has been used as a virtual classroom platform in educational institutions around the world. Like other web conferencing tools, Zoom has key features fit for virtual/remote learning such as screen sharing for lectures and presentations, break out rooms for small group discussions, digital and interactive whiteboards for enhanced explanations, and a built-in chat function that also allows you to send a private, direct message to anyone in the meeting.
3. Google Meets
Google Meets is a virtual conferencing software that is able to accommodate up to 100 people in a meeting. It is also suitable to be utilised as an online class software and can seamlessly integrate with Google Calendar, making it really convenient for teachers and students.
Some Google Meets features that are useful for a virtual classroom include the "raise hand" function students can use if there's something they'd like to share or ask, a gallery view of 49 students at any one time, closed captions in additional languages, participant record for attendance tracking (G-Suite Enterprise for Education), and break out rooms (G-Suite Enterprise for Education).
4. Webex Meetings
Webex Meetings is another virtual classroom software option you can consider. It is a video conferencing solution with features that can be adapted into the classroom setting for teachers and students. It boasts functions that make meetings or online courses/classes more engaging such as background noise removal, voice enhancement, animated emoji reactions, polling and Q&A and customized stage layout.
Webex also boasts inclusivity features such as real-time language translation as well as break out rooms.
5. Skype
Skype has been one of the widely used video calling platforms, and the fact that so many people are familiar with using it makes it a suitable virtual classroom for remote learning. This platform is easy to use and can host meetings for up to 50 participants, making it ideal for small-scale classes and tutorials.
This simple software has screen sharing features and does not require participants to have a Skype account to join a meeting. Simply clicking on the link to the meeting is enough. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that Skype requires an excellent internet connection for the best online classroom experience.
6. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft teams is an online video conferencing tool that also doubles as an online collaboration space, making it a great platform for classes and courses online. Not only is it capable of hosting video-based online lessons, Teams also offers an online collaboration space where teachers and students can share notes, chats, meetings, assignments, and even apps, including from third parties. This brings all the resources for a virtual lesson into one platform, making it convenient for students and teachers alike. They won't have to jump from one platform to download assignments to another platform for the online class.
Conclusion
The virtual classroom platform you choose can make a big difference to your students' virtual learning experience. We hope you've found the platform that best fits your lesson plans and class structure. A good virtual classroom platform should be able to enhance not only the students' learning experience, but also the educators' teaching experience.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Classes Platforms And Virtual Classroom Software
What is an online class / virtual classroom?
An online class is a lesson, course or module that is conducted virtually. The platform on which the online class is conducted is called the virtual classroom and depending on the platform, the virtual classroom may include features that allow students to view their syllabus and academic progress.
What are the benefits of online classes?
Online classes allow students to take part in the lesson, class, or module from wherever they may be. It cuts the time they would spend travelling to school too, giving them more time to themselves. Depending on the online class platform used, online classes may also be more engaging than traditional in-person classes as it gives more ways to engage with the material.
How to successfully conduct virtual classes for students?
Engagement is the most important factor when it comes to virtual classrooms. That's why it's important to choose a suitable virtual classroom platform that is able to help you and other educators make online courses and classes more engaging.
For example, EventX's online classroom platform has features like breakout rooms, Q&A, polls and more so as to encourage active yet remote learning. You may tweak your lesson plans to incorporate these features to make your lessons more engaging.
How to choose the best virtual classroom software?
We recommend testing the different platforms so that you can find out exactly what each platform offers. This way, you'll be able to make a more informed decision when it comes to choosing the right virtual classroom software for your lessons.
At EventX, we know how important it is that you find the best virtual classroom software for your courses and lessons. As such, you may head on to our website to experience our platform as an attendee. You may also request a demo for a walkthrough of our platform and its features.