According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), in the aftermath of COVID-19, over 1.2 billion students are out of the classroom due to schools’ global shutdown. The physical classes have been shut down to follow social distancing norm in order to contain the spread of coronavirus. Having said that, it meant that the world needed a new way of school learning. And virtual classrooms for schools provided just that. They have proven to be the panacea of all the education dissemination problems.
Science and technology have always been our saviour whenever we have hit a roadblock in the past. Likewise, it has given us an excellent solution to this problem in the form of virtual classrooms. Virtual classrooms have enormous benefits for all the stakeholders involved – school staff, teachers, students and parents. Above all, they ensure continuity in learning in the face of random, sudden and unprecedented times such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Distance learning via virtual classrooms has been growing at a rapid pace. The pandemic has expedited the pace. Virtual classrooms in schools are being used by primary as well as secondary education. We have witnessed an increase in the popularity of social and micro-learning techniques. Online learning has been fostered by social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, etc., as well as ed-tech disruptions like edX. All of these combined have increased the acceptance of virtual learning modes.
Various studies suggest that virtual classrooms will be the predominant medium in the future to provide education. Its market would increase by a whopping 16% compounded annual growth rate by 2023. Despite so much potential, virtual classrooms have not completely replaced the traditional classrooms as some schools opine that they cannot substitute the face-to-face learning model.
However, in the wake of the novel COVID-19 pandemic, things have started to look up in the virtual classrooms sector since the entire world, including schools, is under lockdown. The current pandemic has sort of been a boon for virtual classrooms. It has paved the way for testing virtual classrooms as a promising teaching tool and learning in the new world order.
The famous multilateral bodies and world organisations such as the WHO, UNO, UNICEF, G20, etc., had to switch to the seldom-used virtual mode of communications. Many schools, colleges, universities and corporates have also started using it extensively. The current circumstances that emerged in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic have served as a conducive test for companies such as Microsoft, Google, Cisco, etc., that provide virtual classroom platforms and services.
After all, any disruptions in your daily life and school closure shouldn’t hinder your growth and learning. E-Learning has grown exponentially over the past decade. Virtual online learning has immense benefits over physical classroom-based learning, from affordability to greater convenience and improved safety. Various studies suggest that online learning takes less time and increases information retention, as well.
The initial investment in infrastructure costs low too. You just need an application software with screen sharing abilities and an online whiteboard to conduct fun, engaging and interactive online teaching sessions. In the absence of face-to-face classroom instructions, virtual classrooms provide a convenient, effective and safe alternative to the traditional classroom.
One of the most significant benefits of virtual classrooms is that you can learn anytime you want, from anywhere you want. Since you don’t have to follow a particular schedule like a traditional classroom, you can take your course whenever you have free time. It is indeed a boon for you in today’s face-paced world.
You can learn anytime at your own pace based on your comfort level. Learning at your own pace is relaxing and comforting, with no fear of matching other classmates’ coping levels and developing a lot of self-discipline and time-management skills needed in careers these days.
There is no rush to get dressed up and travel. You can learn via virtual classrooms from the comfort of your home or anywhere else with internet access. Therefore, it is a comparatively cheaper alternative than traditional classrooms because overall investment and waste are significantly reduced. The overall footprint reduces the education cost too.
NCBI recommends that we train the faculty to use online modalities and develop a lesson plan with reduced cognitive load and increased interactivities. To ensure smooth and seamless teaching and learning experience, the schools must invest in online learning systems, enterprise resource planning software, learning management systems, etc.
These are web-based software that provides distribution, tracking and managing the online courses over the internet. They implement advanced technologies to design, deliver and direct learning content. They also facilitate smooth two-way communication amongst all the stakeholders – parents, teachers and students. They offer features such as chat rooms, quizzes, whiteboards, discussion forums, surveys, personalised dashboards that allow all the stakeholders to communicate virtually.
They facilitate the sharing of online course content and provide convenient ways to achieve learning goals. These support the online teaching mode, providing psychological safety to the student community in COVID-19 afflicted period.
(Source: www.sciencedirect.com)
It won’t be wrong to say that education is the backbone of a nation, and educators are its builders. Teaching is a very noble profession and has been held in the highest regards from history to present times. But we need to change with the demands of the dynamic world. In the 21st century, ‘virtual classrooms for schools’ have become a blessing for the teachers and the students.
There has been a rise in modern educators who are signing up for online platforms to provide courses via virtual classrooms by creating high-quality content. Join the new vibe of virtual classrooms to excel in the education sector. Be a part of the modern world where teaching-from-home and learning-from-home describe the new normal. If you want to make strides in the education sector, you definitely need to shift away from the “Conventional classroom” to “Virtual classrooms”.
