Many schools and higher education institutions are switching to virtual education or offering certain digital courses. During the pandemic, everybody understood the importance of convenient video conferencing options for educational purposes. When education is not accessible in traditional ways, it is crucial to have an alternative. And e-learning is not a bad alternative as it has numerous benefits that might even exceed classic education. Thanks to providers like Digital Samba, education is now accessible to anyone. Using video call solutions for studying is simple, affordable, convenient, and beneficial in many ways.
Software for Virtual Education
Contemporary video conferencing software can be used for many purposes. Electronic learning is one of the most common applications. Thanks to video call software, teachers can create digital conferences for students and their parents as well. It is possible to host many people on a dedicated platform without lowering the quality of video or the speed of the connection. A wide range of features that come with video conferencing software can be used to enhance any lesson. Here are some of the features available:
- Chat boxes – it is often incredibly convenient to have a chat box even if the purpose of a video call is to speak to other people through a mic. Chat boxes can be used by students if they do not want to interrupt the speaker or when there are certain issues with the equipment, which do not allow using audio.
- Recording lessons – despite great accessibility, there are times when some students still cannot join the call. Recording a lesson would be great as they will be able to watch the whole video as soon as they can. Recorded video lessons are great if you are preparing for a test or an exam as any student can go back and re-watch them.
- Sharing files – whether you need to share a PDF with a student’s book or a PowerPoint presentation, the ability to share files is incredibly useful. Teachers can easily distribute the necessary materials between students through video call software without having to use e-mail. Students, in their turn, can send their assignments and other documents to the teacher.
- Cross-platform compatibility – choosing a video call software that works equally on many different devices is a smart move. Regardless of the device and operating system of each teacher and student, they should be able to access the lesson conveniently.
- Customizable links – you can choose the look and name of your links when creating a video conference. This is also great for increasing digital safety as nobody else would be able to use your links to join the call.
- Screen sharing – in a regular class, you would need a big screen to show videos and other materials to students. But with video conferencing software, you can simply share your screen and display anything you need on your computer. If you want to show your students some clips or boot up a whole documentary, you can show it from your screen without sending the links to everyone to a specific website or asking people to download movies.
These are not all features available with high-quality video conferencing software. For both teachers and students, these features are irreplaceable when it comes to studying over the Internet.
Starting with Your Virtual Classroom
At first, teachers might be unsure about how to approach this digital education. However, setting up your live virtual classroom is as easy as ever. Follow these few steps to set up your perfect digital classroom:
- Create your working space – every person working from home knows how important it is to create a dedicated space just for this purpose. This way, you will divide your work and personal life easier. In addition, teachers need to curate a small space that will help students be focused and productive. Based on the subject you are teaching, you can decorate the space behind you with tables, calendars, posters, or anything that you will use in your lessons. While there are digital whiteboards, you can also have s small board behind you to be able to use it physically.
- Test the equipment in advance – you should learn about your software and ensure that all equipment is also working correctly. Even when you know that everything is in order, it is important to check it every time before the lesson. Make a habit of checking your software and hardware five minutes before your class. This will save you a lot of trouble as tech is known for stopping working when you especially need it.
- Create guidelines – even though students do not attend classes physically with virtual education, there are still certain rules to follow. Set expectations towards your learning process to make digital classes comfortable and efficient for everyone. Some rules for students might include muting mics until answering a question so the noise does not distract everyone, being on time to classes, dressing appropriately for school instead of sitting in pajamas, etc.
- Collect feedback – receiving feedback is incredibly important if you want to ensure that everyone is satisfied with online classes. Luckily, various convenient tools are available for gathering feedback within video call software. You can use polls, various survey tools, chat boxes, and more. After collecting the comments and ratings of your lessons, you can change some things to make studying even more accessible and fun.
Dedicated software for digital learning makes the process very simple for everyone. Teachers can host interactive lessons, and students can join in from any place in the world. While communicating in person is essential, virtual conferencing solutions ensure you receive the best alternative possible. From collective lessons where a few dozen students can join a video call to face-to-face video chats with specific students and their parents, there are plenty of opportunities to make studying efficient and accessible.
