Virtual Classroom: A Boon To Learners

Ananthasayanam R.*, Thanga Rajathi Sethurajan**, B. Tamilselvi***
* Professor & Head, Department of Educational Technology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.
** Lecturer, Department of Educational Technology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.
*** Research scholar, Department of Educational Technology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.
Periodicity:December - February'2009
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.4.3.542

Abstract

Demands for a more personalized approach to education as well as flexibility have spurred learners to seek alternatives to the traditional approach.  As a result of technological advantages in society, the options for learning in and outside the classroom have broadened tremendously.  The great option is “Virtual classroom”.  A virtual classroom is a system that creates an environment designed to facilitate teachers in the management of educational courses for their students, especially a system using computer hardware and software, which involves distance learning.

Education in the virtual classrooms has been described as being “just as vivid, meaningful and dynamic as face-to-face interactions in a traditional classroom — or even more so”.  As the virtual classroom is one that aims to give the student an experience equal to or better than the sort they would find in a traditional classroom, there are obviously many advantages of the virtual classroom to the student, as well as the teacher and the associated educational institution. Virtual classrooms “foster the dimensions of interest, involvement, imagination, and interactivity”, which make the virtual classroom an “immersive environment in which to learn”, perhaps even more immersive than the traditional classroom because of what is offered by new technologies used in the virtual classroom.

This paper discusses the virtual classroom as a new move in the non-formal distance education, which is an advanced technique of Education Technology.  The Collaborative and Independent virtual learning types form the key features for Communication, Assessment and Support.  Moreover, a comparison of this virtual classroom with the traditional classroom blooms out the merits of virtual classroom which is definitely “A Boon to the Learners”.

Keywords

Virtual Environment, Virtual Learning, Distance Education.

How to Cite this Article?

R. Ananthasayanam, Thangam Rajathi and B. Tamilselvi (2009). Virtual Classroom: A Boon To Learners. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology. 5(3), 17-22. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.4.3.542

References

[1]. Baker, Suzanne C.; Wentz, Ryan K.; Woods, Madison M. 2009. Using Virtual Worlds in Education: Second Life[R] as an Educational Tool (Ej825432)
[2]. Barbour, Michael K.; Reeves, Thomas C. 2009. The Reality of Virtual Schools: A Review of the Literature (Ej823142).
[3]. Berge and Jane, (2008). Multi-User Virtual Environments for Education and Training? A Critical Review of "Second Life" (Ej792161)
[4]. Cuthell, J.P.(2003) Virtual Learning In J.Kirjonen (Ed.). Knowledge work and occupational competence, (pp. 23-37) Jyvaskyla, Finland: Institute for Educational Research.
[5]. Gaurav Chandha and Nafay kumail S.M(2002) e- Learning An Expression of knowledge Economy, Tata McGraw. Hill publishing company ltd, New Delhi.
[6]. Hargis and Jace (2008). A Second Life for Distance Learning (Ed501107)
[7]. LaPointe, Loralee; Reisetter, Marcy. 2008. Belonging Online: Students' Perceptions of the Value and Efficacy of an Online Learning Community (Ej810076)
[8]. Marileena Koskela, Piia Kiltti, Inka Vilpola and Janne Tervonen. Suitability of a Virtual Learning Environment for Higher Education. Tampere University of Technology, Finland.
[9]. Raju PVL (Editor) (2002) E-Learning Concepts and Cases, The ICFAI University press, Hyderabad.
[10]. Savin-Baden, Maggi. 2008. From Cognitive Capability to Social Reform? Shifting Perceptions of Learning in Immersive Virtual Worlds (Ej822140).
[11]. Stiles.M.J. (2000). "Towards Virtual Universities". Proceedings: EUNIS 2000 - Towards Virtual Universities, Instytut Informatyki Politechniki Poznanskiej, Poznan April 2000, ISBN 83 913639 1 0
If you have access to this article please login to view the article or kindly login to purchase the article

Purchase Instant Access

Single Article

North Americas,UK,
Middle East,Europe
India Rest of world
USD EUR INR USD-ROW
Pdf 35 35 200 20
Online 35 35 200 15
Pdf & Online 35 35 400 25

Options for accessing this content:
  • If you would like institutional access to this content, please recommend the title to your librarian.
    Library Recommendation Form
  • If you already have i-manager's user account: Login above and proceed to purchase the article.
  • New Users: Please register, then proceed to purchase the article.