Manaswini Sridhar

Advantages of the virtual classroom
Until you experience it, it is rather difficult to comprehend the numerous ways in which technology can help ease the teaching process and at the same time reach out to a larger, more diverse audience. The virtual classroom is becoming more and more popular because of its enormous reach and also because it enables students, sitting in the comfort of their college/school premises, to interact with experts in various fields. It also cuts down on travel time both for the students and the teacher. Satellite education, as it is otherwise known, can reach students across thousands of miles, simultaneously connecting various states in the country. It is also a medium whereby students understand that they are not alone in their struggle as they listen to fellow students from different institutions voicing the same doubts and fears. At the same time, it induces the so-called slow learners to chug faster because in this varied interaction, they can see that they are not doing their best.

The virtual classroom requires the teacher to face a camera in a studio that is equipped with a computer system and a Power Point presentation on the subject to be handled. The studio lis also equipped with a whiteboard which the trainer uses, just as the teacher uses the blackboard in a classroom.

Jitters
The most unnerving feature about online teaching in the studio is getting accustomed to watching your own face! Of course, you can view the students on the side monitor and hear them, provided the end user adjusts the camera accordingly and makes sure that the mike is switched on, and the battery is not weak! Sometimes the camera is focused on the ceiling or on the feet of the students! It is imperative therefore, for the coordinator in the educational institution to be constantly present, rather than just switch on the camera and mike and do the disappearing act! It is here that the studio personnel play an important role in checking with the institution on whether every piece of equipment required is working. Once these conditions are met, the faculty and the students can interact naturally, as in any classroom. Of course, it takes time for both students and the teacher to get used to this kind of interaction.

At a pre-determined time, when the teacher is seated in the studio, and the students are in their college/school studio, all the parties go on air. The image of the teacher is projected on a large screen so that all the students can view the teacher. The teacher announces the topic and goes on to elaborate with the help of the whiteboard and the power point presentations.

Students interrupt to raise questions or get their doubts cleared. Occasionally, when the mike does not work, students use the chat mode to get their questions answered. The teacher then reads the question and answers aloud so that other educational institutions that are tuned in may also benefit.

Student participation
In a classroom situation, the teacher is sometimes greeted by a sea of puzzled or frowning faces, leading her to elaborate on the topic. In the virtual classroom, the onus is on the students to get their doubts clarified because it is not possible for the teacher to get a view of all the students and read their expressions. Students, therefore, become more responsible for their own learning since they are conscious of the fact that they cannot go into the staffroom, or bump into the teacher in the corridor to get their doubts cleared. This actually helps them develop their listening skills. It also helps them get over their nervousness of communicating with a stranger. However, trainers must also be prepared for marathon sessions when they are forced to perform solo because the coordinator has not checked out the mikes prior to the session or because of some technical snag. Such occasions can be stressful because the only mode of interaction with the students would be via chat or email.

Shy or nervous students occasionally open up in the virtual classroom because they do not feel as threatened as they do in the conventional classroom since they are miles away from their teacher! Students get exposed to a peer group from another region. This sometimes gets them to vie with one another during group discussions, and it also gives them an opportunity to assess their own weaknesses and strengths.

Schedule
A teacher normally interacts with a particular batch of students for a minimum of 30 hours. During this period, a rapport develops between the teacher and the students despite the absence of physical contact. This is managed by the teacher being empathetic, answering student queries and also by being as natural as possible. The teacher has to make sure that she takes down the names of students who answer her queries because these are the students who will make the sessions easier to handle. She can try and coax the silent spectators to speak. If the coordinator at the student end is alert, and focuses the camera on the student concerned, he/she is compelled to answer. The shy students always have the option of sending a mail to the teacher and getting their query answered.

Role of facilitator
The facilitator in the respective colleges collects the assignments and couriers them to the teacher, who in turn, corrects them, sends them back, and comments on the tests during the classroom teaching. These assignments form the basis of the internal assessment. In that respect, there is no difference between the traditional and the virtual classroom. For virtual classrooms to be a success, the trainer needs to be not only knowledgeable but also a little more flexible and enthusiastic. Students must be coached by their colleges/schools to actively participate rather than be just dull spectators!

Skype it
Many of us use Skype to talk to relatives and friends. The current trend is to use it for online teaching as well. This can be done from the comfort of the home! It is done one on one basis or in groups, primarily depending on the kind of connectivity that students have. If the video mode is turned on, students can see the teacher and vice versa. Students get individual attention and occasionally the teacher resorts to the chat mode to teach the written form of the language. It is a challenging method of teaching, both for the teacher and the student, so it is for those teachers who know how to motivate students and those students who can remain motivated!

Teacher remains most important
However much technology has advanced, it still needs the human touch. Students need to feel appreciated or at the least, noticed. So, whatever mode of teaching is adopted, one needs to have a teacher with the right attitude and soft skills so that the learning curve takes place faster and smoother!

The author is a teacher educator and language trainer based in Chennai. She can be reached at manaswinisridhar@gmail.com.