In a strategy of Blended Learning, a virtual classroom makes it possible to bring together trainers and learners to recreate a class despite the distance. Here's how to animate it and optimize the effectiveness of a virtual classroom.
With jobs that are constantly evolving, especially in the digital sector, the use of training is more and more obvious. Among the emerging ways of learning, we find virtual classrooms that allow trainers toteach remotely in real time, by recreating the conditions of a face-to-face classroom. To successfully facilitate a virtual classroom, it is therefore necessary to reproduce the rules of animation of a classical training course while offering rhythmic, dynamic sessions that do not leave room for hesitation.
Preparing for the reception of participants
When you enter a training room, there is nothing more unpleasant than having the feeling that you are being ignored. It is all the more striking when you arrive in a virtual classroom, when a discussion has begun and no one notices our presence. It can also happen that we say “hello” in the chat and no one answers.
When this situation occurs, there is a good chance that the participant will drop out before the training has even begun. The trainer must therefore be attentive to each “movement” in the virtual classroom and welcome all participants. Facilitating a virtual classroom means paying attention to all the details!
Set rules of good conduct from the start
Animating a virtual classroom also means regulating it. Noise disturbances can be very tiring in a virtual classroom (keyboard or pen noises, telephone answering, etc.). It is therefore necessary to set rules from the start to ensure that the moment remains pleasant for everyone. Here are a few examples: mute your microphone when you're not speaking, show up via chat to ask a question, etc.
Animate the virtual classroom using the webcam at the right time
During a virtual class, there is no need to use the webcam continuously. Indeed, when the course is running and each person is focused on a content or on a problem to be solved together, video capture via webcam brings nothing.
On the other hand, During exchange sessions, it is much more user-friendly to turn on your webcam and invite learners to do the same.
Plan exchange times
Distance learning has many advantages, on the other hand, it is important to be aware that distance learners are more likely to drop out. It is therefore necessary to plan regular discussion times, approximately every 3 to 5 slides. These short breaks will punctuate the intervention, maintain the attention of the participants and offer numerous moments where they can express themselves and ask questions. The social environment will thus be much more qualitative and the overall animation of your virtual classroom more effective.
It is also possible to read learners' questions out loud if they were asked in the chat in order to value the involvement of the people who participate in the course.
Use virtual classroom facilitation techniques
The virtual classroom is not limited to presenting a slideshow. It is possible to use virtual classroom animation techniques to optimize the effectiveness of the module for learners:
- The demonstrative technique: the trainer intervenes in a structured way and shares an application with the learners who can then take charge of the tool in order to practice.
- The interrogative technique: the trainer maintains the learners' attention by stimulating thinking through interactive games (surveys, quizzes, multiple choice questions, etc.) or a round table.
- The participatory technique: the learner is placed at the center of the training and intervenes on tools such as the whiteboard or the chat in order to animate the virtual classroom.
Know how to conclude
At the end of the training, it is necessary to ensure that the educational goals have been achieved and organize the monitoring of learning. A joint summary exercise or a mini evaluation quiz will be perfect to conclude the training session.
