Communicating in a Virtual Classroom

The role between student and instructor changes in a virtual classroom.  Instead, the instructor disseminates information, facilitates discussion among students, and coaches them on their progress in the course.  There is no such thing as class time, rather you have to decide when to schedule and participate in the virtual classroom.

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Since there is little actual physical contact in an online classroom, staying in contact will require various tools.  Discussion boards are a popular method of communication. Someone will post an assignment or comment, and other students are responsible for reading that posting and responding.  Since the Internet is open 24 hrs of the day, access is very easy.

In place of lectures, instructors usually post a lesson and assignment for the week on the web.  Some schools will also use video tapes through regular mail.  To stay in contact, many tools are used, such as chat rooms, video conferencing, and the telephone.  You will be reading a lot more in a virtual classroom, than in a traditional classroom.  You will often be asked to research and write a weekly assignment and post it in a discussion forum.  Expect to spend several hours a week studying and preparing.  You will also need to meet with other students using your various channels like email for discussion groups.