How do I make the most of my virtual classroom?

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How do I make the most of my virtual classroom?

• Rachel Bolstad and Magdalene Lin
• September 2009

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Research Overview

• In 2008-2009, NZCER carried out research into
  students experiences of learning in virtual
  classrooms.
• We surveyed 250 students, and spoke to 55
  students in focus group interviews.
• This presentation is based on the research
  findings. It is designed to help you make the
  most of your virtual classroom.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• This is my first time learning through VC, what
  can I expect?
• Besides my teacher and classmates, who else is a
  part of my VC class?
• What happens during a typical VC lesson?
• I have questions for my VC teacher, must I wait
  until the next class?
• Im stuck on a homework question, what should I
  do?
• What can I find on my class website?
• Our class website isnt very useful, how can it
  be improved?
• How do I communicate with other students?
• I feel uncomfortable talking to other students
  because I dont know them, what should I do?
• What is it like for students who are alone in
  their VC class?
• Is it possible to have extra VC lessons?
• I have a time-table clash, can I re-schedule my
  VC class?
• My VC class isnt working for me, what can I do?

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This is my first time learning through VC, what
can I expect?

• You will meet your teacher and classmates (who
  are at different locations) through
• video-conferencing for an hour each week. During
  the rest of the week, you will
• have scheduled study periods that can be used to
  complete projects, assignments,
• or other learning tasks for your class.
• Learning in virtual classrooms can seem quite
  different at first but many students
• quickly find that this is an enjoyable way to
  learn.

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Besides my teacher and classmates, who else is a
part of my VC class?

• Your VC support teacher
• At your own school, there should be at least one
  teacher in-charge of VC students. They maintain
  contact with your teacher about your progress,
  and can help you with any questions you have or
  direct you to someone who can help.
• Your ePrincipal
• Each school is part of an eCluster, and each
  eCluster has an ePrincipal. They ensure that all
  VC classes are running smoothly.
• Handy hint Make sure you know who your VC
  support teacher and ePrincipal are, and feel free
  to approach them for help if you need it.

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What happens during a typical VC lesson?

• Your teacher might cover curriculum content, go
  through homework, direct questions at students,
  give students the opportunity to ask questions,
  or facilitate class discussions.

We do things as a class like read passages, but
we ask students from other schools, we talk with
the other students, and the teacher also asks us
things, so its like a big conversation through
everyone. We are all learning as a group, we
dont do individual tasks really, so its good.
(Student)
In my class, it must be the nature of the
subject, but the teacher reads through the
notes, we do an exercise, and we move on.
(Student)
Handy hint As a class, work out your preferred
way of teaching and learning based on everyones
needs, interests and abilities. Give your teacher
feedback about whether their teaching approaches
are working for you. If youre not getting many
opportunities to discuss your learning or ask
questions, let your teacher know.
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I have questions for my VC teacher, must I wait
until the next class?
No, you can contact your VC teacher through
emails, phone/Skype calls, text/instant
messages, etc. Handy hint Be proactive
about contacting your teacher they will
probably appreciate knowing how youre getting
on!
I found emailing my teacher was quite good. Like
saying this is what I understand, this is what I
dont understandKind of through the email it
was good because you could talk to someone and
they could write down a response that you could
read later. (Student)
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Im stuck on a homework question, what should I
do?

• Talk to your VC teacher or VC classmates (they
  may have the same problem as you).
• Ask the VC support teacher or other subject
  teachers at your school for help. If no one
  teaches the subject, find out if anyone at your
  school has a background in the subject area.
• Search for the answer on the Internet.

• You have to be committed to the subject, the
  teacher will of course try to teach you but the
  student actually has to want to learn. Its a
  trust thing, unlike if a teacher is in a class
  with you they can pull you up if youre
  misbehaving, because in VC you are at a
  distance, if you are doing something wrong, they
  cant come physically to help you. You have to be
  able to help yourself learn from their
  instructions. (Student)

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What can I find on my class website?
This depends on the features that are available
on your class website. Some VC classes use
learning management systems (e.g. Moodle,
KnowledgeNet), while others have blogs, forums or
wikis. Many virtual class websites enable you to
download class notes, upload completed homework,
and interact with your teacher and
classmates. Handy hint If your virtual
class doesnt have a website, blog, forum or
wiki, why not suggest this to your teacher? Or if
you have the know-how, you could offer to set
this up for your class.
My teacher has a blog,it helps. We can pass
learning not only from the teacher to students
but among other students as well. (Student)
Its good to have course plan and notes online
so you can look at them whenever you want. Its
all organised, they have it set out what were
going to do in the year, and the times we are
going to do them. (Student)
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Our class website isnt very useful, how can it
be improved?

• Have discussions with your VC classmates about
  whats not
• working well, and what other features you would
  like to have
• on your website. Pass on the feedback to your VC
  teacher
• and VC support teacher.

We gave the VC subject teacher feedback and
now he puts stuff into games, crosswords, space
invaders on the eCluster website. He does a lot
of work online as well, doing activities like
space invaders. (Student) Maybe mimic the way
social networks function. Just using a blog, I
find really helps. (Student)

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How do I communicate with other students?
You can talk to them during your weekly VC
lessons, or just before and after your lesson
ends (even when your teacher is not there).
Because its only once a week, youve got to
make the most of the chance that you have to talk
to them face-to-face. I think because theres
only three of us in the whole class, everyone is
sort of keen to talk to each other. (Student)
Outside VC class time, you can send them emails,
phone/Skype calls, text/instant messages, etc.
Yeah we flick around emails, every person has at
least one other person from their school so we
just discuss with that person, and flick emails
around. (Student)
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I feel uncomfortable talking to other students
because I dont know them, what should I do?
Many students take a while to get used to talking
to students at other locations. But once you
break the ice, you may find that you have a lot
in common with your distant classmates. One way
of getting to know other students is by
participating in group discussions on your class
website. Instead of having direct one-on-one
conversations with your classmates, you can start
by contributing your ideas to particular topics
or responding to a comment that another student
has left.
My teacher has set up a subject link, we have
a website and lets say if we learn a definition
we can add to the glossary and talk to other
class members about our class work and stuff,
its cool. (Student)
Handy hint What about creating a Facebook group
for your VC class?
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What is like for students who are alone in their
VC class?

• Some students enjoy the ability to work on their
  own, at their own pace, and with fewer
  distractions. However, they might also feel more
  isolated in certain situations.

In my class theres me, then a group of six,
then one other single person at another school.
The group of six, theyre the ones who make it
awkward. They kind of sit there and joke on
mute, and you can see they are laughing, and you
dont know why. Its kind of embarrassing, they
can talk to each other but they are not
including you. (Student)
At this school we do have a shared learning
thing going on, but I cant help but think the
other school students feel isolated. There is a
big group of us who kind of dominate the
discussions. (Student)
Handy hint Think about what you can do to help
all students in your class feel engaged and
included in your class discussions.
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Is it possible to have extra VC lessons?

• It may be possible to negotiate with your VC
  teacher for
• additional tutorial time if you require this.
  Some VC classes
• have two VC lessons per week.
• Handy hint If you cant have extra VC time,
  remember that there are many other ways to keep
  in touch with your teacher and classmates. Ask
  for help when you need it!

This year I have another period available for
VC. It has generally been a one-on-one tutorial.
Has been very effective, very interactive.(Teach
er)
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I have a time-table clash, can I re-schedule my
VC class?

• Approach your VC support teacher or principal,
  your school
• may be able to help you with time-table clashes.
  Some
• students have their VC lessons during their study
  periods or
• lunch breaks.

What we did one year was with our VC students,
we actually re-arranged the time-table so that
all the VC students had a class in their study
time and this seems to give them that much more
focus and continuity and they dont miss either
class, so they dont feel angry that theyre
having to do one in priority to the other.
(Teacher)
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My VC class isnt working for me, what can I do?

• You should convey your concerns to your VC
  teacher and VC support
• teacher. Depending on the situation, your teacher
  could modify the
• content that youre covering or change the
  structure of your VC class
• (have one-on-one tutorials with you, etc).

It just wasnt working. there was no
interaction between the other students, and
little interaction from the other students with
the teacher as well, so there wasnt room for
that kind of expanded learning the teacher was
saying that because I want to learn, and have the
potential to go beyond what we were going to be
doing in that class it was a good idea to make a
change. (Student)
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Key Points

• Maintain regular contact with your VC teacher,
  let them know how youre going and ask them any
  questions you have.
• Access your VC website for class notes, homework
  and to have discussions with your teacher and
  classmates. If your website does not have
  features which you think may be helpful, let your
  teacher know.
• Take the initiative to get to know your
  classmates, you may find that you have shared
  interests.
• Find out who the VC support teacher at your
  school is and approach them if you have any
  questions regarding your VC class.