E-learning is booming right now. If your organisation isn’t taking advantage, you could be falling behind. FnF Research, The global e-learning market will be $374.3 billion in 2026. We use E-learning in schools, corporations, and other organisations to educate students remotely. In the past, we used basic software like Skype as a virtual classroom platform.
In 2024, there is a range of specialist e-learning software available. These new platforms make high-quality remote learning more straightforward than ever before.
What Is Virtual Classroom Software?
Virtual classroom software is specialist software that lets you educate students remotely. Many people aren’t sure of the differences between virtual classrooms and conventional web conferencing. Several key differences make the virtual classroom a much better educational tool.
Virtual Classrooms vs. Web Conferencing
Aren’t virtual conferencing and virtual classrooms very similar? Well, yes and no. web conferencing is a poor educational tool because webinars primarily function as one-way information funnels. PowerPoint, videos, etc., are used to deliver information to participants in a one-sided way.
In 2024, e-learning has moved beyond delivering a PowerPoint to your audience. Specialised virtual classroom software significantly improves virtual web conferencing. Virtual classrooms are highly customizable and engaging, letting you provide handouts, take questions, and poll students. Interactive features like these contribute towards delivering a highly engaging and motivating learning experience for students.
Some Virtual Classroom platform advantages
- Mobile compatibility - students and teachers can take part anyplace, anytime. Online classrooms make learning convenient for people pressed for time.
- Enhanced playback and repeatability - students and teachers can access and re-use course materials at any time, thanks to cloud storage.
- Interactive engagement - online classrooms are purpose-built to increase engagement using interactive features. Increased engagement is linked to improved results.
- Customisable and purpose-built - you can fully customise virtual classrooms to meet students' or teachers' needs.
- Check out our guide on effective distance learning for more information on virtual classrooms.
What to look for in a virtual classroom platform in 2024
The e-learning boom has resulted in hundreds of new virtual classroom software companies. How do you decide which software is the best in this competitive market?
Discover Virtual Classroom functionality
We have completed a breakdown of what to look for in a virtual teaching platform. Look for these features if you want to choose the best virtual classroom.
User Friendly
The best virtual classroom software is user-friendly and easy to access. Educators and students need to get to grips with the new platform quickly. The user interface should be intuitive, engaging, and straightforward.
Complicated and clunky software makes for an inefficient and frustrating learning environment.
Video Conferencing
Video conferencing is an essential element of any effective online classroom. Teachers and students need to see each other to engage with course material fully. It helps build the relationships needed to get the most out of education.
Device Compatibility
Multi-device compatibility should be high on your shopping list. Students will have a variety of devices. You need to be compatible with as many as possible. You should choose software compatible with phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop PCs. Look for an online classroom with integrated video conferencing.
Interactive Features
Interactive features are what set the online classroom apart from conventional webinars. They increase engagement and help educators deliver material more like they would in a real classroom. Here are some examples of important interactive features:
- Hand raising: Many platforms give users the ability to raise hands, respond to questions and change their online status.
- Shared whiteboard: This is an excellent way of increasing engagement. A shared whiteboard lets teachers deliver materials engagingly while allowing students to join in.
- Screen sharing: Let educators share presentations, documents, charts, browser windows, or other materials to aid their lessons. Allows students to share their screen with a teacher or educator if they need help with something.
- Polling: This allows educators to create polls where students can select an answer. It is an excellent tool for engaging students by letting them participate and debate the results.
Stored Files
Remote cloud storage lets you save handouts, allowing students access via link. It also gives educators the ability to prepare course materials beforehand and grant students access before and after the lesson. Check how much cloud storage a platform is offering you.
Instant Communication Tools
Communication is the cornerstone of high-quality education. Students need to be able to ask questions, and educators need to give students help and one-on-one support. Your chosen platform should make it easy to message individuals and groups, notifying users when they have received a message.
Student Capacity
How many people will be attending your sessions at once? You need to make sure your chosen virtual classroom software covers this number. Typically, more participants will require more expensive software or package.
Scalability
What level of scalability will you need? Do you plan to start small with a few participants before expanding over time? Some features will make scaling up less painful. These include but are not limited to:
- Notification settings
- Organising groups
- Self-enrollment
Establish a Budget
When choosing the best virtual classroom platform, you need to set a budget. Your budget will determine which packages are within your means. From there, you can choose the platform that best suits your needs and budget.
Try Them Out
Many virtual live classrooms give you the opportunity for a free-trial period. You should take advantage of this because virtual classroom software can be costly. You need to see if a platform is what you expected before committing to a purchase or contract.
Succeed with Digital Samba
You’re now ready to start your search for the best virtual classroom. Before you do, though, why not give Digital Samba a try? We have prepared one of the most effective and affordable virtual classrooms on the market. You can sign up here and experience it yourself.
The Digital Samba digital classroom has all the features you need to run an effective distance learning course. Take a look at some of our platform’s features:
- HD broadcasting
- Video recording
- Full customization
- Mobile app
- Interactive features
- API & LTI/LMS integration
- Screen sharing
- Breakout rooms
- Shared whiteboard
- Much more
On top of all these features, the Digital Samba digital classroom is very affordable. Packages start from €49 per month up to €75 per month. A virtual classroom with so many features has never been so affordable. Request a demo and experience it yourself.
Why use the Digital Samba for Virtual Classroom?
Here are some of the benefits of Digital Samba:
- Deliver effective, high-quality educational courses via our user-friendly platform.
- Customise your Digital Samba virtual classroom to include your logo, branding, and colours. Read more on how to customise your webinar branding.
- Record every session. Prepare course materials in advance and reuse them again later.
- Entirely browser-based, your students won’t need to install anything. Delivering a distance learning course couldn't be easier.
- Gamification features like polling, hand-raising, and Q&A will keep students engaged and improve results.
- Instantly communicate with educators and students using our suite of instant messaging features.
- Use our mobile app to access Digital Samba from anywhere. Give your students the ability to attend classes from wherever they are.
Digital Samba has helped many educational institutions keep up to speed with the distance learning boom. The University of San Jorge in Spain is one of our most recent success stories.
They needed a modern solution to distance learning that offered more than conventional webcasting software. San Jorge University found that Digital Samba was extremely easy to manage and customise. Importantly, they said that Digital Samba offered them thorough and helpful support throughout their transition. You can read more about how the University of San Jorge used Digital Samba here.
Final Thought
Remote learning is booming, and this trend is set to continue. Educators need to offer high-quality distance learning options to keep up with market trends. The best way to do this is by using an online virtual classroom platform.
Virtual live classrooms aren’t the same as webinars, and there are key differences between the two. You need a platform tailored specifically to distance learning. This guide has covered everything you need to look for to get the best virtual classroom in 2024.
Digital Samba is one of the best all-in-one virtual classroom solutions on the market. Digital Samba has every feature you need to offer students an engaging and effective learning experience.
