The Virtual Classroom
Introduction
The term "Virtual Classroom" can usually be associated with being connected to a computer or network which enables the exchange of data, commands and information.
When this definition is compaired with the traditional idea of a classroom being a physical room containing a teacher and pupils who learn through face-to-face interaction, we are able to derive a suitable definition of the term.
A virtual classroom, therefore, is a learning environment that exists solely in the form of digital content that is stored, accessed, and exchanged through networked computer and information systems.
Everything in a virtual classroom occurs in an non-physical environment; students access the classroom by connecting to the internet, rather than travelling to a real, physical classroom. The students may not even be in the same country as the instructor or teacher; the nature of virtual classrooms means that, in terms of access, the geographic location of students is not an issue.
Although the term virtual classrooms refers primarily to those learning spaces that exist completely independent of physical classrooms, they may also work in conjunction with traditional classroom environments. Some activities conducted in the real classroom can be presented differently in virtual spaces thus accommodating a wider range of student needs. In these settings the internet is used to provide additional communication and material, but does not necessarily replace the learning that occurs in the physical classroom.
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