Being a teacher today means that you need to know how to set up both traditional and digital classes. Whether these are unforeseen circumstances that make you switch to virtual education or you want to make studying more accessible for everyone, it is important to prepare in advance. Previously, teachers had to send out assignments via email and read lectures somehow using basic video calling programs like Skype. Luckily, there is an opportunity to use any virtual classroom platform from the wide selection of services available on the market. But your choice of software will determine the effectiveness and convenience of your classes. Choosing versatile platforms like Digital Samba is key to successful virtual education.
The Variety of Digital Educational Platforms
There are a lot of educational sites and programs available today, and new options appear regularly. However, most of these solutions serve a specific purpose, such as video conferencing, collaboration, learning while playing, etc. When in a real classroom, you have everything available at hand, it might be challenging to set up all the digital equivalents and use them efficiently.
We have all heard about Zoom and how it is used by many schools and universities for hosting digital classes. However, this program is good for lectures and not so much for collaboration and sharing files. Other platforms that offer fun games, tests, and quizzes are good for adding entertainment to your classes but not studying full-time. If we talk about the most versatile software solutions that can be found right now, Digital Samba is one of them. This platform offers video streaming that can host dozens of viewers, collaboration tools, video and document storages, custom design options, management features, and more.
The Advantages of Digital Education
Even if you are not in a dire need of virtual studying software right now, it is advised to look at the options for future reference. Adding virtual elements to your routine is a great way to diversify your traditional classes, make them more exciting for students, and try new formats of learning. Digital studying has numerous advantages, and here are some of them:
- No geographical restrictions – regardless of your current location, it is possible to join a virtual classroom in a matter of seconds. This solution is great for international students or those who need to be in another city or country for some time.
- Convenient scheduling – this is especially important for college students who try balancing part-time or even full-time jobs and studying. With digital classes, it becomes easier to plan your day, especially when you do not need to spend an hour or more on transportation.
- No missed classes – even if a student is late to a class or does not attend it for personal reasons, there is a chance to watch that lesson in a recording at a later time. You never know when something out of your control happens, and it is nice to remember that all lessons can be recorded for future access.
- Recording series of lectures – this solution is popular for educational courses, as well as schools and colleges. A professor can record some lectures so the viewers can watch them at their own pace. Some people like watching a few lectures at a time, while others prefer taking their time with each lecture.
- Automation – with the help of handy assessment tools it becomes possible to evaluate many assignments and tests quickly. While essays still require personal attention to each work, test results can be collected automatically if there are predetermined answers.
In some ways, virtual education is even more accessible than the one we are used to. This does not mean that it is necessary to get rid of traditional classes, but digital solutions can be used to enhance your experience.
Features to Look for in Educational Software
To pick a suitable e-learning platform for teachers and students, it is necessary to look for solutions that offer plenty of convenient features. Digital Samba is known for its versatility when it comes to education. Here are some of the features available on the platform:
- Questions and answers – there is a feature that allows hosting digital Q&A right in the same software used for video conferencing. Such question-and-answer sessions are great for keeping students interested and invigorated.
- Video calling – this is the basic feature that allows having private calls for two people and larger conversations that host dozens of people at once. This is useful for hosting a few dozen students during a class and webinars with hundreds of viewers alike.
- Collaboration – an essential part of any class is the ability to collaborate on a certain task or project. With the features included on this platform, it is possible to work on documents simultaneously.
- Cloud storage – if you are recording classes, there is a need to keep these large videos somewhere. Storing them on a computer would be a waste of space, and this way, other people will not be able to access them. Cloud storage allows keeping all the recordings safely and conveniently for easy access.
- Protection – it is crucial to have well-protected software to work with. This way, all the personal data of video call participants will remain secure. This platform uses the latest E2EE encryption for Internet security. In addition, it is GDPR-compliant, which means it is legal.
- Chat – a handy live chat feature is added to each video conference to provide an alternative channel of communication. All participants can send text messages for the host to read or in order not to interrupt the speakers.
- Break rooms – when people need to communicate separately from the main video conference, it is possible to create additional rooms. This solution is convenient for dividing students into groups and working on assignments separately.
Using virtual tools for education is the future of an efficient and fun learning process.
