Wimba Classroom (Presentation + Participation)

Synchronous Participation

In a classroom presentation, it is easy to generate some student interaction this is more difficult with online presentations. On the whole online presentations tend to be passive or require the student to go to a different technology (discussion forum or a wiki) to share their thoughts on what you have said.

There are now tools available that enable students to participate immediately with the presentation, simulating a classroom environment. This is not to say that they should replace classroom presentations but if you are looking for a way to get students to work together outside the classroom, these might help you to achieve it.

Wimba Classroom

Click on the image to enlarge

One such tool is Wimba Classroom. You can use it in many different ways:

You can set a time just to have a 1:1 or conversation (like Skype)

You can upload a PowerPoint presentation, arrange a time to meet and present it as you would in a live classroom – with questions and answer sessions built-in.

You can ask a student to upload their presentation and use it for assessment – you can collect peer evaluations about it too.

You can record the session for student that were unable to meet at the allocated time.

You can even create a complete lesson online, but there are many issues to be aware of. This very informative 10 minute video prepared by Claudia Dornbusch explains some of the pros and cons of virtual classroom presentations.

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