Virtual Classrooms
What are they? And how Yellowdig is different from other virtual classrooms?
In this page, you'll learn about:
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Before we define virtual classrooms, let's give you some context by starting from the top. Distance learning took many shapes before the rise of modern virtual classrooms. Unlike what some might think, distance learning is not a new concept, as it dates back to the mid 19th century when the US Postal Service was developed. With the technological advancement that the world had seen since then, many other attempts were made to make distance learning a reality, most notably the televised classes by the University of House in 1953. Though, all the attempts that had been made throughout history lacked two important things: 1) A centralized system where students can find updated study material and submit their work, 2) Maintaining a sense of community throughout the course.
Despite the early history, distance learning only started being considered as a legitimate learning medium after the proliferation of the internet and the introduction of Learning Management Systems (LMS) in the late 1990s. However, the community-building aspect is still questionable today, and that's where Yellowdig comes into play. Scroll down to know more about virtual classrooms and the role of Yellowdig in turning them into active learning communities.
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Definition of Virtual Classrooms
You must have heard about virtual classrooms by now, but what are they? A virtual classroom is an online space where students of a particular learning institution can access learning material, engage in discussions, do homework, submit assignments, and connect with the teaching faculty remotely. This can be done by using one or more virtual learning tools such as learning management systems, video conferencing platforms, discussion boards, and other third-party applications (e.g. Yellowdig). Virtual classrooms can be used synchronously or asynchronously, depending on the requirements and grading criteria of a given course.
Within this definition, Yellowdig can either be used as a standalone virtual classroom platform or it can be used with other virtual learning tools due to its seamless integration with most learning management systems and its grade passback feature.
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Benefits of a Virtual Classroom
The challenges posed by the global pandemic had forced 1.2 billion children worldwide to switch to virtual classrooms in 2020. That experience proved that virtual learning is no longer a gimmick and that the tools available at our disposal today are capable of delivering a high quality learning experience. Today, many learners and learning institutions are starting to see the benefits of virtual classrooms since they provide a high level of flexibility, a cheaper way to access information, and an expansive learning experience since students and guest speakers can join from any corner of the world.
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Yellowdig pushes virtual classrooms to new heights by providing a gamified, fun learning environment with a long list of features that keeps both students and faculty engaged throughout the term while cutting down on the number of applications that students use in a virtual classroom. Below is a breakdown of the most innovative features that our students and faculty love the most:
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Users and Uses
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In recent years, the distance learning market (mostly in the form of virtual classrooms) has been on an upward trajectory. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 34.7% of college students were enrolled in at least one online course in 2018. Though, the challenges posed by the global pandemic had forced almost all learning institutions of all levels around the world to adopt a form of virtual classrooms to accommodate for fully online or hybrid course modalities.
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Yellowdig is not only a plug-and-play platform with seamless integration with almost any Learning Management System (LMS), but also a one size fits all platform that turns any classroom into an active learning community, regardless of the course level and modality. Whether the class you are teaching is online, hybrid, or in-person, our tried and tested pedagogy in more than 100 institutions is going to take everyone's experience to a whole new level, including the teaching staff's.
Below is a breakdown of how Yellowdig can be used in different class modalities:
Testimonials
Hear reviews from users who used the platform and achieved their goals and exceeded their students' expectations. Below is a sample of the things they had to say when asked about Yellowdig:
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Gad Allon
Director of the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology at the University of Pennsylvania.
"Millennial students are used to Facebook and Instagram and Twitter feeds, news bombarded from all sides in a chaotic virtual space that is hard to moderate or control... There is a definite need for a virtual space that is independent of these distractions, a social feed allowing students to focus and interact solely on course content. [Yellowdig] is the space at the the intersection of the social, collaborative, academic, and virtual worlds."
Kurt Hayes
Chief Learning Experience Officer, Dignity Health Global Education
“It allows people to connect and engage socially and collaboratively in a really engaging and meaningful way in between Zoom, live sessions, e-learning components that are delivering a new piece of information or knowledge. We can look at all the interaction data occurring between people and be able to assess the true effectiveness of the collaboration and sharing that is going on in the learning process.”
Kelsey Boor
Teaching Fellow, Fordham University
“Out of the top 10 students engaged in the Yellowdig forum, 5 of them are students who rarely or never spoke in class before the shift to online learning...Yellowdig has, in a certain sense, helped level the playing field. Students who are shy or anxious have found a much more comfortable place to engage with their colleagues.”
Want to hear more successful implementation stories? Check our case studies:
Final Thoughts
Virtual classrooms are being used worldwide as a safe, effective, and economic means for learning. Despite coming a long way since the early distant learning attempts in the mid 19th century, the community-building aspect of virtual classrooms might still be lacking today. Yellowdig aims to fill that void by offering a one size fits all solution that tackles student engagement-related issues and more. With its seamless integration with most learning management systems, grade passback feature, and social media-like interface, Yellowdig is gradually becoming a necessary component in a student's learning journey. We invite you to join our list of partners to become part of our success story!