What is a virtual classroom?

A virtual classroom is an online space where teachers and learners meet live to teach and learn together, with video, chat, screen sharing, and shared materials. It recreates the back and forth of a real classroom over the internet.

The key word is live. Unlike a recorded lesson you watch alone, a virtual classroom is real time, so a learner can ask a question and get an answer, and a teacher can read the room and adjust.

It usually sits inside a larger learning platform, so attendance, recordings, and follow up materials all flow into the same place that tracks the rest of the course.

Sthenos built virtual classrooms into a cloud based learning platform for a K-12 provider, alongside content management and performance tracking.

Related terms: learning management system (LMS), SCORM.

What is the difference between a virtual classroom and a webinar?

A webinar is mostly one way broadcasting. A virtual classroom is built for two way interaction and ongoing learning.