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August 19th, 2008
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New Version of the Live Virtual Classroom in Incubation

Posted by Ismael Rumzan, Instructional Technology Specialist on August 19th, 2008

Assalamu alaikum ,

Yesterday, I met with Shaykh Hamza and Sidi Imran to put the final touches to the architecture of the new live virtual class application. Here is a summary of some of the exciting features that you can expect to be implemented in steps in the upcoming year, insha’Allah:

1. Chat:
* Send chat to teacher only
* Start separate private chat session with teacher/student
* Teacher/moderator can enable moderated chat

2. Teacher video:
* Adjust the quality of the received video to your internet connection

3. Content area:
* Teacher can present multimedia such as load a video or sound in addition to current powerpoint slides
* Student can have their own personal whiteboard that the teacher can view and correct. Students also will have the ability to save, print, have multiple pages and view all saved whiteboards in another format
* Teacher can share a student’s whiteboard to everyone
* Teacher can enable/disable ability for students to write on common whiteboard

4. Multiplex student audio/video
* Teacher can enable one student at a time to have simultaneous audio with teacher and broadcasted to everyone
* Teacher can see up to 3 students audio and/or video (not seen by students)
* Teacher can change to group work mode where everyone (up to 4 simultaneous) sees and hears everyone else

5. Feedback and student attendance
* Multiple options for giving quick feedback (such as yes, no, faster, slower, smile, etc)
* Everyone can see everyone else’s feedback

6. Interface
* Resize/full screen all the main components
* Change to different languages
* Change to different layouts (such as presentation, discussion, etc)

We would like to have your feedback regarding the new features being planned. What do you think are the most exciting? The most beneficial? What changes would you like to see to these features? Please post your comments by Saturday August 23rd.



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Reader Comments

Comment:
1
Written by:
mohammed saeed
Posted on:
August 20th, 2008 at 3:27 am

asalaamualaikum,

1) The option to view a lower video quality will be beneficial for those with a slower internet connection.
I dont see the need for high quality video in any case.

2) allowing the teacher to see the student would be beneficial for arabic recitation.

3) being able to see a students whiteboard would be beneficial for arabic lessons. However, Its difficult to draw anything using a mouse, so students should be recommended to buy a tablet device e.g. wacom bamboo (which I have).

4) Students being able to interact with other students would be very exciting feature. A more classroom atmosphere could develop. My only concern is the mixing between males and females (bearing in mind the young age of the students).

Inshallah your plans will be beneficial to the students and the teachers.

Jazakaalah.
Mohammed Saeed.

Comment:
2
Written by:
Omair
Posted on:
August 20th, 2008 at 5:44 am

Assalaam-u-alaykum wr wb

Mashallah, the features look very promising. However, just like Br. Mohammed Saeed, I too am mainly concerned with the gender interaction that could result because of the private student chat sessions.

WSalaam && Allah Hafiz
Omair

Comment:
3
Written by:
Fedwa
Posted on:
August 21st, 2008 at 5:13 am

salaam,

I like all the new features except I actually do not like the private chats between teacher and student as it could distract the teacher from fully teaching the course. If the teacher was distracted with private chats from other students, I would be annoyed I think.

Unless this is meant for students who wish to ask a question that is too private to put on the chatboard, then I am okay with it.

The most exciting and most beneficial are number 3 and 4. In particular I like the group mode feature:

“Teacher can change to group work mode where everyone (up to 4 simultaneous) sees and hears everyone else.”

wasalaam,
Fedwa

Comment:
4
Written by:
Sister Linda Fasasi
Posted on:
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:43 pm

Assalamu Alakium,
Mashaallah! Sounds wonderful but I think sometimes this could be quite overwelming for the poor teacher with all these different chats. I like the idea of being able to make adjustments from our end too. As far as personnel chats on the side if people are looking to do wrong they will always be able to find a way. InshaAllah we will behave like grown adults here and use these additions to our advantage in our education InshaAllah. Will we see this in the fall? I think this will really help in the Arabic classes as sometimes we can be alittle shy infront of others at first.
Jazakaalah
Sister Linda

Comment:
5
Written by:
Tariq Rasheed
Posted on:
August 26th, 2008 at 7:48 am

As salamu ‘alaikum,

I would only suggest that you provide a feature where the teacher can dynamically enable/disable chatting altogether. I notice that many times teacher will request students not to type and they type anyway. Be disabling chat the teacher can focus on teaching and open up the text chat when they are ready to take questions and comments.

Comment:
6
Written by:
Ismael Rumzan
Posted on:
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:45 am

Jazakallah Khairan everyone for your comments.
I understand your concerns about the private student-teacher or student-student chat. We are planning to make it so that the teacher/moderator can enable/disable this feature for everyone or specific students. As you mentioned it should be used wisely.
The first implementation (with some of the above features) are planned for spring with a beta version earlier.
If you would like to be involved with testing the beta version, please email me at ismael@sunnipath.com