What is ClassIn? And why you should be using this virtual classroom software to teach your students online independently away from teach from home jobs?
The last few years have seen an explosion in online learning.
From Zoom, to Skype University, to Google Classroom – online learning is taking over.
But there’s always questions around Google Classroom’s pricing, or Zoom education’s efficiency; and everyone always has reservations about Skype University…
So a discerning online ESL teacher would be right to ask:
What is ClassIn?
ClassIn is a virtual classroom software which is designed specifically for online education and it provides universal solutions for individual teachers, training organizations and schools.
It was one of the first virtual classroom softwares to see serious success in the digital market, and has been moving from strength to strength since its inception in 2015.
What Sets ClassIn Apart?
ClassIn’s strong focus on collaboration and connectivity sets it apart from any would-be competitor, and ensures that teaching online is as gratifying as in the classroom.
ClassIn brings the convenience of the classroom to you.
ClassIn’s laser-sight attention to collaboration makes them one of the premier virtual classroom softwares in the industry, making them the perfect online teaching platform on an international scale.
Online teaching platforms that don't require the use of ClassIn include:
What kind of features can ClassIn offer?
Both teachers and students are able to write text in text boxes, fueling an environment of two-way interaction.
ClassIn will allow you to have up to a thousand people in your class, and interact with each of them on an individual basis.
Their innovative ‘raise hand’ function logs the order with which your students will try to answer your questions, meaning you can deal with each one in order.
They also allow you to provide virtual ‘trophies’ to students who have performed particularly well in a lesson, and who maybe deserve a little reward.
Do I have to download all of these features in pieces?
Absolutely not, ClassIn comes with the following tools as part of the system:
Built-in Timer
The software comes with a built-in timer, which allows you to set time limits for your students to answer questions or deal with problems.
Built-in Games
You can also make use of built-in games, or move the cameras of your students around so as to better customise your load-out.
You can also make simple games (as shown in the video) using the graphic design tool Canva.
Virtual Slot Machine
A virtual slot machine for names will ensure your students all get picked to participate in the class throughout the lesson.
Private Blackboard
Students are also provided with their very own private blackboard, which others students cannot see until they’re ‘collected in’ at the teacher’s discretion. The teacher does have the option to monitor the process when the students are writing on the blackboard. Once the small blackboard is taken by the teacher, all the students can follow the teacher in going through each of the students' answers.
Instant Messaging System
An instant messaging system allows students to communicate via text, if perhaps their microphones aren’t up to scratch.
Set Homework Feature
The one-of-a-kind ‘set homework’ feature ensures your students continue learning long after the lesson has ended, and re-enforces the information you provided to them throughout the day.
How customisable is it really?
The ability to upload media of your choice to your blackboard is an incredible addition to the online virtual classroom environment.
You can also save templates of lessons as EDB files, and store them on cloud software. You can either start from scratch or build on something you’ve developed previously.
With luck, ClassIn is setting the standard for others to follow.
So that says a little about what ClassIn is…
Which means the next question is:
Why should I use ClassIn?
Designed for Education
ClassIn has a carefully designed online classroom experience, purely with the intention of achieving better learning results.
ClassIn aims to recreate a physical classroom to empower teachers
You are not expected to adjust your teaching style to fit in with ClassIn…
ClassIn adjusts to fit your teaching style.
All teaching tools are provided with this virtual classroom software, and the software itself is free for a 2 week trial.
Students of all levels should be engaged
ClassIn believes that a good teacher needs good tools, and that every student of every level needs engagement.
They provide the tools necessary to support this engagement.
ClassIn offers breakout rooms for group discussion, as well as a whole host of diverse learning supports at the disposal of each and every registered teacher.
Backend dashboards allow you to manage students
Student attendance tracking is part of the virtual classroom software, as well as encouraging teachers to optimise their curriculum resources.
Supporting teachers in every way
Alongside their obvious fantastic supports, ClassIn also provides a whole host of smaller, less bombastic ‘quality of life’ supports that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to find in such a software.
Some of their features really demonstrate their commitment to helping support online teachers in every capacity.
ClassIn allows you to focus on what's' important: teaching
ClassIn offers an interactive whiteboard intended to support a variety of teaching tools.
They also offer support for multiple courseware formats, and can brag lag-free screen sharing (something which even Google has yet to achieve).
Active learning and student participation are a priority
The breakout rooms are just the start…
ClassIn enables you to utilise their unique ‘quiz tool’ in collaboration with their private blackboard feature to create something really special for your students.
The already mentioned ability to hand out trophies goes hand in hand with class participation, and speaks to ClassIn’s commitment to ensuring active learning.
Managing your class is a must
ClassIn knows that the actual mechanics of operating a classroom are not so cut and dry…
They provide you with the ability to move students' cameras around on your screen, move them on or off ‘stage’, and ensure that your set-up is tailored to your preferences and in-the-moment needs.
Student engagement and performance
The ability to track student engagement is something which really sets ClassIn apart from other virtual classroom softwares in this field.
Teachers are able to watch back class recordings to see which students were fully committing and which were a little hesitant to get involved. Students can also watch back the recordings to review the class.
The ability to track attendance and track test results is a fantastic addition to ClassIn’s set of features, and the option to track student speaking time is just the icing on the cake.
Online learning is always changing, and it will continue to change from day to day.
But if other virtual classroom and teaching softwares look to ClassIn, then the future of online learning is in good hands. A good tool for those exploring teaching as one of their side hustles from home.
Final Thoughts…
The software is very useful for those with ambitions of creating their own online teaching platform. However, if you don't want to really worry about all the technicalities and would rather just focus on teaching students, a better alternative would be to explore the list of already existing online teaching platforms by clicking below:
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