What in the World is Wimba?

Distance education has changed considerably since the first online courses I took back in 2000. A decade later, many colleges and universities use interactive software platforms to offer their online learning courses. Wimba is a very popular software suite that enables one to take courses in a virtual classroom.

What is a virtual classroom, you ask? With the proper computer attributes this type of online learning environment gives one the ability to interact with one's classmates and teachers in many of the same ways as if one were actually sitting in a classroom. With Wimba, one can interact with classmates and teachers verbally, through symbols (more on that in a bit) and through text messages. Also, if one has a webcam, there can be visual interaction, as well, although this is often optional.

Wimba and other interactive virtual classroom packages are so much more advanced than in the days when distance education meant reading through multiple web pages of lecture notes and then submitting online multiple choice tests. Of course, there was more flexibility in the online learning schedule back then.

With Wimba, one is required to participate in the virtual classroom at specific times, just like a real class. Indeed, often there is actually a physical lecture going on while distance education students are also in attendance utilizing Wimba.

Therein lies the wonderful power of a Wimba virtual classroom. A teacher can give a lecture that may include enrolled students from all over the world. For example, the New York University course I am currently enrolled in has students from New York State; Seattle, Washington; and Puerto Rico. At 4PM Eastern Standard Time for five Wednesdays in a row, we all "meet" for our online learning experience in our Wimba virtual classroom.

We listen to the teacher and read her Power Point slides in the main screen area of the Wimba virtual classroom web page. If we have questions during our online learning experience, we push the "talk" button and/or raise our hands by clicking on the "hand" button. There are other buttons for "Yes," "No," "I've stepped away," "I'm confused," etc.

The teacher keeps track of what's going on by a grid in the lower right hand corner of the Wimba virtual classroom screen that lists all of the online learning students in attendance and displays symbols for any buttons they push during the lecture. After items are addressed, the teacher can clear the symbols from the grid to make room for additional questions, etc.

In the lower left hand corner of the Wimba virtual classroom screen is a rolling text message board. Unless you indicate otherwise before posting, each message is displayed before the entire online learning class. Oftentimes, students use this text message board to indicate that they have stepped away or returned, or to display an answer to a previous lecture point so as not to interrupt the teacher's present point.

I had serious reservations about taking a course utilizing Wimba. Looking back, my fears were unfounded. The biggest online learning challenge for me was getting set up to interact in the Wimba virtual classroom. That's a topic for another time!

Source: Personal Experience