Managing Virtual Classrooms is a practical, beginner-friendly course for educators, trainers, teaching assistants, academic staff, workplace facilitators, and anyone who teaches or supports learning online. It helps learners build the confidence and skills to plan, deliver, and improve effective live online teaching sessions.
The course introduces the core principles of virtual teaching and learning, including how online environments differ from physical classrooms in communication, presence, participation, attention, and classroom management. Learners explore what makes virtual teaching effective and how planning, clear communication, and purposeful interaction support learner success.
Learners then gain hands-on experience with the main features of at least one virtual classroom platform, including audio and video settings, chat, screen sharing, breakout rooms, polling, whiteboards, reactions, participant controls, and recording. The focus is on using these tools to support learning, not just deliver content.
The course also covers how to design structured, outcomes-aligned virtual lessons. Learners practice writing clear learning outcomes, sequencing activities, managing pacing, giving clear instructions, and creating opportunities for interaction. They explore ways to keep learners engaged through questions, polls, collaborative tasks, chat prompts, and other simple techniques for live online delivery.
Finally, learners examine how to manage common behavioural, logistical, and technical issues such as low participation, disruptive behaviour, connectivity problems, audio or video challenges, and transitions between activities. They use simple assessment methods to check understanding and give feedback, while applying accessible and inclusive teaching practices such as clear verbal guidance, readable visuals, and multiple participation options. The course ends with a practical capstone in which learners plan and deliver a short live or recorded micro-teaching session and reflect on feedback to identify improvements.
