INTRODUCTION

Just as the term virtual means a simulation of the real thing, Virtual Classroom is as i m u l a t e d c l a s s r o o m v i a I n t e r n e t , w h i c h p r o v i d e s a c o n v e n i e n t c o m m u n i c a t i o n environment for distance learners just like traditional face-to-face classroom. A virtualclassroom allows learners to attend a class from anywhere in the world and aims to provides a learning experience that is similar to a real classroom. When we go to collegewe have a schedule of lectures, which we must attend. Student must arrive on time, andw h e n h e e n t e r s t h e c l a s s r o o m , h e f i n d s a t e a c h e r , f e l l o w l e a r n e r s , a b l a c k b o a r d o r whiteboard, LCD projector, optionally a television screen with videos. Likewise, a VirtualClassroom is a scheduled, online, teacher-led training session where teachers and learnersinteract together using computers linked to a network such as the Internet. A virtualclassroom enables to bring learners from around the world together online in highlyinteractive virtual classes while greatly reducing the travel, time, and expense of onsiteteaching/training programs. It can be used as a solution for live delivery and interactionthat addresses the entire process of creating and managing our teaching-learning process. Itfacilitates instructor and student in teachinglearning events, such as a seminar, onlinediscussion or a live training for employees in company. As in traditional classroom, thereare professor and fellow learners present with the student; w e have many participants present in virtual classroom. They can talk with each other as in the traditional classroomvia chat. Similarly presenter uses whiteboard, gives notes/resources, gives presentation asgiven in traditional one. Thus, virtual classroom can be visualized as a classroom where alecture or session is conducted using Internet. Now, that we have some idea about virtualclassroom, we will discuss some advantages that virtual classroom offers over traditionalclassroom.5 Virtual Classroom

HOW DOES VIRTUAL CLASSROOM WORK

Virtual System is based on the following criterias: Agenda : Before starting the session, presenter has to create agenda for the session.Agenda briefly describes the topics for the discussion. Thus it gives an outline of the session to all participants. Presentation display : The presenter can show PowerPoint presentation in the session.For that he can load presentation file into the session. He is able navigate between differentslides using appropriate buttons. Chat: Using this feature presenter and participants can send short text messages to eachother. Participants are allowed to send message to presenter using Hands-up facility. Togive any message to participant, presenter can use chat tool. Resource Sharing: Presenter uploads the resources that can be useful to the particular session. Participants can download these resources. Also, presenter can give any resourcelink on the web. Participants can see that web page separately at their end. Participants list and Hands -up list: Participants list displays the name of the participants that are logged in for the session. Hands-up list displays the participants namethat has raised their hands (virtually) using hands up.6 Virtual Classroom

ADVANTAGES OF VIRTUAL CLASSROOM

Following are some of the advantages of Virtual classroom over traditional classroommodel:

Removal of geographical barriers (Anywhere learning): A virtual classroom allows learners and teachers to attend a single live training sessionfrom any place in the world, provided they have a computer and Internet connection. Sessions can be recorded: If learners miss a traditional classroom-based training session, they have very littleopportunity to engage in the learning experience that took place. A virtual classroom has afacility to record the session so learners or teachers can replay it afterwards. Teachers tooget an opportunity to review their own or their colleagues performance. Quicker to organize: Training can be organized more quickly than traditional classroom -based training.C l a s s r o o m s a n d p r o j e c t o r s d o n o t n e e d t o b e r e s e r v e d , m a t e r i a l s d o n o t n e e d t o b e distributed. The sessions are easier to schedule or reschedule since attendees will not betraveling to the venue of the session. One to one communication: In a virtual classroom environment, learners can talk to the teacher and to each other, andalthough this communication is not as rich in a traditional classroom, it still can help learners, since it is one to one. Due to these advantages, concept of virtual classroom isgetting very popular. Since it allows learners to attend sessions from anywhere in world, itis very useful for distant learners and for peoples who cannot meet face to face because of lack of time. Though it gives lots of advantages, it has some pitfalls also. Following sectiondescribes some limitations of virtual classroom.

Virtual Classroom Level 2 DFD: Process 1:Process 2:Process 3: 13

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HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENT

Hardware Requirements: Processor: - Pentium III 550 MHz or Athlon AMD 1GHz or AboveRAM: - 256 MB or moreHard Disk space: - 20 GB or moreInput/Output Devices: - Monitor Keyboard and Mouse. Software Requirements: Operating System: Windows 2000 Server, Windows XP or later versionsDatabase: - Oracle/ MS Access/ MySQL Server Web Server: - JakartaTomcat-ApacheWeb Browser: - Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher Editing Software: - Macromedia Dream weaver 8

CONCLUSION
As given in system specification, we have implemented most of the functionalities of the proposed virtual classroom. Our virtual classroom will be used for conducting webseminars. It has mainly two users, presenter and participant. A presenter will conduct asession for participants, which will attend the session from anywhere in the world. When asession is started, presenter can conduct seminars for participants in the session. As a presenter he can add new users to session, he can create agenda for the session, that willgive an outline about the session, he can add various resources (i.e. files or web links) tothe session, he can show power point presentation to participants, also he can use white board,he can answer participants doubts using chat facility, he can create different pollquestions. When participant enters in classroom, he can attend the session. He is able todownload the resources submitted by presenter, he can chat with other participants inclassroom, he can answer the polls, and also he can see the responses submitted by participants to those polls, he can view the slide

transition, whiteboard, also he can dohands up, if he has some question to ask to presenter.

FUTURE SCOPE
The virtual classroom developed is quite useful in many aspects. Through this, seminarscan be conducted on the Internet and participants from all over world can attend it. Thoughthis is currently usable, it can be improved in many dimensions. As stated in proposedsystems scope, the session will have facility of using real time audio. But since wecouldn't do it, this part could be done in future. For using the system, users must be trained properly. For that a user manual for the system need be prepared, which will guide the user.Since it is not prepared, it can be done in future. Also, as we have seen many others virtualclassroom has functionalities for session recording, breakout rooms, etc. But, we haven'tgiven such facilities in our classroom. These functionalities can be considered as a further work to be done for our classroom. We are planning to do a formal evaluation of our system before opening it for public. Depending on the feedback from evaluation, thechanges will be done accordingly. We also plan to submit it to source forge (open sourcecommunity) after our formal evaluation. Depending on the feedback, further functionalitiesto be added to our system will be decided.20 Virtual Classroom

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