Virtual Classroom

While BU has a Virtual Classroom feature, I have never used it. I don’t like things that involve microphones. I can suck it up when I have a presentation, but like PowerPoint, I find them a necessary evil.

We are converting our HR/payroll system back to ADP, and I have tons of training to go through. Virtual Classroom is the alternative to going to ADP’s location and staying there all day. I don’t actually have a problem with going to ADP and staying all day, but we are on a tight schedule and it wasn’t matching up.

So. Virtual Classroom is rather like any other webinar except that the entire thing is online rather than including a telephone conference call. I guess the idea is that if you have to get online, anyway, you might as well not have to use the phone, too. Or maybe it is less expensive. ADP sent me a headset with a microphone that they say is absolutely necessary. It is not. I could hear just fine from my speakers and if I have to talk we could use text.

So we listen to the presenter and watch her run through the PowerPoint. There are buttons to raise our hands. Buttons to answer Yes and No questions. There are even buttons for Laugh and Applaud.

My opinion is that this is good for meetings, but for software training I prefer the packaged web based training. On my own time and not being held up by other participants that are late or having A/V problems.

I am selfish that way.