All About Virtual Learning.

Since the advent of the internet, people everywhere have discovered the world of virtual learning.

No longer are you required to get out of bed every day and attend or teach courses on the schedule someone else has designed.

Instead, you can learn or teach virtually from the comfort of your own home.

Virtual learning is a type of education where all of the coursework is available online for users, typically recorded so they can review the information at any time. But this isn’t just written information, it also includes videos or PowerPoints covered by a professional voice over.

Read on to learn all about virtual learning and how you can make your coursework a success with voice overs.

What is Virtual Learning?

Virtual learning is an educational experience in which both the teacher and the student work and meet over the internet using devices like a computer or a phone.

Virtual learning can include homework, lectures, and presentations just as an in-person course would.

But unlike an in-person course, the pupil and teacher can learn in any environment they choose.

Different Types of Virtual Learning

Virtual learning takes many different shapes and forms.

Some forms are more popular than others and yield results more quickly.

Synchronous Online Learning

Synchronous online learning is the type of virtual learning which is similar to a classroom.

There are multiple students who work on the same coursework and have frequent interactions with the instructor.

The instructor may use video conferences, videos with voice over or voice recordings, or chat rooms to teach the material.

This form of virtual learning is great for the social student, but can be hard for the student who wishes to work ahead as they will need to wait for the rest of the class before the coursework becomes more advanced.

Generally, synchronous online learning is found in academic environments like universities or additional coursework required by profession.

Computer Managed Learning

Computer managed learning is a virtual learning which doesn’t involve a teacher at all.

Rather than discussing with a live individual, the student proceeds through the course, reading and listening to the various topics and presentations.

Once they have completed the coursework, the computer presents an automated test for the student to attempt.

If they pass, they proceed, otherwise they must listen to the coursework again.

An example of computer managed learning is the popular language learning application, Duolingo.

Computer managed learning is great for a teacher who’s information will not change, as the coursework can be created, then left to gather and teach students on its own.

It is also great for students who desire to work at their own pace and may be taking the course in addition to a full time job or other commitment.

There is no help from a professional though, which can get frustrating on particularly complicated subjects.

Asynchronous Online Learning

Somewhere in between these two methods is asynchronous online learning.

With this method, there is a teacher and a group of students working on the coursework at the same time.

All the information, however, has already been created by the teacher and is available for the students to work through at their own pace.

In asynchronous online learning, the students rarely have to show up at a certain time, and all videos are created with a voice over or voice recording.

This allows students to work through the course at their own pace at any time of day, but they can still ask the moderator for help when they need it.

Therefore asynchronous virtual learning is preferred by students who are working but understand they may have difficulty understanding the subject.

Sometimes asynchronous online learning is found in universities, but it is often found more often in courses which can be purchased online to further education.

For example a course in how to use excel could be marketed as an asynchronous online learning course.

Individual Online Learning

Individual online learning is similar to asynchronous online learning, as there is a teacher they can ask questions to, but is unique in that other students aren’t involved.

The proctor or instructor may have other students, or they may only have one, but either way the individual works through the course at their own pace, any time of the year.

Think of individual online courses as courses which require a lot of up front work to establish, and then a small amount of work to maintain.

These courses usually include items like recorded lectures or presentations, and then the student may have work to turn into the proctor.

What sets individual online learning apart from computerized online learning is that the student is still paced by an instructor rather than by an automated computer system.

These types of courses are common when an individual would like to receive a certificate, such as that required to become a yoga instructor.

They will complete the course work at home, but still speak with a professional when it comes time to take a test to become certified.

Collaborative Online Learning

Collaborative online learning is the type of virtual learning that is most closely associated with in-person learning.

While there are digital lectures, videos, and other content, there are multiple students who will need to work together on coursework.

This collaboration may include forums, chat rooms, or even projects which must be completed and presented as a group.

Because these courses require so much input, they typically have scheduled meeting times where the teacher will take attendance.

Collaborative online courses are effective for younger students, but can be difficult with adult students who have full time jobs or families.

This type of virtual learning is more of a hybrid between in-person and virtual learning and is typically found in college or high school environments.

Although collaborative online learning courses can be fun, they are some of the most difficult to run and can be hard to find students for.

Why Choose Virtual Learning?

If you are designing a course for students, you may wonder why you should design the course to be completely virtual.

First of all, the eLearning market is on the rise and will be worth $325 billion by 2025.

The reason this industry is growing so rapidly is because when you make a course virtual, you can teach information to anyone on the globe, giving you a wider market than ever before.

Plus, ever since the COVID19 pandemic, people have realized that it is possible to do most activities from home and that they save time by doing so, meaning they are more likely to enroll in your class if it is virtual.

Unlike an in-person course, it is very easy to use tools like voice narration when designing an online course, so the amount of work you have to do as a teacher on a daily basis will decrease.

Therefore, designing an online course not only gives the students back their time, but the instructors will spend less time teaching as well.

Voice Overs (or Voice Recordings) for Virtual Learning

No matter what types of online learning course you are putting together, chances are you will need voice overs or voice recordings.

According to studies, very little information is retained when a student is asked to read a chapter or PowerPoint presentation.

The amount of information they retain increases when they both hear and see the information at the same time.

This is why you don’t remember every book you ever learned and why it is impossible to become an expert on a topic after reading books about it.

Rather, you need to also hear the information from a lecturer, while also being shown demonstrations to effectively learn.

Hiring a professional voice over, like those at Amazing Voice, for your virtual class can go a long way towards helping students retain the information.

Not only that, but a voice over can prevent you from making mistakes and can help you be consistent, something which is important if you believe you will be required to present the information multiple times.

Voice overs truly can help you to produce timeless content that you can use over and over again.

If you do need to tweak the voice over, this is as easy as ordering a new one, and adding it to your old video, which is much easier than having to re-record the entire video a second time.

What a Voice Over Can be Used For in Virtual Learning?

No matter what you plan to teach, or the style of your online course, there are many places you could use a professional voice over to make your job easier.

PowerPoint

Most online courses require PowerPoint presentations.

Whether you are presenting information in a live setting, or creating a recording for the student to view later, a voice over can help the information to come across more clearly.

You also won’t have to worry about losing your voice, or background noise you may encounter if you try to record your own.

Computerized Courses

If you plan to have your students go through any form of computerized courses, even if some of the class is over video calls, you need professional voice overs.

Without a professional voice over, it will be difficult to make a quality computerized course.

Additionally, your course will not be accessible to everyone, as some people need the information to be audible in order to learn.

Lectures

If you are considering recording your lectures for an online course, a professional voice over can take them to the next level.

Professional voice over on your lecture can make it easier for students to understand you if you frequently turn your back to demonstrate items on the board.

They can also help you to be able to add additional information to your lecture that you may have missed the first time.

When a lecture wasn’t your best, perhaps because you weren’t feeling well or because of background noise, a voice recording will allow you to use it despite the poor original sound.

They are especially ideal for lectures which originally occur in a large classroom with lots of students, as there is likely background noise you cannot control at the original filming.

Presentations

Professional voice overs aren’t just for professors, and they can be a good idea for students as well.

Some courses, especially collaborative virtual courses, can require a large project at the end of the semester or year to receive the certificate of completion.

If it is a group project, it can be a hassle to send the project around to have everyone record their part, especially when the students are from different backgrounds and have varying equipment.

It can also be dangerous to plan to speak over the zoom call, as the internet connection of one group member could fail, or a group member may not show up at all.

Instead, investing in a professional voice over can ensure your project goes off without a hitch.

Your teacher will be able to clearly understand what you are trying to convey, and it won’t matter if all group members are present or not.

This can be especially helpful when there is a certificate to earn at the end of the course, as often times if the course is not passed, you have to retake it to earn the certificate.

So, if you spend a little money to pay for a professional voice over it can save you from having to pay for the course a second time.

Ready to Hire a Professional Voice Actor?

Whatever subject it is you plan to teach, and whether your course is for a group or students to complete at their own pace, you need a professional voice over.

Professional voice overs are great for PowerPoints, lectures, videos, and even end of the course presentations.

No matter what it is you have in mind, Amazing Voice is ready to help you get the perfect voice over for your virtual learning course. Contact Amazing Voice today to get started!

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