OK. So this isn't technology supporting technology exactly but it's a very good example of the use of technologies available to support education. I agree, there are many flavors or variations of the virtual classroom and some of them are quite good. I've even participated in several provided by hardware vendors. I've seen them improve dramatically over the years. As presentation technolgies improve, so do the virtual classroom products.
VirtualClass™ 4.0
VirtualClass version is a multimedia broadcast solution that combines hardware and software to create a virtual classroom over a network.
Teachers can monitor, control, shut down, lock out and broadcast to an individual student's system or an entire computer lab with just one simple click on the VirtualClass keypad. The keypad was developed, based on feedback from teachers, to eliminate the hassle of learning how to use software. The introduction of the keypad allows instructors to simply "plug and play" right out of the box. A new and improved keypad layout with easy access to new functions. New student control options such as: the capability of shutting down a student's screen saver or blacking out a student's screen, and controlling whether a student can log out of a training session. New audio/video enhancements and compatibility. Choosing students is much easier: Teachers can reset the IP address of the student's workstation and re-arrange the order in which the students are numbered.
Read & Learn More...
