Virtual classrooms can be used to enhance traditional face-to-face classes, hybrid classes, or totally online classes. Blackboard Collaborate is being used at the University of Windsor to facilitate online collaboration between students, between students and instructors, and between local and distant colleagues.
Some of the many uses for a virtual classroom include – online office hours, online tutorials, synchronous classes, research collaborations, online meetings, group work, or other multiple other uses. Virtual classrooms have the ability for an instructor to upload their traditional presentation and share it with those online with them synchronously or recorded for later viewing. Further, Blackboard Collaborate has a whiteboard space where students and instructors can interact to share ideas or work on problems collaboratively. Also, there are video and audio capabilities, text chat, desktop/application sharing, and web tours.