6 Tips For Lecturers To Live Stream a Classroom Online

Explore Education Streaming

The pandemic of the past has brought about a major change in the way educators and learners interact with each other. Live streaming classes have become a new phenomenon, changing how students interact with teachers. 

In fact, live online class platforms have made it super easy to turn a traditional classroom into a virtual one. Overall, this creates an enjoyable learning experience for students.

For perspective, the global e-learning market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 14.6% till 2025. Researchandmarkets.com predicts that by 2025, the market size will reach $375 billion.

As we move forward, learning via live streams continues to shape the future of education. The integration and convenience of technology ensures that students can access quality education regardless of geographical boundaries.

The education landscape is changing — online learning has become the present as well as the future, as it provides a platform for students and instructors to interact. Here, students can collaborate, working together on an educational journey.

This blog will explore the benefits and best practices of live streaming classes. It will shed light on the enormous potential to shape the future of education.

What are the Benefits of Live Streaming Classroom?

Contrary to popular belief, online learning platforms offer more advantages than offline courses. They provide students and teachers with a flexible, interactive and highly personalized environment. Let’s explore how beneficial live streaming online classes are in the long run.

1. A Great Way To Facilitate Teacher Student Interaction

Some argue that traditional learning environments are more interactive. But online learning provides equal opportunities for everyone. Participating students can even ask questions in a live or private chat. Students can mute their microphones or turn off their cameras while participating in the lecture. This is not the case in offline education.

2. Flexible Online Lectures

Online courses offer more flexibility compared to traditional classrooms. There are no longer physical location or travel distance restrictions. Just turn on your computer or mobile device and start streaming the classes at your convenience. And you are all ready to learn something new.

3.  Improved Engagement And Pass Percentage

Live classes online allows interaction with students through discussions and comments. It makes the class more active, encourages debate, and answers questions immediately. Using a simple messaging system, students can communicate with the instructor and other viewers. 
According to a study by the University of California at Berkeley, students who participated in live and online courses achieved 14% higher grades than those who took the same courses in traditional classrooms. 

4. Teachers Can Live Stream Classes From Laptops Or Mobiles

Internet penetration is on the rise. This makes it easy to create live courses using the best virtual classroom platform. You can do this from your smartphone camera or laptop.

Educators can stream an online class through the Live app, which is available for Android and iOS. Thanks to ultra-low latency live broadcasting, you may insert live classes directly into your website/app.

5. To Provide Audio or Podcast Coaching 

Podcast coaching is a relatively new concept in e-learning, which is appealing due to its low cost and ease of use. Create audio-only classes online and let students learn on the go.

6. Online Learning Is Affordable

The advantage of online learning programs is that they are cost-effective. Highly ranked institutions invest heavily in courses so that students can learn from them. 

Attending physical education classes significantly raises student expenses such as textbooks and other learning materials. Significant savings are also made on travel costs associated with offline courses or live streaming classes.

7.  Increased Income For instructors or Platform Owners

Online education increases the income of educators by expanding them to a global audience. Virtual classrooms allow teachers to accommodate more students. Special programs may also be offered. Additionally, they can monetize their expertise by charging paid memberships or tuition, thereby increasing income opportunities.

How to Live Stream a Class Online: The 7-Step Guide

1. Select the appropriate settings for live streaming the class
2. Gather tools and equipment needed for online content
3. Choose the best video streaming platform for your online classroom
4. Ensure a stable and fast Internet connection
5. Prepare well-structured programs and teaching materials
6. Create a test stream before actually going live
7. Start a live streaming classroom

1. Select the appropriate settings for live streaming the class

Find a quiet, well-lit area with no clutter to create a professional atmosphere for streaming your online classes. 

Consider using a dedicated workspace or having an interesting backdrop. It should enhance visual appeal and reduce distractions.

2. Gather tools and equipment needed for online content

Arm yourself with all the necessary tools in order to manage your online courses. Invest in the following equipment and gather them all in one place. 

• A webcam/DSLR for high quality crisp images.
• Suitable microphone for voice/audio communication (PC compatible)
• Gimbal/Tripod to stabilize the camera (if you plan to use a dedicated camera)
• Ideal lighting for clear streaming, especially in low light conditions.
• Video encoder to your chosen video streaming platform.
• Invest in a pair of high end headphones and consider using a digital pen or graphics tablet for better interactive learning.

3. Choose the best video streaming platform for your online classroom

Research and choose the right platform with features that match your learning needs. 

Look for platforms that offer easy video streaming, interactive chat options, screen sharing capabilities, and student engagement programs.

Although, there are free streaming platforms like YouTube, Zoom and Facebook that offer convenience and a wide user base. However, they may not have many unique features designed for education. 

Besides that, it is hard to build the audience and monetize content on free streaming platforms. Alternatively, you can create your own customized online class platform by contacting VPlayed. 

It ensures greater control, branding opportunities, advanced features and improved security for your online classes.

Evaluate platform offerings based on factors such as scalability, customization options, interactive capabilities (live chat), monetization opportunities, and technical support. Make an informed decision that aligns with your teaching objectives and student engagement needs.

4. Ensure a stable and fast Internet connection

Stable high-speed Internet connections are essential for live streaming of online courses. First, optimize your network configuration with the latest Wi-Fi routers that come up with improved signal quality. 

Second, secure a high speed broadband connection, which offers generous bandwidth to support buffer-free streaming. Finally, you are with a reliable network provider that guarantees consistent connectivity by reducing latency and maximizing data transfer rates.

It is stated that at least 10 Mbps is needed to ensure a smooth and buffer-free streaming, but 15 to 20 Mbps will work well to ensure smoothness.

5. Prepare well-structured programs and teaching materials

Clear planning and creating engaging content is essential for live online learning. Moreover, this will keep students focused and motivated. 

You can start by stating points and goals for each online session. Divide content into executable blocks or modules to ensure logical flow of information. 

Include interactive features such as quizzes, discussions, or group activities to engage students to a larger extent. Additionally, use multimedia elements such as videos, slideshows, or simulations to enrich the learning experience.

Finally, research all the essentials and must-haves.

• Clearly defined learning objectives. 
• Structured chart with division of topics. 
• Incorporating learning materials to ensure interactive teaching (videos, slides, group discussions). 
• Multimedia materials for visual and auditory learning. 
• Surveys or questionnaires to measure understanding. 
• Clear instructions and guidelines for student work or assignments.

6. Create a test stream before actually going live

First, it helps you become familiar with unfortunate technical issues, familiarize yourself with technology, and gain confidence before taking a real time course.

So do a test stream and make sure all devices, software and settings are working properly before going live. Check the audio and video quality as well.

Examine the interactive features. Address any technical issues. Provide simple and buffer-free experiences for students.

7. Start a live streaming classroom

Once you have completed the necessary preparations, it’s time to start the live streaming session. Set up your chosen platform, check the camera lens and lighting, set up your references so that you can teach well, and strat welcoming students. 

Interact with them, share your content, and encourage participation throughout your online presentation or lecture.

Why Create Your Own Educational Streaming Platform With VPlayed?

VPlayed offers a comprehensive e-learning platform for seamless education video streaming. Unlike traditional video streaming platforms, VPlayed offers a fully-functional educational video streaming platform that is miles ahead of the competition.

Let’s look at what you get with VPlayed.

1. 100% Customizable Solution: Personalize your educational platform according to your specific requirements, branding, and design preferences. Vplayed offers a fully-customizable white-label streaming platform.
2. Easy-to-use CMS: Effortlessly manage your educational content with an intuitive and user-friendly content management system. The content management system is designed so educators with little technical knowledge can easily manage and distribute content.
3. Flexibility to Set Your Own Pricing: Determine the best pricing models for your online classes, from subscriptions to rentals and more. Unlike most other platforms, with monthly recurring payments or usage fees, VPlayed comes with a one-time payment. You buy the platform once and own it forever. VPlayed allows you to keep 100% of the money you earn by yourself. 
4. Seamless Payment Integration: Integrate a range of payment options such as paywalls, auto-debit, and one-time payments for convenient transactions.
5. Highly Secure: Safeguard your valuable educational content with robust security measures, including Multi-DRM, AES encryption, and SSL certificates.
6. Live Chat for Teacher-Student Interaction: Foster real-time interaction and engagement between teachers and students through integrated live chat functionality.
7. Real-Time Analytics: Gain valuable insights into student behavior, engagement, and performance through comprehensive analytics and reporting features.
8. Support for VOD and Live Streaming: Deliver both pre-recorded video-on-demand (VOD) content and live-streaming sessions for a versatile learning experience.

So it is obvious that due to the unparalleled flexibility and convenience of the platform, several edu-tech companies like Learning Space and Paroah Aten University have preferred VPlayed over the rest. 

Conclusion:

Live streaming online classes offer many advantages that make it an effective way to learn in the 21st century. First, they offer flexibility to a greater extent, thereby allowing students to attend classes at their own pace from any location. 

Second, live streaming facilitates real time communication between teachers and students, providing immediate engagement and feedback. Above all, recordings can be reviewed later after the sessions, helping to understand more clearly and adjust activities accordingly.

In addition, live streaming platforms often have the interactive features of online video education platforms such as chat and polling, which lead to active participation and collaboration. 

All in all, educators can provide access, participation, and increasing student learning outcomes through the adoption of live streaming classrooms. 

If You Already Have An Idea To Start An Online Learning Platform, Schedule a Free Demo And We’ll Get You On The Road To Educational Video Streaming Success

Frequently Ask Questions(FAQ)