A framework of virtual classroom model on the Internet

Currently, many E-Learning platforms of different qualities are available. Most of them lack in the direct interactivity between teacher and students and among students. In this paper, a framework of virtual classroom model on the Internet is proposed. It connects the advantages of existing offline approaches, like a white board, with the advantages of live streaming systems with many participants. The architecture of virtual classroom on the Internet is composed of three processes: functions and protocol classification process, client/server sequential process and collaborative functions for lecturer and student process. The model bases up on four main technologies: the flash media server architecture, the RTMP protocol, client-server connection flows and shared objects. The concept has been implemented and tested in some classes with international participants. The results show that the students can immediately interact with lecturers as though they are studying in real classroom. The lecturer and students can publish streaming audio, video and other data messages to present streaming media with interaction or navigation. The virtual classroom is interesting place for lecturers and students to join and become the most important feature of E-Learning web sites that makes more attractive and complete E-Learning system.