A virtual classroom that’s more intimate than face to face

When the conversation of online learning comes up a big concern is the lack of face-to-face interaction. I recently read an article about a virtual classroom that is more intimate than many face-to-face, brick and mortar environments.  The reason...because the students faces are close up...sort of like Google Hangout.  Additionally, the instructor and students could capture and share one another’s screen.  

In this case, it meant that the instructor had planned for a way for all of the students contribute virtually face-to-face. It also meant that students were focused.  It was as though they were all in the front of the class.  The author who wrote about this experience explained that though it may be hard to believe, there was closer intimacy in this virtual classroom than many of those he’d experienced in the classroom. He attributes that to being the case possibly because of the close-up of each person’s face and he got a sense that each student knew they were expected to contribute which raised the bar for all.
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