Transforming Learning with Hyperclass: Lona’s Story

Have you heard about the online classroom of the future? Designed to make learning more personal, immersive, and memorable, Hyperclass creates dynamic learning environments by combining learning materials, interactive tools, a greenscreen, and live webcams.

Recently I had the opportunity to speak with Lona, an online English teacher from our centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. In January 2023, she won the prestigious Global Top Contributor award for her amazing work with Hyperclass. For this reason, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to speak with Lona and learn about her experience with this innovative way of teaching.

So, let’s not waste any more time, and let’s see what she has to share!

Could you tell us about your experience with Hyperclass?

“So far I love it! I actually prefer Hyperclass, there’s a lot you can do with it, so it’s important to multitask, but it’s still easy to remain focused and get the job done. I have probably had, like, one incident where my student couldn’t hear me or couldn’t see me and throughout my whole journey it’s been smooth, so that’s been great.”

What makes Hyperclass different from other kinds of online platforms that you’ve used?

“For me, it’s definitely the activities, for example, when you have to drag answers on the screen. It’s so interactive. Also, the videos are really amazing because sometimes my students don’t understand something, but once they see the video, they’re like, ‘Oh okay, I understand what you’re talking about now!’

I also love the ‘celebration’ tool that shows balloons popping and confetti. Hyperclass is more colorful and livelier. Even though it’s for adults, it doesn’t just have notes and pictures. Let’s make learning fun!”

What do your students enjoy about Hyperclass?

“Some of my students don’t want to give just one-word answers, so they like the open-ended questions on Hyperclass, especially when we have discussions. I often tell them there are no right or wrong answers and that I just want to hear their opinion, and that makes them feel very comfortable. So, my students seem to prefer the Hyperclass content.”

Can you tell us about a memorable moment you’ve had as a teacher with Hyperclass?

“Oh, yes, I don’t think I’ll ever forget this moment! I taught a lesson about music and my student asked me to sing for them. We ended up taking turns singing, then talking about it. I loved this because although I might be behind the screen, I want my students to feel like I’m there in front of them. It felt like we were really communicating.”

What skills do you think you’ve learned through Hyperclass?

“I definitely learned how to multitask. So, for example, I have to listen to my student, type, make corrections, make eye contact, and also give feedback all at the same time. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes when I teach, and multitasking is a really important skill to have! And it’s weird because that was the one thing that I was anxious about going into Hyperclass. So, it was amazing to find out that it’s actually something that I’m good at.”

Lona is an online English teacher at EF Teach Online Johannesburg Centre, based in South Africa. Her background includes teaching English online and compiling the weekly digest, she is the DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging) representative and is also part of the Employment Equity (EE) Forum. In her free time, she likes to swim, take walks to clear her mind, and do yoga.

Learn more about EF Teach Online here.