Whether using synchronous, asynchonous, or a mix of both methods, guidelines must be organized and clearly communicated to the students. Without clear communication, students will become confused and disengaged and the learning process will be hindered or possibly halted.
Understanding what technical tools to use when and what for is necessary when teaching online successfully.
Whether you are teachiing in a sychronous or asycronous situation, organization, teacher delivery, and commuication all play key roles in the students success. A blended setting may work well in most cases, but the student ability to Be There at That time must be taken into consideration.
I have had to incorporate both methods of teaching due to Covid-19. What I have learned is online education is not for every student.
Communication is key and to have a desnigated rea for the students to access all of the classrom information.
With Asynchronus and synchronous learning, one is not better than the other, they both have advanages and disadvantages. It takes course evaluation to determine the best tool for content delivery. Asynchronous learning provides a more flexible program in which it is self paced, but assignments still must have a deadline because the downside to this is procastination in some students staying on top of the work in a timely manner. Synchronous provides real time interaction between students and instructors, but with this it is important that all students have access to high speed internet, and setting a time where everyone can meet with consideration of other commitments such as work and family life.
It is important to choose between asynchronous and synchronous learning and then utilize tools to make sure content can be given effectively. Decide which type of learning is more conducive to the success of the students. If students will struggle to learn on their own, synchronous learning and more guidance is more appropriate. If asynchronous learning is chosen, the instructor must be extremely organized and create an easy to navigate learning environment.
Weather using synchronis or asynchronis teaching methods, it is important to establish a centralized location for the students and the instructor where all the class info is available. Presenting a consistent teaching model is also very important. Doing resarch ahead of time to descide on the ratio of synchronis to asynchronis teaching systems is vital for cratting a successful online teaching environment.
Synchronus and asynchronus learning both have their advantages and disadvantages. I beleive it is important for each teacher to decide what will work best for his/her students but I have also found that a combination of both has worked best for me. Students and their families need to feel supported by the instructor and many times with asynchronus learning that can be difficult. When working with younger students it is very difficult to get them all online at the same time but they enjoy seeing their teacher and interacting with each other. Which ever method one decides to use it is important that the expectations are clearly communicated.
I helped me see the difference between synchronous and asynchronous learning. I am now aware of what to consider for either of these two environments. This is helping me understand the planning and developing process. I feel like I am learning so much.
The key is organizing your content and material to have a framework to facilitate learning.
When delivering content to students, teachers should be consistent from the start. This is similar to how content should ideally be given during in-class courses. Online courses allow asynchronous learning, so care should be taken to consider whether to deliver it in an asynchronous or synchronous manner.
I learned that regardless of whether the class is synchronous or asynchronous, the content needs to be organized, constant, and accessible.
Content delivery is very important and should be appropriate for the course you are teachin. It is important for the students to understand all of the components of the course. Students need to know how to submit assignments and most impotant the dates and deadlines for all assignments.
- Organization and communication is extremely important. Make sure your student are aware of deadlines. You must set rules for your classroom and make sure they are understood. I will use both synchronus and asynchronus, as we use both online virtual classrooms and the students can also do some of the work at their own pace.
I learned that it is important to be completely prepared. YOu must be organized and 4 steps ahead of the students. You must comunnicated clearly and thoroughly. I would personally set deadlines on all assignments whether they are done together or by one's self and hold them accountable even though they can do the assignments at their own pace, they still have to be done within reason. I would also constantly provide both and make my classes as interesting as possible. But you also have to have strong control of your learning environment and exude confidence. You will lose the students if YOU look lost.
There is no right answer between synchronous and asynchronous learning. It is going to depend on the situation. I am seeing in this class, how important it is to have clear learning outcomes that students are aware of.
Expectations need to be expressed and codified more clearly when working with the asynchronous model.
Communicate what works best for the students
