I learned the difference between Asynchronous and Synchronous
I have learned that the emphasis for classroom learning should be via asyncronous learning activities, vs. syncronous means. We need to establish netiquete rules of engagement at the beginning of the course, actively monitor all discussions/chats, and provide timely & meaningful feedback to our online learners in an effort to make the experience worthwhile for them...as well as to facilitate keeping them engaged.
Knowing the difference between synchronous and asynchronous meetings is extremely beneficial. I will not use synchronous discussions for important learning topics because tooo many students may be left behind and I will not be able to give the appropriate feedback to each student.
I think these discussions are a great learning tool for certain lessons. Unfortunately, our school has eliminated threaded discussions so I cannot apply anything I have learned. They would have come in handy during this time of remote learning.
What I have learned from this module is to take it slow, in other words be senstive to all of the student's needs (be aware of their environment) and to know the difference between Asynchronous and synchronous teaching.
Feedback must be encouraging to promote learning. It is my responsibility to keep the discussion on topic. Students will expect me to keep the discussions on the subject. Learners maintain higher interest in discussion forums that have direction. Keeping online asynchronous discussions on topic can be done by carefully designing good questions, by providing guidelines for participants to use when composing their responses, and by providing discussion summaries.
After this lesson, it is more clear to me why some students are disengaged in "traditional classroom" - they simply are not interested in the class or lesson. They need more syncronous contact or one-to-one interaction. This is impractical in a class size near 40 students, however online learning tends to provide more support and feedback for disengaged students.
Class size plays a role in e-learners' participation. As instructors we must planned carefully to encourage participation based on class size. Asynchronous discussions are best in promoting interactions among learners. Most importantly, interaction is higher when learners are rewarded for their effort.
I learned that it is best to use Synchronous discussions when dealing with one student at a time to clarify any misconceptions or to offer personal advice.
I also learned the importance of seeking feedback from students on a regular basis. In doing so I should solicit student feedback about how the course is progressing. Are they getting out of the course what they want? Is the course fulfilling their expectations? Are there some things you are doing that they do not like?
I completely agree that posting timely and encouraging feedback is paramount in keeping your students level of focus on the course high and on target.
To allow time for socializing prior to starting your session, I guess I really hadn't added that to the equation. Also Asynchronous meetings vs. synchonous meetings.
I learned that it is possible to get all student engaged in a lesson if you conduct asynchronous discussions. Whether they are shy or timid or not into the class you have a better chance of drawing them in and make learning fun and engaging
It is important to keep discussions on point. It is also important to provide feedback to all students in an equal and equitable manner.
Reply to Gerald Austin's post: Small grouping is practiced at the elementary level in reading and math but I never considered it outside of that.
Asynchronous learners benefit from nettiquette, such as the tone of the language demonstrated by bolding, underlining or a simple LOL.
Sorry for the typo in my last post! I reviewed it before I sent it but evidently missed it! Lessons learned!
I think it would be valuable if there was some sort of assessment to see what learning styles students have in an online environment. Or is there a corelation between ausitory, visual, kinesthetic to the ones discussed in this module?
difference between synchronous and asynchronous learning via the online platform will help students to engage and stay engaged.
You need to provide more opportunities for asynchronous discussions. They need to be structured in a manner that will encourage student engagement. Synchronous discussions need to be structured for "break-out" discussions. You need to give participants the necessary information to prepare in the synchronous discussion.
It is important to keep the learners engaged in the learning process. The instructor should provide opportunities for discussion and chatting at the beginning and the end of the session. Learners should be made aware of the length of the session and instructions should be clear and concise. Instructors need to be aware of the difficulty of learners not seeing your facial expression and voice tone and should utilize bolding, underlining, color, and emojis to avoid alienating students.
