Title: How to Implement Synchronous and Asynchronous Teaching in Your Online Course | Top Hat
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Content: Instructors should make a habit of breaking up large blocks of text with multimedia elements to keep students engaged. Presence is integral to student engagement. It’s important to let learners know when you’re available to meet and provide them with the necessary resources to support them academically. Hosting regular virtual office hours and participating in online discussion threads are easy ways to reinforce a sense of caring and commitment. Making asynchronous lectures engaging
Asynchronous learning is an integral part of active learning and is particularly useful if students are unable to maintain a specific schedule. Accessing materials, readings, assignments, quizzes and lecture recordings in a single place—which is possible on an active learning platform like Top Hat—allows students to explore topics in-depth and at their own pace. Supported by discussion forums and one-to-one communications through email are simple ways to create engagement even if much of the learning is self-directed. Asynchronous learning also provides an opportunity for instructors to promote peer collaboration. Specific assignments that require students to work with each other or review each other’s work are powerful ways to keep engagement high outside the confines of a class schedule. How asynchronous teaching supports active learning
In thinking through how best to incorporate asynchronous methods into your curriculum, take time to review your course syllabus and learning objectives for the semester.