I have learned that both techniques have value to the student as well as the instructor and the key factors to emphasize are communication, organization, consistancy and developing and nurturing an enironment that the student can answer questions privately when needed during a virtual class or have plenty of options for backup if doing a project asychronously while knowing what the paremeters of the course involve: including timelines and expectations. They also need to see their progress develop and grow through interactions and discussions with each other and the instructor to reaffirm what they know or struggle with for continued motivation.
Organization is one of the biggest lessons I took away from this. It's also important to decide which works better for your class, synchronis vs asynchronise.
Organizations and consistent communicaations is vital! Students need to know how to navigate the LMS and need access to the instructor when/if they need help
Know your stundents and the way they learn, Interaction is key.
I think it is important to understand both synchronous and asynchronous methods and decide which will work better for a particular course. Organization and communication is essential for either method to be effective for the students.
I learned that guidelines are essential for both methods and each should be investigated to determine which method works best. I plan on applying both methods of learning by establishing clear guidelines and a consistent pattern. Example: all weekly assignments will be posted on Monday with a due date of Friday to provide flexibility. A specific time will be designated on Tuesday's for those students who need real-time lesson delivery and detailed explanations; Video Chat will be recorded for student review.
My goal is to create an environment that supports both synchronous and asynchronous learning as middle school students need teacher-directed instruction as well as multiple degrees of instruction because of their varied experiences (constructivist theory). Each should be challenged a little above their level of comprehension so that all (the struggling and the advanced) are continually learning (i.e., personalized learning).
Knowing is learning is fun.
Whether you choose to do synchronous or Asynchronous, the students need a clear plan and set of expectations to follow. I have done both and if you don't hold them to the synchronous, they will become MIA during the course. Asynchronous is great for those students who have time management skills and who are committed to being on line to get the work done daily, but if not, they will slowly get lost in what is happening in the virtual classroom.
I have learned that you need to do your research for what would be best for your class. I have some classes that are synchronous and works wonderful but I have other classes that are asynchronous that would not work well with synchronous.
I need to understand that all students are different and finding out which online method works best for each student will allow me to create lessons that all students will benefit from.
Communication is essential.
I tend to use a mixture of synchronus and asynchronus methods
Communication is KEY! with any learning, especially online learning.
I learned that asynchronus is more in depth and synchronus can be done at the students own pace.
We learned that the two types have various pros and cons. Organization, guidelines and consistency matter to the overall design pattern therefore leading to the success and achievement of the learning goals.
Eather course has to be set up so that the lessons can be understood and that you have provided the insentive for the student to want to learn. It also helps the student to know what is a head or what is expected of them.
Both methods are good to use but some lessons are better live and able to give instant feedback. Also communicating with the students to see what is most successful is important to keep in mind as well.
Content delivery must be appropriate for each course and must be consistent so the students know they need to do for acedemic success.
In an online enviornment, the instructor must be orgainized and select appropriate technology tools in addtion to the organization of the LMS, in order for students to be successful in the course content. The instructor must provide clear communication and guidelines for the course and the interaction of the students with the instructor and each other.
