Synchronous or Asynchronous
Synchronous or asynchronous are both important in the online classroom. That's what AIU provides with the chats. It's nice when what we're already doing is an approved practice.
Gwo-Fang,
True, I also think asynchronous is what most people think is online education. As you said, both are great tools.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
They are both important. Since, people's life is getting busier these days, asynchronous seems to work better for most of the students.
William,
You do what you can. Do you record your chats? Can you determine who listens to them?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
A weekly live Chat is the only synchronous opportunity I have to interact with students. It is always hard to attract students to attend because the recorded Chats are immediately archived and available for viewing by students.
I try to promote attendance by announcing that I will be presenting tips and suggestions for some of the assignments. I also stress that attending a live Chat may be the only opportunity a student has to ask me questions and initiate a live dialog.
Still, it's tough to get more than 10% of my students to attend.
Stanley,
Many students take the course for its asynchronous environment. We have to be up front with students if we expect them to participate synchronously. This should be part of the expectations.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Breezy,
I agree with you. Both environments can be used successfully in one course. You have to use the strategically. Nice post.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Balancing synchronous and asynchronous can be a major challenge when your institution does not require participation in live chats and your students have work, family responsibilities, and other classes to take care of.
When it comes to synchronous and asynchronous as an instructor you have to think about your students and how the class material will best reach out to them so that they can understand it. As an instructor you have to be able to balance both types of environments when it comes to an online course.
David,
Great post! You use chat very strategically. Do you requires students to attend? Your use of the private chat is so mart.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Synchronous allows student/teacher interaction, allows for "real time" assessment and--thanks to private chat space--allows a "shy" student to ask a question safely. If the expectations are set in advance, synchronous sessions can alternate between (a)presenting/clarifying information to the students and then the next session (b)students demonstrating Bloom's higher "create" level of learning (yes, the "flipped classroom"). Again, students must know that this is coming (I like to use an "anchor" example and challenge students "can you top this?" when teaching healthcare ethics, structure and politics in American healthcare", etc.)
"Can you top this" is not used for teaching accounting or information technology when there is one and only one "correct" answer (at least, according to the school's course designers). Asynchronous learning is "assumed" to occur because the students s/be reading etc. on their own time ...can be tough to assess without any direct student-teacher forum.
Lilia,
You have to make it "worth their while" . You may have tie the event to participation. That will have to be a decision you make.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
We have tried synchronous events and students usually don't show up; any suggestions?
Nancy ,
That is true. It is also nice to incorporate both types of learning. They both have uses.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
