I now have a better understanding about Asynchronous vs. Synchrous Discussions. Both discussions have their different place in the teaching world.
I have seen through my 4 years of teaching that students have different learning styles and I need to be flexible to promote individual learning. I plan to utilize chat sessions so students can learn from each other.
I've learned that it is important to provide feedbach in both synchronous and asynchronous discussions and to keep the synchronous discussions small.
Asynchronous (anytime) and synchronous (real time - chats) discussions are important for engaging students. It is important for the instructor to consider time zones, class times and student schedules for class discussions. Feedback should be positive and build confidence and encourage participation. Personal email to the student should be used for constructive criticism of student work or participation below standard.
The module focuses on the differences, advantages and disadvantages of synchronous and asynchronous discussions. iI also addresses the importance of and the appropriate ways of providing feedback to the participants.
I have learned that I need to be well aware of the pitfalls that can hamper participation in Asynchronous Discussion Groups. Whether it is someone who is shy, lives in another time zone, or has no interest in learning, I have to as teacher figure out where it student is in regard to their lack of real participation and help promote opportunities where all can contribute and learn in a fair and postive arena.
I learned the difference between the 2 types of delivering information online teaching (asynchronous and synchronous ) and the online discussions. I think the asynchronous discussion is more useful for large class due to the fact that everyone will get the time to participate.
Reply to Marvin Jimenez's post:I currently use discussions in the LMS I use with my students. Since I'll be leaning more heavily on using the LMS to teach now that we're out until the middle of May, I'm going to also post these guidelines to be used in discussions posts moving forward.
Reply to Diane Kuklinski's post: I agree. I don't remember a time when an instructor actively participated either. I often respond to my students' posts, mainly to let them know I do check to see that they are completing the assignment, and , too, to respond to what their post.
I believe engaging an avoidant student can be done with intentional monitoring to ensure they are participating in the discussion forums and submitting assignments. Also by responding to a discussion post they provided, perhaps highlighting or referencing a response they provided or even using the chat feature to communicate directly with them.
From this module I learned that there are two types of discussions, Asynchronous and Synchronous. Asynchronous discussions are discussions that occur over time and may or not be in real-time, while synchronous discussions are in real-time. Asynchronous discussions provide a shelter for all students, especially for students who would not typically participate in a discussion in a classroom setting. I also learned strategies for promoting and monitoring asynchronous discussions, such as providing students with rules for netiquette, posting and monitoring all discussion questions, and providing feedback in a fair and consistent manner.
Participants in Synchronous discussions should be kept to a minimum of 5-6 participants. Conduct the discussion time for no longer than 30 minutes. Participants should be provided the information to be discussed well in advance in order for them to prepare for the discussion session.
The last thing learned was the importance of providing feedback in a timely manner, which should be encouraging, builds confidence, and motivates them to continue pursing the learning objectives. As instructors, we should seek feedback from our students to determine how they feel the class is going, to find out if they are learning, and to make needed adjustments.
I liked thinking about the different ways to incorporate synchronous and asynchronous discussions in an online class. Normally I have always seen asynchronous.
This module was helpful in identifying different personality learning types and which types of discussion are best suited for them. Asynchronous sessions will help identify shy students.
I learned the difference between asynchronous and synchronous discussions and that synchronous is not recommended for critical course content. I will make sure to mostly use asynchronous discussions unless it is with one student at a time.
I've always been a fan of asynchronous communication, because it gives the participants more time to process what is being said and let's them take in the information at their own pace, so I'm glad it's mentioned in this lesson. I also like the tip about using language that builds confidence and encourages students to continue to pursue their objectves in the course in lieu of in-person contact and body langauge.
There are several learning styles it is important that you can identify and teach to all of the. Often students will fluctuate from one to another.
Some of the things I have learned in this section that I will use will be the 24 hr turnaround time needed to respond to student questions. Another item would be to try and find a connection with the class and students through the usage of the mini biographies. Also, needing to be aware of those students that might have special needs especially was a good reminder since I had not really given it as much consideration since I had not thought about the similarities to a traditional class setting.
I learned that synchous and asynchronous meetings should be used for different purposes. Each has advantages and disadvantages depending on what the goal is for that particular meeting. I also find it quite interesting that asynchronous meetings do seem to have an advantage in promoting a deeper intellectual engagement by fostering dialogue and more in depth dialogue among the students themselves. i find that a partucularly useful tool.
I will definitely incorporate asynchronous and synchronous communication. I feel that both are beneficial, but I believe asynchronous is more so. Along with diligent student communication bia email, my students should benefit greatly.
I will make sure that I provide adequate and encouraging feedback to my online students. This will impact their participation and learning experience.
Asynchronous discussions are best started with social interactions, as well as ending the same way. Student interaction is encouraged.
