Determining what to offer synchronously v. asynchronously for remote adult learning:1
- To build community and connections
- To keep some learners more engaged
- To discuss a complex topic and avoid miscommunication or misunderstanding
- To allow participants to problem-solve or practice a skill collaboratively
- If facilitators want to adapt the learning activities in real time to meet participants' expressed needs (e.g., elaborate on and practice a skill that participants indicate is confusing)
- To allow for immediate feedback to participants and responses to questions
| - If participants' schedules do not allow for a common learning time
- If participants wish to rewind or review materials at any time
- To allow participants to collaboratively review, revise or comment on materials, such as sample lesson plans or assessments
- If participants have diverse learning needs and will participate in only the most relevant lessons/modules
- To avoid real-time technical difficulties or security breaches
- To allow facilitators time to thoroughly consider/research responses to participants' questions
|
1 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2017).
Reimagining the role of technology in education: 2017 national education technology plan update.; L. Darling-Hammond, M.F. Hyler, M. Gardner. (2017).
Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute; J.C. Dunlap & P.R. Lowenthal. (2014). The power of presence: Our quest for the right mix of social presence in online courses. In A. A. Piña & A. P. Mizell (Eds.)
Real life distance education: Case studies in practice (pp. 41-66). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishers; Worcester State University Center for Teaching and Learning.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous?;
The Best Schools magazine. (Sept. 11, 2020).
Synchronous learning vs. asynchronous learning in online education.