Better Distance Learning Courses are the Way Forward

Universities and colleges were among the first to close their doors and send students home when the pandemic hit in early 2020. All governments believed this to be the most straightforward thing to do as virtual learning environments and learning management systems have been used in this sector for a long time.

However, now that they have emerged from this first period of quarantine teaching, higher education institutions ought to take stock. Distance learning has shown itself to be viable, not simply a last resort. If the will is there, it could be a feasible long-term solution for many students, whether this is due further lockdowns or simply that they cannot attend classes in person.

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And this second point really matters. Asynchronous instruction has the potential to expand the geographical range of teaching, and help equalise opportunities for all students, whether they are studying under lockdown conditions, face the ill health of a family member (or ill health themselves), or would otherwise be held back by the absence of the right technical infrastructure needed for synchronous online learning to work well.

The difference between synchronous and asynchronous learning

The most important element of synchronous teaching is that all participants need to be present at the same time, possibly at the same place. I’m saying “possibly” because online teaching does not require students to be tied down to a given place; however, they do need to be there at the same time. This also means that those who miss the lesson miss out on everything that happens during that lesson.

Asynchronous teaching, on the other hand, means that students have the liberty to study independently whenever and wherever they feel fit. There are still deadlines, but progressing through the course is mainly done at their own pace.

In fact, the whole course should be designed with this distance learning element in mind. All the materials and self-check quizzes should be uploaded in advance to enable different learning speeds. Feedback is either given in an automated form or after a certain delay.

Hence, recording a live synchronous lesson and sending it to absent students, which unfortunately has been done at several universities and colleges during lockdown, does not satisfy either learning mode. It is not synchronous teaching because absent students can only watch a recording which they cannot interact with. Likewise, it is not asynchronous because the lesson was not planned that way.

What a distance learning course needs

Many teachers tend to believe that sending out a list of tasks and chapters to read satisfies the definition of distance learning. However, designing efficient asynchronous lessons needs more than that. It requires some skill and definitely a lot of training.

A good asynchronous course should be entirely time- and location-independent. Students should be able to join in whenever they can, and that shouldn’t influence their ability to understand the material and fulfil the tasks. Since tutors cannot provide immediate help to their students, all materials and exercises need to be designed in such a way that students don’t feel abandoned. That is to say tutors should anticipate possible misunderstandings and challenging questions. Materials designed with this in mind might include explainer videos, interactive tasks and quizzes with immediate feedback, portfolios, spaces for collaboration, forums, and feedback chains.

To further prevent the feeling of being stranded in the midst of remote learning, transparent communication is key in this learning mode. Setting up a virtual learning environment (VLE), such as Google Classroom, Edmodo or Moodle, where students can ask questions and teachers are accessible, should be the first thing to consider when a distance learning course is planned.

What about blended learning?

Of course, not everyone is equally satisfied with the lack of human contact and personal tutoring. A potential answer to this could be to “strategically blend synchro and asynch” teaching, as it was suggested by Nigel Caplan, associate professor at the University of Delaware, where courses are planned to be delivered 60% synchronously and 40% asynchronously. This arrangement, which can be called “blended teaching,” could also be moved to 100% asynch if need be.

Distance learning and block scheduling

Another idea was introduced by Perry L. Glanzer, who thinks universities should adopt block scheduling, which has already been practiced by a couple of colleges in the US. This approach means that “a student takes, and a faculty member teaches, one course at a time during a three- to four-week period.” This is preferably done in outdoor venues. Teaching in blocks would mean that moving students from traditional to online teaching could be done more effortlessly between blocks, and teacher-student contact would be minimised as well.

Nonetheless, first and foremost, quick and practical training would be necessary to all faculty members before the fall semester to facilitate such distance learning courses that students can find as useful as their synchronous counterparts. If you wish to find out more about asynchronous lesson planning, follow this link.

List of References:

Asynchronous Learning (i.e. Location Independent Learning). (n.d.). Retrieved July 09, 2020, from http://umich.edu/~elements/5e/asyLearn/learning.htm

Asynchronous Learning Definition. (2013, August 29). Retrieved July 09, 2020, from https://www.edglossary.org/asynchronous-learning/

Blended Learning Definition. (2013, August 29). Retrieved July 09, 2020, from https://www.edglossary.org/blended-learning/

Caplan, N. (2020, June 16). Synchronized swimming (or drowning)? Retrieved July 09, 2020, from https://nigelcaplan.com/2020/06/15/synchronized-swimming-or-drowning/

Glanzer, P. L. (2020, May 6). The Case for Block Scheduling in the Fall. Retrieved July 09, 2020, from https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/05/06/advantages-block-scheduling-can-offer-when-colleges-reopen-opinion

Pieratt, J. (2020, April 02). Five Tips for Designing Remote or Asynchronous Learning. Retrieved July 09, 2020, from https://socialsciencespace.com/2020/04/five-tips-for-designing-remote-or-asynchronous-learning/

Synchronous and asynchronous modes of teaching. (n.d.). Retrieved July 09, 2020, from https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=77528

Szoke, J. (2020, July 08). When Live Teaching is Not an Option (at IH TOC 2020). Retrieved July 09, 2020, from https://www.shortandsimpleenglish.com/post/when-live-teaching-is-not-an-option-at-ih-toc-2020

Trach, E. (2018, October 09). Asynchronous Learning: Definition, Benefits, and Example Activities. Retrieved July 09, 2020, from https://www.schoology.com/blog/asynchronous-learning-definition-benefits-and-example-activities

Author:

Joanna Szoke

Article Writer & Content Contributor

July 13, 2020

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