Although the classic classroom teaching style is synchronous, you might have heard of asynchronous learning used to describe forms of education but never known what it truly means.
Classroom
Asynchronous class
Although the classic classroom teaching style is synchronous, you might have heard of asynchronous learning used to describe forms of education but never known what it truly means.
This newly popular class style became well-known after the pandemic and has been extensively used in schools, universities, and online.
This article will clear up any unfamiliarity you have and explain the positives of this kind of education.
Education resources
What is asynchronous learning?
Asynchronous learning is a term that describes any educational session that does not occur simultaneously in the same place. An example would be video-recorded lectures, from which students can derive the information at any time they wish, in any suitable place. Email exchanges between tutors and students or chats online via websites such as Teams or Google Chat can also count as this kind of education. There are plenty of variations that fit this category.
Asynchronous classes, therefore, tend to be premade and available online, and with the growing internet usage and remote working conditions after COVID-19, they have become increasingly popular. Not only are they accessible to anyone for longer periods, but they also make learning easier for those with processing differences and those who cannot attend their institution physically each day.
It should be noted that asynchronous classes often take the form of applications, not just peer-to-peer and tutor-to-student interactions. For example, classes and lectures hosted by professionals can be sold over their website for anyone in the world to purchase and work through. At the same time, mobile apps such as Duolingo are downloaded and used by those wanting to learn a new language. All contain standardized lessons that do not require face-to-face teaching but can be done at any time of the day, any day of the week.
However, if these sessions were done individually, without the individual being enrolled in an official course, this would not be classified as asynchronous teaching.
What are examples of asynchronous teaching?
There are plenty of times when you may have participated in asynchronous learning but might not have realized you were doing so! Here is a short list of times when learning becomes asynchronous.
- Viewing video demonstrations over YouTube or a link provided by the tutor
- Individual and group projects, with meetings organized away from the classroom
- Reading and writing assignments, such as homework or essays
- Individual research projects for a course
- Presentations, in which the preparation is done outside of class
- Learning activities, which include quizzes and educational games
- Emails between peers or tutors
- Discussion boards and forums
The benefits of asynchronous learning
Alongside those above, many new positives are coming to our attention regarding this form of learning. Running your educational courses? This is why you should implement asynchronous classes into your schemes.
- Increased flexibility and control within the learner’s life
- Affordability; less money spent on travel and living arrangements
- Allows the learner to live wherever they want to while studying
- It expands your network of participants and alumni
- Being asynchronous expands your potential for more professionals to join the team
- The learner can structure their information into bitesize modules
- Sessions give people time to process them; which is particularly helpful if someone’s first language is not English
The disadvantages of asynchronous learning
While these are few and far between, there are still some glaring issues with this class style. Here are a few you should be aware of.
- Participants might become less engaged in the course due to the feeling of isolation it brings
- Learners do not regularly get to see their classmates. Hence they could be more lonely
- Lectures and classes could be skipped due to their ability to be done “later”
- Less engagement if the learner’s working environment is chaotic
- Requires more independent learning skills
Overall, asynchronous classes are a fantastic addition to the learning environment and benefit many people globally who previously found in-person teaching difficult. They offer lots of flexibility to how learners engage in their work and give lecturers and professors more job opportunities nationally and abroad.
Contact us today if you want to learn more about asynchronous classes and how they can help your educational business.
