Online learning has definitely made things different when it comes to learning and studying this year. Due to the pandemic learning from home is no longer an option but a requirement and as a future teacher, it has taught me a lot about how to create a healthy learning environment. There are of course many positives to online learning like no commute, more accessible class material, and wearing pjs to class. For every positive aspect, there seem to be three negative points in my opinion: poor WIFI, staring at screens all day, and difficulty in hands-on classes.
There are two types of online learning, synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous learning is when “teachers and learners engage with course content and each other at the same time” (edtech slides week 10). We see this type of learning in the common classroom and zoom lectures. Asynchronous learning is when “teachers and learners engage with the course content at different times and from different locations” (edtech slides week 10). Examples of this are learning management systems like Brightspace, Canvas, and Blackboard or platforms like Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams. Some platforms are both synchronous and asynchronous, typically a message communication platform.
Almost all classes I’ve taken this semester have been synchronous. I think people are more comfortable with that system of learning and it mirrors the traditional teaching styles for in-person classes that university professors and students are used to. One class I have has one class held asynchronously on Mondays and we are given a list of things to read, a video lecture, and worksheets/discussion posts to complete by Thursday’s synchronous class. I find I prefer the synchronous way of learning as I tend to procrastinate the class activities rather than do them in the time provided.
While in-person classes are seen as dynamic and online lectures are thought to be dull or passive, I have found that some of my online lectures have been more engaging than in-person classes from last year. Dynamic or passive teaching depends more on the pedagogy rather than the platform.
