Engaging Students at a Distance

Engaging Students at a Distance

Engaging students at a distance can require different tactics and skill sets.  You lose the benefit of physical cues such as body language and the expectations established by the physical classroom environment.   You can also have more options available to you in regards to timing and delivery methods.

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous

There are benefits to both synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences no matter the course modality. Voice, video, and text are available with both.

Synchronous activities give the instructor the opportunity to hear from students in real-time, gives students the opportunity to ask questions immediately, and can help build class community as people are able to get to know one another.

Asynchronous activities allow time for students to prepare and compose their responses more thoughtfully, do research, complete work at a time that’s more convenient for them, and practice time management skills.

Ultimately, the decision about whether an activity should be synchronous or asynchronous, like all other instructional decisions, depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. If you need immediate feedback from students or they need immediate feedback from you, synchronous is a suitable option. If instead, you want students to take time with the information you’ve presented and construct a response over time, asynchronous would be a better option.