Students can either participate in an asynchronous discussion board or join the group for a 1 hour discussion (led by a TA in small groups).

Instead of just assigning them the 8-10 “readings,” we can watch some of them together and have a live chat as we watch.įriday: Discussion / Workshop. Monday: The Big Ideas Livestream: Instead of a pre-recorded “hype” video reviewing the 5-10 points, I can do this on a live-stream. How can I use these without losing the advantages of the asynchronous setup? And we have the advantage of having specific times 3x per week (MWF) that are set aside for synchronous encounters. Over 400 students will come into this class this Fall expecting 3 class meetings per week, and I suspect that this asynchronous model will not meet their expectations. In true simple asynchronous fashion, all 3 assignments (quiz, discussion, and the activity) are due at the same time every week, creating a simple and consistent weekly rhythm. A single mp3 of all of the “readings” for “reading on the go”.8-10 “readings” (which typically include short videos, podcasts, and chapters).An Intro “Hype” video reviewing 5-10 big ideas for the week.There is a weekly module that contains the same basic elements every week: My Online Setup (Prior to Fall 2020)Īs I have laid out in my 10 Tips video, I am a big fan of simplicity, so my class has a very simple setup. So I set out to find opportunities to add some synchronous elements to my online course that could help create a stronger sense of community, energize our interactions, and provide a space for those emergent moments to occur. I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful it is to be completely free to teach and learn whenever, wherever, and however one chooses.īut the asynchronous mode misses out on those wonderful moments of spontaneous emergence that can sometimes happen in a live interactive discussion. Most importantly, it sets myself and my students free from the screen and the overall feeling of being forced to do something at a specific time. More time for me to curate and create high-quality materials.Creates time and space for deep thinking and reflection.Allows for more “offline” learning opportunities (like anth101 challenges).No scheduling difficulties for busy (or sick) students.They will bring different expectations and desires than the student who signs up for online learning.Īsynchronous has a number of advantages that I am not willing to give up: I will suddenly have nearly 400 students who have signed up for synchronous face-to-face learning who will be thrown into online learning. I love asynchronous teaching, and my *online* students love asynchronous learning.

Obs virtual microphone zoom