The Ups and Downs of Asynchronous Learning
Asynchronous learning is a technique of teaching in which a teacher posts lectures and assignments without actually ever meeting in person. When people see that a class is async, they often mistake it for being easy. Right off the bat, I would say in order to be successful in an asynchronous environment, you need to be organized and manage your time well. Since you don’t meet in person at all, it is so easy to forget about the work you have to do for that class, amid the 3+ other classes you’re taking plus extracurriculars.
Some teachers like to follow a weekly format, for example, MWF, and some will just post and make assignments on random days of the week. As someone who has taken and is currently taking online classes, I would advise you to spend at least an hour or two every day going over your online lectures and assignments. Trying to cram everything in right before the due date will not only stress you out, but you will not retain any of the material. If you actually want to learn, you need to dedicate some time to the class each day. Lastly, I would say weigh your options when thinking about enrolling in an asynchronous class. Some classes are simply just better in person. If you have the choice to take a class in person or online, think through what option might be the best.
That being said, there are positives to online courses, too. First, you don’t have an obligation to be somewhere at a certain time everyday. You can ”attend” the class from anywhere you want. The flexibility has always been nice, and I could see this being very helpful for people who also work during the school year. Another thing I really like is being able to take it at your own pace. A lot of the time teachers will post your assignments months in advance, which gives you the ability to manage however you choose, as long as you are meeting the deadlines. I personally love this, because sometimes I feel like a class is either going too slow or too fast in person.
Asynchronous learning has become more and more popular over the years and it’s definitely an adaptation to efficiently learn material online. I admit like most people, I was guilty of assuming this was the easy route. I hope the pros and cons I shared will be helpful as you’re deciding on classes to choose the best route possible.
