The Case for Async Learning
This article was originally published on the Transcend Network Blog
Homework has a bad rep. Children detest it in school, adults up-skilling themselves are unable to find time for it. But we need homework in all our learning, here is why….
Homework fundamentally means learning:
Outside the ‘classroom’
At your own time
At your own pace
In the world of learning design, homework falls under what we call ‘asynchronous learning’. And much like homework, async learning also has a bad rep.
Here are 5 reasons why homework or rather, async learning is a great additions to classrooms…
1/ Learning is fundamentally unconstrained
Learning is not just a switch that we can turn on when we enter the classroom, we are all learning constantly. For learning to truly be effective, we need to be able to connect it to our context.
By thinking about learning consciously while going through the material async, learners have more opportunities to think deeper about concepts and connect it with their world.
2/ More diverse connections
Learning async means more than just consuming content, it could also mean connecting with people. Connected with people asynchronously allows us to not just be restricted to people close to us geographically. The world is our oyster - quite literally and we can learn from and with a wider scope of people.
3/ Increased flexibility
By learning partly async, it reduces the pressure of learning everything from the classroom. For adult learners especially, this flexibility is invaluable.
Flexibility extends beyond just time, async learning also ensures all learners have enough time to learn and even go beyond the prescribed material if they’d like to go deep.
4/ Flipping the classroom
By using async material for priming learners on the topic and using live sessions to dig deeper, learning experiences can be more meaningful. A good way to do this is to focus on the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ in the async material and go deep in the ‘how’ in the classroom.
5/ Time to reflect
Solo time for processing is necessary for any learning experience. Async allows space for silence and space to hear and share. For learners that are more introverted, it gives them time to engage with learning in a space where they feel comfortable to be themselves.
The next time you’re designing learning experiences here are some questions to ask yourself:
What can I do that can help learners be better prepared in the classroom? What role can async learning play?
How can async learning lead to meaningful outcomes in the classroom? How can it be not ‘homework’ but activities that learners find engaging and meaningful?
How much is too much & how little is too little? What should be the objective, the format & the frequency of async learning?
This article was originally published on the Transcend Network Blog
This article is based on the LXP Jam #4: The role of async communication in learning. Special thanks to all the participants for contributing to the discussion.