Synchronous vs. Asynchronous

Over the past few weeks in NTI we have experimented with both synchronous and asynchronous learning. In my opinion, both have their pros and cons.

To start, I enjoy working asynchronous and being able to do the work on my own time. This allows me to have a more flexible schedule and to work at my own pace. Sometime in a synchronous classroom I find myself becoming disinterested if I understand the material and the class is not moving on yet. With asynchronous I am able to work at my own pace: either fly through it if the lesson comes easy to me or take the time to do more research if I have trouble understanding.

On the other hand, I also enjoy synchronous learning because the classroom environment is traditional. It gives me the opportunity to hear ideas from others which I may not have thought of on my own. It also give me access to the teacher. Another positive to the synchronous classroom is the accountability of getting work done on time. Sometimes working in an asynchronous environment I find myself (not necessarily procrastinating but instead) getting distracted by my teaching job and all the work it requires. When I don't have to be in class at a certain time, sometimes I forget about the assignments which needs to be done on my own time.

I know this is not what you are looking for, but my answer is: no answer. I like both methods, but I think too much of any one thing can be a bad thing. So, maybe a combination is a good way to reach the most students.

Thanks for reading!
Anna Miller