Asynchronous Instruction

Text-based materials offer one of the most accessible ways of reaching students, especially in non-ideal circumstances. Readable by screen-reader technology, (usually) easily visible on mobile devices, and requiring little internet bandwidth to share, text-based materials can dramatically improve the online learning experience for all students.

Consider using text-based course resources for:

• Short descriptions of the intended learning outcomes and the structure of the week's activities

• Key points to take away from pre-planned course activities such as lectures or discussions

• Definitions of new vocabulary terms relevant to the week's lessons

• Outlining steps of procedures or processes, illustrated with images

• Questions or points of discussion students should come prepared with for any live sessions your online course might involve

• Links to web resources that enrich and support your course content, such as websites, pre-recorded videos, audio stories, news articles, and more

Video content can be a powerful tool in online learning. Recorded lectures and demonstrations can increase flexibility for students who might not be able to attend a live class; they help create a social connection between instructor and student; and, when students watch them before a live session, they can super-charge class discussion by focusing the live session time on interactive Q&A and exercises rather than didactic delivery.

Although video can be used to transform the digital learning experience, it can also serve as a distraction and lead to cognitive overload. Additionally, students watch videos on a range of devices, which may impact the viewing experience. On smaller screens, even video that is high quality and pedagogically strong may not have the impact we intend.

Video can easily fall flat when:   

• The information presented is unnecessarily duplicative of other resources, like readings;

• It is designed to be passively consumed, rather than as part of an active learning strategy;

• Style and entertainment are considered a proxy for learner engagement;

• It is the default for translating classroom teaching, or used simply to meet contact time requirements;

• It is not carefully planned and intentionally designed.

Research and experience show that video can be most impactful when used for:

• Aiding cognitive learning and skills development

  • Manipulating time and space to show different views and pacing

  • Demonstrations that show experiments and skills, including narration to expose expert thought processes

  • Visual juxtaposition to create meaning through contrasting concepts

  • Multimedia presentation that combines audio-visual elements

  • Leveraging on-screen graphics and augmentation to make invisible concepts and structures visible

• Offering vicarious experiences via portraying the otherwise inaccessible, and

  • Virtual field trips providing access to people and places

  • Historical footage that brings the past to life

  • Near-peer observations and critiques

• Nurturing motivations and feelings

  • Building rapport and establishing an emotional connection between instructor and students

  • Telling stories to captivate viewers and take them on a journey

  • Stimulating the appetite to learn by conveying enthusiasm

  • Demonstrating the relevance of a lesson through interviews or on-location documentaries

Of course, there is a limit to what can be accomplished without the assistance of a professional video production crew and in a limited span or time. In your course, you might consider using video content for:

• Lectures explaining foundational concepts that students can slow down, speed up, pause, or review on their own time

• Stories and examples that contextualize new knowledge and information

• Demonstrations of complex tasks such as multi-step calculations that can support students in applying those skills to independent work and practice

• Guest perspectives that can enrich student learning: short, lively guest lectures or interviews with professionals or program alumni can bring diversity and unique perspectives into the course

As you plan and film these videos, aim to keep them short and modular.  Segmenting longer content into shorter, meaningful chunks gives students a chance to process information before moving on. It allows you to intersperse questions to the online learning that helps them retain information longer, and acknowledges that, no matter how captivating your content might be, learners have a limited attention span.

• For lectures, demonstrations, screen-shares, and follow-along tutorials in which new content is being presented, research suggests that you should limit your video length to 4–6 minutes to maximize student attention. 

• For interviews, conversational pieces, roundtable discussions, role-plays, and near-peer interactions in which the content takes time to unfold—especially as you begin to exceed 10 minutes—more planning and rehearsal is required to maintain quality.

Finally, consider how students may watch the video. Research shows that students engage differently with lecture and tutorial materials:

• For lectures, focus on creating a seamless "first-watch" experience, as students are likely to watch these materials from start to finish, pausing only to jot down notes.

• For demonstrations and tutorials, add support for pausing, rewatching, and skimming so that students can easily practice alongside the video. Consider including chapter signposts throughout the video to help students find their way.

Visit the Studio in a Box section for a variety of tips and tactics for recording effective and engaging instructional content.

Though often maligned, discussion boards can provide an engaging forum for interaction in digital courses. They can provide opportunities for feedback, sharing, and community building, as well as a springboard into live session conversation. They can prompt interactions that help students refine and deepen their learning and feel more connected to their instructor and peers. The key to success is good design, clear expectation-setting, and good practices.

Consider the following best practices as you build discussion boards into your course:

• Keep the course's learning objectives front and center. What do you want students to walk away with? What is the purpose of this activity? The answers to these questions should drive what tool you use and how you set up the discussion. For example, critiquing a particular passage of text or artifact may be better done in a collaborative document. Building community or sharing personal perspectives may benefit from a different prompt or set of instructions than analyzing a case study.

• Use open-ended prompts that encourage complex thinking and application instead of questions with correct, knowable answers.

• Use discussion boards for group reflection on the learning process, prompting metacognition and self-regulation.

• Use discussion boards to crowdsource questions from students in advance of live sessions to help tailor your lesson plan.

• Provide explicit instructions to students on what you expect and how they will be evaluated. Address length of post, tone, frequency, content, and format. Consider including a model of what a successful post or thread looks like. If you’re looking to foster a true conversation, consider releasing students from the formality of including in-text citations and APA references.

• If you are grading discussion board participation, consider assigning a grade cumulatively at the end of the course instead of assigning points to each individual discussion board. Grading individually can make students over focus on earning points instead of engaging in the conversation and learning.

• Don’t let discussion boards be your only source of community building and presence. Encourage students to connect outside of the LMS on social media or video conferencing. Send emails, start a Slack channel, use Flipgrid--there are plenty of ways to connect!

• Participate in your discussion boards. Respond to students and provide feedback. Intervene where you see misconceptions or misinterpretations of course concepts. Even a short sentence or two will let students know that you are actively engaged, present, and providing support—a huge boon for learner motivation and engagement.