Asynchronous Learning

Asynchronous learning offers an on-demand learning experience that fits students' needs

The Internet is used to replace some or all classroom instruction. For example, teachers distribute materials and lecture videos over the Internet, receive assignment submissions from students, and engage in discussions between teachers and students and between students and students via discussion boards.

ELMS, a learning support system, has functions such as learning history management, progress management, content distribution, assignments, and quizzes. Hokkaido University uses Moodle as its learning support system.

Feedback on assignments and a forum (bulletin board) allow for interactive communication as the class progresses. In addition, progress is recorded in the LMS so that it can be managed regardless of the number of students.

Moodle is software for creating and operating class web pages on the Internet.

Moodle is installed on a server computer permanently connected to the Internet and can be used anytime. Students can access Moodle at home or on their way to and from school to view course materials, prepare for and review coursework, and take review tests. Teachers can also grade and analyze tests and assignments and assist in online discussions.

The combination of "lectures" and "activities" will be considered according to the "learning objectives" of what knowledge and skills the participants are expected to acquire.

Enhancing the Educational Effectiveness of On-Demand Teaching

It is effective to devise ways to meet the following three requirements.

Distribute class materials

Materials include lecture materials, textbooks, videos, and audio.
If a textbook is used, indicate the URL of the textbook or specify the page.

Assignments and feedback on submitted assignments using the quiz and report functions

Students can check their understanding of the class by taking quizzes and working on report assignments.
Interactive educational learning can be achieved by providing individual comments on submitted assignments and summary feedback on class-wide trends.
Teachers can motivate students to learn by organizing them into groups according to their level of understanding and by presenting materials that they can review until they understand.

Use the forum to ensure there are opportunities for questions and discussion

The forum function allows group work to be conducted and classes to be more active.
Interaction between teachers and students and among students allows for two-way communication.

Steps for an on-demand class

When conducting an on-demand class, there are five steps to consider.

Step 1: Prepare teaching materials

Prepare materials for delivery.

Course materials can be uploaded to the ELMS, and students can download them.

Many students will be using smartphones to take the course. Therefore, when creating slides, assume that students will view the material and listen to the audio on their smartphones. Don't overload your slides with text; keep information to a minimum. You can make your slides more "visual" by replacing sentences with figures and tables. When inserting audio, speaking at a slightly slower speed than in a face-to-face class is best.

Step 2: Utilize the ELMS Classroom Support System

It is helpful to know the ELMS functions.

When you log in to the ELMS, you will see the "Groups" of the courses you are in charge of. You can create an on-demand class by configuring various settings.

Step 3: Notify students.

"Notices," such as course schedules, assignments, etc., will be sent out from "Group Management" in the ELMS.

Students are not automatically notified when new topics or activities are added to the ELMS. However, we will send periodic notifications, mainly if you target students new to on-demand classes.

Step 4: Attendance Confirmation

"Assignments" and "forums" are set up to check class participation.

You can check the "log" to see if you have watched the course material. However, just checking the log does not confirm whether or not the student participated in the class. In an on-demand class, "assignments" and "discussions" are set along with the delivery of course materials, and attendance is checked based on "class participation."

Step 5: Learning Assessment

"Assignments" and "forums" will be set up, and students will be evaluated based on their test scores and discussion comments.

Quizzes and report assignments are given, and students are evaluated based on their understanding of the class. In addition, students are also evaluated based on their comments in discussions with other students.

Critical Points for Introducing On-Demand Classes

For those who would like to create their class content but don't know where to start, here are some critical points for introducing on-demand classes.

This guide is for those creating an on-demand class for the first time and should be read in conjunction with the ELMS Classroom Support System Manual (for teachers).

Assessing and evaluating learning progress

Learn to track student progress in an online class with "small incremental assessments" using student feedback, questions, answers, assignments, and quizzes.

Assessing and evaluating learning progress

Asynchronous Learning