NYU Classes: Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Teaching and Learning Strategies
What Do We Mean by Synchronous vs. Asynchronous?
In the online learning world, synchronous means same place (same technical platform, if we're talking "remote instruction" as compared to a classroom), same time. An example is an NYU Zoom meeting where you and your students meet to discuss course topics. On the other hand, if a student is unable to attend that meeting and needs to watch the recording, that's an example of asynchronous learning (but not a very good one. More on that below).
While you might gravitate toward synchronous teaching and learning strategies in an attempt to replicate the face-to-face, classroom-based environment, I think most of us will agree that meeting for a 3-hour class period in NYU Zoom is just not the same. So let's try to take lessons learned from high-quality online courses and consider how asynchronous strategies can support all learners (and the instructor and teaching assistant!) in providing a flexible, supportive, and yes, still rigorous, learning experience.
Asynchronous means "on your own time, but there's still a deadline." Email is an example. Sure, the person who sends you an email may want an immediate responses, but there's nothing pushing you to do that. You might hit "snooze" on that email or leave it marked as "unread" until a time in your workday where you can dedicate your time and attention to that task. Asynchronous strategies put students in the driver's seat of the learning experience, and empower them to do the work when they can.
Need more help on this topic? There's a ton of amazing resources online. Here's one on microlectures, for those struggling to break down their typical class lecture into smaller, asynchronous segments: https://onlinenetworkofeducators.org/2020/05/07/microlectures/.
Still not enough? Check out this website from Penn State University on Strategies for Creating Engaging Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning Environments.
"That's too much reading! I have no time!" Okay, I hear you. Check out the 4-minute video below for a high-level overview.
Examples of Asynchronous Tools in NYU Classes
...That's a trick question. All of the tools within an NYU Classes course site are asynchronous, because you and your students can access them anytime, anywhere (as long as they have a device that's connected to the internet, and as long as the content is "published" in the course site).
Sure, when you meet with your students using the NYU Zoom integration in NYU Classes (by that, we mean the Zoom tool that's in your course site navigation menu and using that tool to schedule your Zoom meetings for class), that's an example of synchronous learning. But what about all the "before and after" asynchronous activity that will help your students make the most of those meetings? Here's just a few examples of supplementing your synchronous NYU Zoom meetings with asynchronous learning tasks and resources:
Create an agenda with clear topics and timings for your meeting, and send that to students in advance of the meeting so that they arrive prepared. You can send the agenda as part of an NYU Classes announcement (more on that on the "Communication" page).
Send students resources in advance of the meeting, with clear instructions on how they should prepare to have a productive discussion about those resources in the NYU Zoom meeting (for example, "watch this 5-minute video on X and be prepared to discuss Y").
Download the recording of your NYU Zoom meeting and upload it to the Media Gallery tool of your NYU Classes course site. To make the "viewing" experience more interactive, consider using the Annoto tool and asking students to comment on the video. You might even supplement the viewing with a short quiz. The sky is really the limit, so for more help, remember to reach out to your school instructional technology team or the Digital Studio (open to all schools, faculty, staff).