Why use Asynchronous Learning Activities

Asynchronous facilitation poses unique challenges in teaching: we choose to facilitate learning through engaging in social interaction, yet we are separated in time and in (physical) space. The advent of online learning and digital discussion forums provided the solution to having a common learning space to bring learners together.

Discussion forums provide the spaces for student-to-student and instructor-to-students interaction that was not available in distance learning in pre-digital times. When deliberately planned with intention, using online discussion forums can enable increased participation (when not time-bound like face-to-face discussions), make collaboration possible, contribute to learning, and can bring courses taught online to life.

Why use Asynchronous Discussions?

Here are a variety of reasons that make planning and facilitating online asynchronous discussions worth the effort:

To support higher order thinking and course outcomes

Discussions provide opportunities for the synthesis of what is new with what is known. Insights emerge from shared experience.

In discussing course materials, participants are encouraged to analyze what they are learning and test their own understanding against that of their classmates and instructor. Meaningful discussion requires analysis and application of ideas: both indicate higher-order thinking.

To bring real-world experience to the classroom

Discussions give students a chance to practice thinking about issues as professionals in the discipline they are studying and participate in a discussion with a professional in the discipline.

Many BCIT students in online courses have considerable professional experience. Discussion gives these students an opportunity to examine course materials through the lens of experience in the workplace, and to consider their workplace in the light of the new concepts they are learning. Encouraging these students to share their explorations is a benefit for all.

To build space for critical reflection

Asynchronous discussion may encourage critical reflection more than in-class, face-to-face, discussion. Participants do not need to respond to a question or comment immediately. They can wait and reply once they’ve had some time to think about it.

It’s easy for students – for anyone! – to read quickly through material, think they have understood it and then later, when it’s time to apply it, find they didn’t get it at all. Discussions that require students to apply their understanding require critical reflection.

To create a forum for cooperative learning

A very effective way to learn something is to teach it to others. Cooperative learning techniques involve peer teaching in addition to talking through concepts towards a defined goal. Many cooperative learning techniques lend themselves to use in discussion forums.

To allow course participants a structured forum to communicate with one another as they master new material. 

Student-to-student communication helps develop the sense of the class in a learning community – a grasp of individuals setting out together to master new skills and knowledge.

To add a social component to courses taught at a distance

When students have a sense of each other as individuals, they tend to be more motivated, more willing to listen to each other and more interested in each other’s contributions to the course.

To create a space for brainstorming and playing with ideas

Participating in brainstorming and idea generating activity in a discussion forum has the advantages of making the thinking ‘visible’ as well as becoming a documentation and archive of the ideas generated. When your activity moves students beyond the brainstorming phase, they have the brainstorming to refer back to.

To add a continuous contact and reflective element to face-to-face courses

Discussion forums can allow students a chance to direct questions to each other, and to the instructor, between classes. Answering student questions in public forums extends the benefit of the question to all participants.

To allow instructors to answer questions in a public way, or send messages to everyone at once.

Discussion forums provide a convenient method to respond to questions about assignments, due dates, library access and other logistic aspects of courses. Many instructors prefer to set up a forum called “Questions about the course” for this type of question.

The primary disadvantage of asynchronous discussions is that they can lack pace or momentum. If these are your learning objectives, consider the role of synchronous discussions instead.