Tips for Success in Asynchronous Courses

Clear and concise instructions and expectations relative to the navigation of assignments, activities, and the course as a whole are essential for student success in an online course. A consistent routine, pace, and balanced workload will also support students in staying on track throughout the semester. The following actions can help:

• Request a Template Course from the Instructional Technology Center. The Template Course offers instructors a simple structure for building in Elearning and includes a welcoming homepage, accessible formats for module and activity descriptions, as well as a template syllabus and course schedule. Check out the list of ITC Service Request Links for this and other useful services.
• Chunk course content and assignments. Using a weekly structure with consistent due dates for repetitive activities, such as quizzes and reflection activities, can help students organize their schedules. Breaking larger, high-stakes assignments into manageable pieces and creating opportunities for intermittent feedback and iteration helps students maintain progress.
• Highlight expectations for assignments and assessments in Elearning. Using the Description areas located in Discussions, Quizzes, and Dropoxes to clarify instructions and setting Due Dates within those tools will help students get things done well and on time.  Check out Adding Descriptions to Elearning Module Content for instructions or reach out to the Instructional Technology Center for assistance.
• Remind students to turn on course notifications. Elearning will send notifications for News updates, Quizzes, and Dropbox due dates, but only if students have told the system to do so. Setting notifications for the gradebook can ensure that they receive alerts when feedback is received. This article reviews how to edit Personal Notifications in Elearning.

Building connections is a challenging but worthwhile endeavor when designing asynchronous courses. Interaction begins with establishing instructor presence and a sense of community in the course and involves creating opportunities for peer-to-peer and instructor-to-student interaction through announcements, discussions, group activities, assessments, and conferencing opportunities. The following actions can also help:

• Make an introductory video. Introduce yourself to students, and communicate your goals and expectations for the course. Discuss course organization, contact information, and available office hours.
• Make module overview videos. Short module overview videos can be effective in giving weekly overviews, focusing students on relevant content, introducing assignments, and addressing key feedback from the previous week or module.
• Provide guided notes and time stamps. Using guided notes to go along with lecture videos or reading content can help focus student attention and allow for deeper interaction with the material. Consider including the lecture agenda, key definitions, a space for notes, and/or targeted questions. If using lecture videos, consider providing time stamps in the description of the video for easier reference and review of concepts covered.
• Create single-thread discussions in Elearning. This non-traditional use of the discussion tool aims to mimic group call-out questions common in face-to face courses. In a single discussion thread, student responses to a particular question build upon another’s response, the same way they would in a group chat. These low-stakes discussions can offer quick insight into how students are understanding a certain topic. Be sure to set clear expectations for substantive participation. See Single-Thread Discussion: Instructor Guide.
• Create small groups for projects, discussions and/or peer feedback. Collaborative learning opportunities are key to student success, increasing engagement with course materials and work while also building community through peer interaction. This article explains how to Create Groups in Elearning.

Check out our Checklist for Regular and Substantive Interaction for more ideas on incorporating interaction into your course.

Meaningful feedback is important in any course, but more so in asynchronous courses where there are fewer informal opportunities for developmental support. It involves creating regular feedback loops around assignments and the learning experience as a whole. Intentionally incorporating opportunities for frequent and individualized feedback can support student self-directedness and help instructors gain valuable perspective on how well the course is meeting student expectations. Some simple ways to give and encourage feedback include:

• Use Elearning audio/video tools to give student feedback. Sometimes, talking through feedback may be more natural, effective, or efficient. Consider using Elearning’s audio/video feedback to capture tone and nuance. Providing alternative forms of feedback can increase its value and accessibility, supporting the development of trust and connection between students and instructors. Check out the article on Audio and Video Grading for more information.
• Implement a bi-weekly student check-in. Using a simple Bi-Weekly Student Check-in Form or a “Text-submission” Dropbox can offer students the opportunity to communicate directly with the instructor, reflect on their learning, ask or respond to questions, or generally indicate everything is going well. When students resubmit this document to dropboxes throughout the semester, the instructor can directly reply, building individual relationships and raising awareness of general issues in the course.
• Implement a midterm evaluation survey. Using a midterm evaluation survey in Elearning offers students an opportunity to express what is working, what is not, and what they need going forward, which can support instructors and students in improving their teaching and learning experience. Contact the Instructional Technology Center to have pre-built midterm and final course evaluation surveys added to your Elearning course.