Making the Most of your Asynchronous (Online Classroom) Components

With the sudden shift to online learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, many instructors turned to synchronous, or real-time, delivery of content as the closest equivalent to how they would normally teach in person. For example, some instructors would provide recordings of their lectures after the fact for students who were unable to attend or for later review.

Feedback gathered from McMaster’s Fall Experience Survey in 2020 indicated that students appreciated having access to both modalities: on one hand, some students liked the live experience of being able to participate in the class and feel more connected to their instructors. Others preferred the flexibility of being able to watch and participate in content asynchronously at their own pace or at a more convenient time. This section will offer guidance on how to create effective asynchronous lecture content, and how to plan and deliver asynchronous labs and tutorials.