If you’re teaching an online tutorial in an OU course, you may be wondering how to facilitate your own session. Here, we will look at asynchronous, synchronous, and hybrid online learning and provide some guidelines for the facilitator. The first step is to seek advice from your instructor or course coordinator. Other faculty members or fellow TAs may have some helpful insight. If none of these resources have helped you find the perfect online tutorial, you can also seek assistance from the Centre for Teaching Excellence and the Conflict Management and Human Rights Office.
OU uses asynchronous
Asynchronous online courses offer flexibility for students. A quick learner may prefer a more fast-paced environment, while a more laid-back one may enjoy a slower pace. While all classes must be completed on time, students can review the lessons at their own pace. Asynchronous courses can be completed in as little as one week. The flexibility of this model makes them highly appealing to students who don’t have time to attend live class sessions.
The flexibility of asynchronous learning is a distinct advantage. While traditional classroom lectures may require a teacher to be present in person, online tutorials allow students to take courses at their own pace. Asynchronous courses also allow instructors to create just one lesson for each section. That means that a professor can be more available to individual students, rather than creating many different lessons for different sections. Ultimately, asynchronous learning makes it more effective for both students and instructors.
Synchronous
Students have many reasons to choose synchronous access to online tutorials at an open university. Asynchronous access provides the flexibility and convenience of learning at your own pace. This type of learning is particularly useful for those who find it difficult to attend physical classes. Online classrooms often lack a synchronous environment, which can lead to students missing class sessions. In addition, synchronous classes are more likely to be interrupted by a technical problem, such as a bad Internet connection.
A study of 206 UK undergraduate students found that synchronous online tuition was most effective for learning. However, it had less benefit for interaction than face-to-face tutorials. This means that synchronous tutorials aren’t ideal for students who want to interact with each other during class. Despite the benefits, synchronous online tuition is not recommended for everyone. This study shows that students’ preferences for learning online are often determined by their own needs.
Combination of both
The University of Edinburgh is one example of a university combining online tutorials and on-campus teaching. Its courses will feature significant on-campus teaching and activities, and will be tailored to the individual needs of the students. However, the students will have to wear face coverings while on campus, and classes will mostly consist of non-socially distanced groups of up to 30 students. Moreover, the students will still be in close contact with other students, including the academic staff, during the on-campus courses.
Guidelines for facilitating
A set of guidelines is needed to help you create a smooth experience for open university students undergoing online tutorials. Open University is committed to providing effective local support for students, so it is important to develop online learning opportunities that cater to the needs of students. These resources include conventionally taught components and multimedia resources, such as books, course guides, audio and video tapes, and television. Open university online courses use a combination of online course content, discussion forums conducted via email, and live lectures. They also feature hyperlinks, enabling users to access the vast wealth of information on the Internet.
To ensure that all learners can access the material, instructors should be prepared to engage in diverse discussions. They should use a variety of examples and content, and they should always remind students that interacting with other learners from different backgrounds can be a good learning experience. They should also be flexible about the time and place of interaction between learners. By establishing a variety of learning environments, online university courses will appeal to a wide range of learners, which can lead to increased participation from diverse groups of students.
Tools for asking questions
Tools for asking questions online can be extremely helpful when delivering tutorials in a synchronous or asynchronous environment. These tools are used to facilitate student discussion. For example, the Keep Learning website crowdsources student questions and creates a collaborative document to answer those questions. This document will be shared with all students for each tutorial session. It also helps students learn by doing. While it is difficult to control the quality of online tutorials, you can use tools to improve the quality of your classes.