Although there are many articles and recommendations to improve learning, often centered on a theory or concept, we have found a gap: Many of the recommendations fail to translate because there are no steps beyond the general. To enact a transformation of the asynchronous learning space, defined actions and obstacles provide instructors a way to immediately change one’s practice.
Ask any teacher or professor, from pre-kindergarten to graduate school, and one common factor defines success at all levels: Relationships. We have noticed in the asynchronous learning environment the importance of cultivating community. Research found a humanistic theory of schooling, where the physical health, academics, social, and the personal included in planning and implementation, could move asynchronous learning to help build strong, meaningful relationships (Coker, 2021). Like in our communities or a physical classroom, one cannot just place people side by side and expect them to be neighborly. Continue reading.
Professor Van Ry 