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During the course of your professional journey, there are times when you feel like you want to do more. You want to step out of your comfort zone and experience the stimulating world of learning and education.
Not only does this help you break from routine but also encourages you to push yourself to grow personally and professionally.
There are several types of learning methods you can opt for. It depends on your needs and your purpose. If you want to study something that’s self-paced, you can go for asynchronous learning methods like prerecorded video lectures and self-guided modules. But if you enjoy a lively classroom discussion where you can receive immediate instructor feedback, you can opt for synchronous learning.
Let’s explore the meaning and examples of synchronous and asynchronous learning to help you decide what’s best for you!
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What Are Asynchronous And Synchronous Learning?
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Examples Of Asynchronous Learning
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Examples Of Synchronous Learning
What Are Asynchronous And Synchronous Learning?
To help you understand the meaning of asynchronous and synchronous learning, let’s take a look at the following examples:
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Asynchronous Learning
Jamshed is an ambitious sales manager who enjoys learning about sales, marketing and customer service. His days are spent in the office, working with his team, collaborating on how they can streamline customer support. He decides to upskill and learn how to communicate effectively with external stakeholders.
As he doesn’t have time outside of weekends, he decides to opt for an online course with prerecorded lectures and assessments. The course also provides certification, helping him make a decision.
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Synchronous Learning
Lavanya has been working for the past seven years. She’s been feeling demotivated and burnt out at work. She feels like she needs a change of pace and a challenge that’ll motivate and inspire her to pursue her dreams of becoming a writer. She decides to study the art of creative writing and storytelling. She enrolls in a weekend online course with two-hour classroom sessions on Saturdays and Sundays.
Lavanya is one of 15 students in the class with two instructors, one of whom is a published author and the other an experienced publisher with industry knowledge. She’s excited to learn from them, ask questions and engage with her classmates.
In Jamshed’s case, he prefers asynchronous learning because it’s self-paced, flexible and accessible to him given he’s on a tight schedule. However, Lavanya prefers synchronous learning because she wants a student community, immediate feedback from her instructors and a chance to learn something new.
Examples Of Asynchronous Learning
Asynchronous learning gives you the flexibility to complete your course or program at your own pace.
Here are some examples of asynchronous learning:
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Prerecorded video lectures that you can watch anytime, anywhere. Many institutes upload these videos on YouTube for easy access. You can even interact with other students in the comments section.
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Online courses or MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are affordable, accessible and informative. You have modules with videos, assessments and peer-graded assignments.
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Webinars are a great way to learn from experts from across the world. The speaker shares essential information in the form of presentations and videos to help you understand the material.
Some other examples of asynchronous learning are email newsletters that share videos, web pages and documents to help you learn.
Examples Of Synchronous Learning
Synchronous learning is the online version of an offline classroom. With an instructor and classmates, you get the benefit of studying with your group, clearing your doubts during class and getting a deeper understanding of the course material.
Here are some examples of synchronous learning:
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Virtual or online classrooms may be conducted via a platform like Zoom where everyone participates equally. You can raise your hand to ask questions and the instructor can even include live polls and questionnaires.
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Live conferences and webinars invite several people from different locations allowing you to hear their viewpoints for an insightful experience.
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Discussion groups may be scheduled at a particular time for live meetings and catch-ups with your classmates to discuss, debate and interact.
Another example of synchronous learning is a live stream of in-person classes for those who aren’t able to attend.
Both asynchronous and synchronous learning have their pros and cons. You have to pick the one that works for you. Harappa’s Practicing Excellence course will teach you to make the most of your learning experience—whether self-paced or real-time. You’ll learn how to manage your time, prioritize your tasks and self-regulate for a disciplined approach to learning.
Learning never stops, even if you have decades of experience and want to pick up a skill like coding or building eco-consciousness. Push yourself to realize your potential and don’t let anything stand in your way!
Explore topics such as The Importance Of Time Management, What Is Cooperative Learning, Difference Between Cooperative and Collaborative Learning, How Does The Pomodoro Technique Work & Difference Between Asynchronous And Synchronous Learning from Harappa Diaries to advance in your career.
