We live in an “on-demand” society.
We enjoy the convenience of watching our favorite shows or accessing movies, and other content when we have time to do so.
We even like to receive training and education in that manner as well. In fact, that is the underlying premise of distance education, isn’t it? Adult students get to continue their education while fulfilling their home and work responsibilities without having to park on campus and be somewhere at a specific place or time.
Learning that way has its merits, but there is something about a LIVE experience that cannot be felt “on demand.”
Think about it.
Social media creators even figured this out. Some platforms like Periscope were created for the sole purpose of going live, while others like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, hurriedly added live streaming to their offerings.
What’s the appeal?
There is just something magical about knowing that right at that very moment, you are sharing an experience with someone else.
Thankfully, I have the wonderful opportunity to teach in a program where class times were blocked off for mandatory sessions for the past 12 years. I have witnessed the tremendous difference that having live sessions has made in my students’ performance, learning, and retention. Synchronous sessions also made teaching online more fulfilling for a “people person” like me because the first three years of teaching asynchronous courses almost drove me crazy. I wanted to connect with my students, facilitate their learning, and help them build connections with each other as I had done face-to-face.
In today’s post, I want to show you how you can make the distance learning experience more meaningful through powerful online discussions. Whether you have mandatory or optional times, you can utilize a discussion framework to give structure and freedom to your students at the same time. And, most importantly, you can let them “take the wheel” while you observe, assess, and support.
Watch this video on The Power of Live Discussions in the Virtual Classroom to find out how you can make your courses more engaging and satisfying not only for your students but for you, too.