ED.03 WORK 0N 01/06/2021

 Q. Write a note on role of teacher in digital age.?

Ans: Technology allows teachers to upgrade their knowledge about a matter faster by online courses or YouTube channels. This means that teachers can continually upgrade their knowledge and offer up to date information to their student with no need to stop working.

Technology allows teachers to discover solutions to problems collaboratively. They can join communities of experts, share their knowledge and give an answer to their students about almost everything without delay.As students can also use search engines, the teacher can push them to be active learners and foster in them the thirst for discovery and knowledge. In this new context the teacher should act as a quality and quantity filter for the huge amount of information available on the internet. Today teachers can raise the importance of student ides and recognize that they are central to the learning experience of the group of study.In a student-centered classroom, students receive tips from the teacher then they freely choose their sources, tools, devices, format and in what theme go in depth. At the same time students are forced to be active, responsible and participants in their learning. On the other side they can experience difficulties to establish what is wrong and what is right and if the sources they stumble upon are authentic and trustworthy. That is why the teacher needs to become a mentor contextualizing information and guiding students in the practical application of the information they found.

Students use of the internet to find the contents of their studies has a growing trend too. We can say that as consequence of these factors, soon students will stop using books also in digital format. Students of the future will switch from text to video format to grow their knowledge about a matter. Libraries will become students meeting points with no books on the shelves. Students will ask questions to artificial intelligence and they will receive an answer in a multimedia format. In this context, teachers, after having become mentors, will have to take a step towards the programming of artificial intelligence that, perhaps one day, will take their place.

Q. Differentiate between Synchronous and Asynchronous learning?

Ans:  Synchronous learning happens live, in real time. It’s the most traditional learning format. Synchronous learning is what most of us think of when we think of “school” or “class”: a live lesson with an instructor and peers. Live webinars and video conferences are examples of synchronous learning for virtual learners.

Asynchronous learning happens when students and instructors do not interact in real time. Under this model, students can access learning content on their own time and proceed at their own pace. Online discussion boards, video lectures, and most online learning, or e-learning, courses fall under the asynchronous learning umbrella.

‍The Benefits of Synchronous Learning

While synchronous learning is difficult to execute in a fully remote learning environment, it does present unparalleled opportunities for a sense of community and camaraderie to develop, and opens the door to powerful peer learning experiences.

Students develop a community. When students and instructors meet in real time, whether in-person or via live video, they form a true community. Indeed, it’s that community, more so learning contents which prompts people to pay thousands of dollars per semester to colleges and universities. Even when separated by a screen, students can interact directly with one another and with their teacher when learning synchronously.

It allows organic conversations to unfold. When students engage with the learning material at the same time and in the same place (whether that place is a classroom or a Zoom room), organic conversations unfold in real time. Students can interrupt lectures to ask questions and interject with comments that enliven the discussion.

It can boost participation. When given the option to complete tasks on their own timetable, many students will wait until the last possible moment. Synchronous learning creates a sense of urgency. Real time deadlines and expectations lead to greater participation.

Students can gain immediate feedback from instructors. When meeting in real time, students can ask instructors to elaborate or clarify in the moment—something they can’t do when learning asynchronously. This can enhance students’ understanding of the material more quickly.

Challenges of Synchronous Learning

Synchronous learning—particularly in a purely remote environment—also comes with several challenges.

Synchronous learning becomes challenging when it’s remote. The very benefits that make synchronous learning appealing in person—i.e., opportunities for real-time discussion, questioning, and instructor feedback—are more difficult to execute online. Instructors teaching to a screen of small, student-filled boxes may find it challenging to identify when students are confused or disengaged. Moreover, the limited capabilities of videoconferencing software make it harder for students to attract the instructor’s attention when they have a question or comment.

Virtual conversations are harder to interrupt. Synchronous learning works well when an organic discussion emerges among the students and teacher. It’s harder to interrupt the flow of an online lesson with the kind of impromptu interjection that would feel perfectly natural in an in-person environment. Without these vibrant conversations, synchronous virtual lessons can feel stale, and students might suffer from a lack of engagement or a deficit of attention.

Successful online synchronous learning requires high-performing technology. A successful remote synchronous class requires access to necessary tools, including a strong internet connection. Technical difficulties can preclude students from fully understanding or engaging with the lesson.

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The Benefits of Asynchronous Learning

Asynchronous learning is a helpful option for all learners, but especially for remote ones. When learning asynchronously, students interact with learning content at their convenience and can delve deeper into topics that interest them.

Students can access materials on their own time. Asynchronous learning gives students the flexibility to learn at a time that works for their own learning styles and within their schedules. This is particularly helpful now, as students navigate pandemic-related financial, health, and mental challenges.

Students learn at their own pace. When learning asynchronously, students engage more directly with the material they find most interesting and/or challenging—pausing lessons they find confusing, rewinding and replaying the most salient content, and proceeding at the pace that works best for them. When instructors use collaborative tools like Eduflow, they can further enhance student engagement with learning flows and interactive content designed for individual learners.

All types of learners have equal access and attention. An asynchronous format produces uniquely empowered students who take control over their learning in a way that might not have been possible in a purely synchronous environment. Asynchronous learning prevents more reserved students from getting bulldozed by louder voices as they might in a live environment. It essentially levels the playing field, offering each student the same opportunity to control their learning.

It’s more cost-effective  for instructors. Rather than teach the same lesson multiple times to multiple classes, instructors can create a single lesson for each section. This frees up time and resources for instructors to be more personally available to individual students.

Challenges of Asynchronous Learning

In a completely asynchronous environment, students miss the camaraderie that comes from real-time conversation and face-to-face (or screen-to-screen) interaction. The solitary nature of asynchronous learning can be detrimental to student’s mental health and academic results, if it’s not paired with some sort of real-time follow-up.

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