For years, asynchronous learning has allowed adult, non-traditional learners the flexibility to balance schoolwork, jobs, families, and other commitments. However, while these students may be searching for a flexible, virtual path to a degree or certification, they still crave the connection and community that synchronous and in-person learning provides.
Providing connection in an asynchronous environment is not a new challenge — though it heightened as more higher education institutions adopted asynchronous learning during the pandemic. At Champlain College Online (CCO), online classes, degrees and certifications have been available since 1993. Here are a few lessons we’ve learned about building a community and lasting connection with asynchronous learners.
Creating Connections Between Online Students and Academic Institutions
As the world continues to digitally advance, colleges and universities can create relationship building and institutional connection opportunities for adult online non-traditional learners.
This starts with the right support. Academic institutions should create a team for each student that includes their professors, mentors, advisor, and additional staff to provide multiple avenues for institutional connection, advice, and support. This support can be simple—emails, calls, video chats, text messages—any form of communication the student finds beneficial.
Many adult non-traditional learners are looking for career and personal development opportunities rather than clubs and intramural sports. Relationships with alumni and professionals in their field of work are often more important for these students. Flexibility is key—developing these relationships should be compatible with their schedules versus groups that meet at a certain time and day regularly.
When creating connections, students need to be supported as whole individuals. During the pandemic, many students struggled with classwork as a result of the effects of the pandemic on their personal lives making a personalized, whole-individual approach a necessity. This means offering advisors and staff to help with financial aid, time management, career planning, and building foundational learning skills like studying and note taking. This should be proactive—colleges and universities should reach out to students before there is a “need” to offer reassurance and reaffirm the institution’s availability to support their educational journey.
Finally, colleges and universities with non-traditional learners should keep their students in mind while building their curriculum. All courses and classwork must be directly applicable to students’ future careers. Non-traditional learners are often looking to advance in their role and add to their current skill set, so coursework needs to transfer to the workplace and add value to their knowledge base. At CCO, we ensure this with professors who are active members of the industry they teach in and can not only design classes based on the industry but also provide career advice.
Building a Community
Students will feel more connected to a community that is already strong itself. The pandemic has taken a toll on higher ed staff, professors, and advisors. Colleges and universities should provide opportunities for connection to increase collaboration, strengthen curriculums, and bolster professors to grow and nurture their students.
Building a community is never stagnant. Institutions should consistently try new approaches to best support student and faculty needs. Academic institutions can explore virtual campuses—programs that take asynchronous learning to the next level by allowing students to interact with their peers, advisors, and other faculty in an online space that simulates a campus environment.
The Future of Asynchronous Learning
Over the past few years, while facing the challenges of the pandemic, leaders across higher education have recognized and utilized different modalities of learning to support education through this turbulent time. Leaders must continue to adapt to student needs—from systems of learning to the tools used within those systems—rather than applying a single model.
Asynchronous learning will become more heavily used as more adults consider virtual learning to continue their education or pivot careers. As asynchronous learning grows, it is important for educators to build community and connection in an asynchronous learning environment today. Use the experience of others to build a higher education institution that non-traditional learners view as more than just another computer screen.
Dr. Johnna Herrick-Phelps is the Chief Online Learning Officer at Champlain College Online.
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