Written by Delphine Ang
Having completed my first undergraduate degree through distance learning with the University of London while working as a musician with an unpredictable schedule and frequent travel, I thought I had mastered “learning at your own pace.”
It means being able to get ahead in coursework during the off-season so that I would be able to keep pace when work ramped up. Working ahead is good study hygiene to prevent any last-minute crunches later on and to ensure the quality of my learning. Naturally, Reading Week is the perfect time to put this into practice.
Imagine my discontent when I found that I was barred from pre-studying modules in a particular course during Reading Week because the modules were locked. I thought the online BHSc was designed to be asynchronous, fully allowing students to study at their ‘own pace,’ wherever possible.
Asynchronous describes the relationship between two or more events that interact within the same system but do not occur at predetermined intervals¹.
The teaching team made some concessions by unlocking the next module but also justified the practice by stating that this was the way things were done to promote self-directed inquiry and that this enforced the pace. Whose “pace” are we talking about here?
Keeping module content restricted goes against the spirit of asynchronous learning. Why must post-secondary students work within limited timeframes set by the teaching team?
Few students these days have the luxury of being full-time students. Many, like me, have multiple commitments from the self-introductions on OnQ forums. We also work and volunteer in our communities, care for our families, embark on side projects, etc. This is especially true for online degree students. While there are many reasons why students choose to study remotely, career and family commitments are the most common factors. These students keep pace by putting in the extra effort to get ahead when they can to keep pace when they are swamped with other commitments².
Furthermore, many students with disabilities or difficult circumstances may choose not to apply for academic accommodations for personal reasons. They find ways to work around their challenges by ploughing ahead when they are in good health and taking a step back when they need time for themselves.
Learning is not a linear, consistent process but an intricately entangled web. Not only does locking content hold students back when they have a chance to pre-study, but it also prevents students from grasping the big picture. All course modules are interconnected. Being able to reference between various modules freely allows a student to learn more effectively. This is especially true when a module is particularly complex or the organization of teaching materials could be better.
There could be reasons why modules are unlocked at specific times. The teaching team may believe that students should space out learning for better absorption. The course content may be updated throughout the semester. While these are sound reasons, the student’s needs should also be factored into such decisions. Otherwise, this may come across as false advertising on the part of the program.
While releasing submission folders at specified times is understandable, I believe all learning content should be freely accessible from the outset, where possible. This provides a fair playing ground and a conducive learning environment for all students, no matter their obstacles. Some teaching teams already understand this principle and put it into practice.
This embodies the true spirit of asynchronous learning.
References
What is Asynchronous and What Does it Mean? SearchNetworking. https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/asynchronous
Gamage KAA, Dehideniya DMSCPK, Ekanayake SY. The Role of Personal Values in Learning Approaches and Student Achievements. Behav Sci (Basel). 2021;11(7):102. Published 2021 Jul 16. doi:10.3390/bs11070102
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