Self-Paced AND Social Learning
Can asynchronous learning capture the feel of instructor-led training? When a learning experience is self-paced, it might seem like that learners are completely on their own. But that is not the case!
There are many options for incorporating feedback loops and support networks into asynchronous learning experiences. With a little bit of creativity, we can recreate the support learners might feel from having a live trainer.
Here are some examples from my own instructional design work:
User generated content - I’ve created opportunities for learners to upload their work, which other users can then view on their own time. With an LXP like NovoEd, it’s really easy to create a video assignment for example, where learners can submit a screen recording or video walk through of themselves completing a task on their computer.
Trainer videos - Since facilitators won’t be there live during the course, sometimes it’s nice to have them make an appearance via short informational videos. Plus, they are super knowledgeable and sound much more authoritative than me reading from a script.
Answer Keys - When learners are doing practice activities, they need to know they are on the right path. I have built in accordions with headers that say “Need help? View the solutions here!” that drop-down when clicked. Providing the answer makes learners feel supported, but the answer should be hidden and click to be revealed so learners have a chance to solve the problem independently first.
Discussion forums - I recently saw a great example of this. Codecademy has established spaces that exist outside of their courses where learners can engage with each other. Here is an example of a discussion forum I used as an enrolled learner in their JavaScript course. One team I worked with built a general “Parking Lot” in every course where learners could drop by and ask questions or post any time.
Peer review - I’ve done this on both SharePoint and LXPs. Learners can upload their work and get feedback from peers within a certain time frame (this only works if you can guarantee others are enrolled in the course at the same time).
FAQs - I try to predict what the most common questions will be and provide answers to those upfront. Anything to lessen the amount of support tickets and help desk calls. Creating an FAQ pushes me to be comprehensive because I have to think about what is missing from the learning experience and anticipate those questions.
Documentation - What support will learners use when they return to their job? I guarantee they are NOT going to refer back to a Storyline course. They will use documentation(user guides, manuals, job aids, wikis), so you should prepare them for this eventuality and refer to the documentation throughout your learning experiences. Create practice activities that allow learners to actively use and apply information from the documentation.
All of these examples show how you can build a supportive and social learning experience even in an asynchronous or self-paced context. It can be done!
