THE CLASSROOM AND THE COMPUTER SCREEN Online Education | Page 14

technology well: they design lessons same time, whereas asynchronous
that require students to respond to the lessons do not. Both kinds have
teacher and to one another, and then advantages and disadvantages, and
the teacher intervenes with those considering online education
corrections, adjustments and should weigh the tradeoffs.
refinements. Finally, such lessons
The advantage of synchronous
allow students to display their lessons lies with the immediacy of real-
improved understanding— time interaction, which allows for
understanding that follows upon both quick adjustments, clarifications and
their teacher’s interventions and refinements as people engage one
responses from their fellow students. another. Synchronicity also allows for
These lessons foster
true learning.
The principles of
sympathy and
fellowship undergird
all effective lessons,
but in their
Asynchronous lessons have
the advantage not only of
flexibility, but also of greater