Asynchronous doesn't have to mean "flat" or "unengaging." And achieving the real purpose of most class videos doesn't require a sophisticated studio or videographer. We'll talk about practical approaches to creating course videos that engage students and build connection with the professor while also increasing viewership, audience retention, and content mastery.
Do students say they want more engagement with faculty? Are dropoffs in viewership and audience retention causing you to rethink whether course videos are worth it at all? Are pushes toward more synchronous content wearing out everyone involved without moving the needle on student outcomes and course evaluations?
One of the first things most people learn about online pedagogy is the contrast between synchronous and asynchronous modalities. Synchronous comes to mean not only "live at an appointed time," but also stands as a proxy for all kinds of good things: relationships between faculty and students, "real teaching," student attention, and positive outcomes. Asynchronous gets thrown around as if its real meaning is "easy," "disconnected," and "reusable."
Asynchronous content actually provides lots of opportunities to build deep engagement and encourage effective student learning. We need to shift the conversation to instructor presence, which is the essential work of the instructor to be available to students.
Most importantly, we'll talk about how to build asynchronous content that deepens instructor presence, including annotated videos that are a quantum leap beyond "talking-head powerpoints" but with almost no more labor or special equipment needed. All approaches will use free or readily available software and simple tools that you probably already have.
Session attendees will leave with a model for instructor presence and practical ideas for increasing the sense of connection with students in asynchronous courses.