THE CLASSROOM AND THE COMPUTER SCREEN Online Education | Page 15

minimizes disruptions to their student. Thus, what asynchronous
important routines of work, family and lessons lack in classroom banter they
community. can make up for with more thorough
Asynchronous lessons have the
reflection and better participation from
advantage not only of flexibility, but
each individual.
also of greater leisure which allows for
depth of reflection
Synchronous and asynchronous
When computer technology online lessons are
and robust facilitates human interaction, different, but these
involvement from rather than getting in the way differences do not
of human interaction, its point to a general
every individual in a
class. They allow
prospects for education are
teachers and
promising.
students a little time
conclusion that one
approach is
inherently superior
to absorb concepts and collect their to the other. Some situations may favor
thoughts before they react to one one or the other, so those considering
another, and also to exercise care in an online education should weigh the
how they express their ideas. tradeoffs in light of their own
Asynchronous lessons allow the circumstances. Nonetheless, both
mutually-supporting actions of approaches can support meaningful
reading, reflecting and post-writing to interaction that is essential for
reinforce one another in the learning sympathy and fellowship to flourish.
process. Also, because asynchronous
Teaching and Learning Online
lessons are not hemmed in by the time
When computer technology
constraints of a class session, they
facilitates human interaction, rather
allow conversations to reach fruition
than getting in the way of human
rather than being cut short by the end
interaction, its prospects for education
of a class session. These same time
are promising. Indeed, teachers and
constraints also tend to limit each
students today can enjoy a decent
individual from getting his full say,
education online, for technology has a
whereas asynchronous lessons allow
capacity to facilitate a measure of
robust participation from every
15