Asynchronous Learning Activities That You Can Use In Your L&D Programs
Asynchronous learning, as the name implies, refers to learning that occurs at different times and locations. Learners can learn at their own pace and in their own time from any part of the world. Most asynchronous learning environments make teaching materials available online, which learners read or view before participating in online discussion forums. So, asynchronous learning allows people to learn without having to be in the same place and time.
Conducting asynchronous learning activities with your workforce allows you to deliver training without managing your employees’ schedules or affecting their work. There are numerous asynchronous learning activities available that can be used in L&D programs; some of them are as follows:
Pre-recorded Video Lessons
Pre-recorded video lectures are instructional videos that have been pre-recorded and distributed to learners. Video learning is an excellent option if you want to effectively engage the learners. Another benefit of using pre-recorded recorded lectures to convey information is that they are economical and can be repurposed multiple times to share the same message. They cannot, however, be utilized if the message is no longer relevant.
Online Courses
Online courses are precisely what their name implies. They are online courses that allow learners to practice and train on different topics. If the platform allows, online courses can also be accessed via any mobile device or personal or office computers.
One advantage of utilizing this asynchronous learning activity to train your employees is that they can access the course content from anywhere, anytime. You should consider using an LMS (learning management system) for eLearning development and training your team with targeted and engaging online courseware.
You can easily create microlearning courses (an added benefit) for your employees using a learning management system’s simple SCORM authoring tool. Additionally, its user-friendly course management system makes managing and monitoring the learners’ progress simple.
Reading Assignments
Assignments are not generally regarded as learning activities, but they are. Reading projects serve the same function in the workplace as they used to do in our school classrooms.
Managers may give reading assignments to their employees to teach them procedures, best practices, or policies. Reading assignments are beneficial since an intern or employee will feel they have obtained the information by themselves, and it may become easier for them to retain it.
Video Demonstrations or Demo Videos
Video demonstrations are similar to pre-recorded video lectures, but they also differ from them in some ways. Demo videos are used when it is necessary to demonstrate and explain how a specific process, project, or situation is to be handled.
Video demonstrations are also beneficial when it is necessary to demonstrate one or more points to multiple people in multiple locations or over an extended period. Keeping this in mind, they should be concise; otherwise, they can be time-consuming and tedious, and your employees may lose concentration and miss a crucial step.
Course Discussion Boards
Discussion boards hosted online or within an LMS are efficient and valuable methods for bringing together even the most geographically dispersed teams. This asynchronous learning activity can take many forms, like internal message boards or social media boards.
Discussion boards are beneficial to participate in because they provide a diverse viewpoint on the topic at hand, resulting in a deeper understanding of the information since the employees get to put forward their queries and receive guidance and feedback in real-time.
Podcasts
Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular with each passing day. You must have heard of a podcast, but just in case you haven’t, podcasts are digital audio files organized into a series and can be downloaded for listening. They are excellent asynchronous learning activities as they can be accessed on different devices anytime and from any location. Unfortunately, because podcasts are only audio, they will limit the amount of information that can be disseminated. But if you have intriguing audio files that will keep your employee’s attention, you can train them using podcasts.
Company Wiki
Like any other wiki, a company wiki is an easily updatable repository for company knowledge. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about random subject experts contributing their thoughts to your wiki (as is the case with Wikipedia)— it’s only for you and your team to maintain and update.
It’s an excellent opportunity for you to have various internal subject matter experts share their expertise. This way, everyone can have a chance to become experts in areas they would not have been exposed to otherwise!
And the best part is your employees can search for content on company wikis. This implies that workplace learning could be as simple as leisure or recreational learning done by employees in their spare time.
Your experts may even encounter the protege effect, which occurs when teaching an area of study helps the individual learn that information. So when you establish a collaborative atmosphere for asynchronous learning, you create new experts while also allowing your veteran team members to solidify their understanding of the subject. And by using the corporate wiki as a primary repository to store and manage content, you streamline the learning process from the word “go.”
Games
Gamification, or incorporating elements commonly found in games to boost engagement, is an excellent way to engage your personnel in your learning activities. The more they enjoy learning, the easier it will be for them to absorb information. Training games have been shown to improve retention.
Gamifying your learning materials can include activities such as point-based games or competition between employees during the learning process. These activities are also intended to make learning more interactive. Try adding live polls or quizzes. You can even use leaderboards and award prizes to give learning a more competitive edge.
Conclusion
Learning is vital for both your workforce and your business. The more you make knowledge sharing a core element of your corporate culture, the better your staff members will retain vital information and appreciate your assistance.
Asynchronous learning allows workers to maintain flexibility in their hectic work schedules. There are numerous ways to improve your learning activities’ efficiency, including using a company wiki, video lectures, and even games!
