The pandemic forced a more rapid shift away from brick-and-mortar schools. And classes.
This had been happening.
My BSN was done completely online in 2015/2016.
And, except for the clinical hours, my MSN was also done completely online in 2017/2020.
And all of the education hours that I have taken since 2009 have been online.
There has been a plethora of online degree places and colleges and universities have caught up to the public’s want for online education.
After all online lends itself to an off-shifter such as myself, to access classes and further my education. On my own time, and I can fit it into my own schedule. And I didn’t even have to drive anywhere to do them.
This is what is referred to as asynchronous.
This means that the class participants’ watches don’t need to be synchronized and people can do their own thing. You do miss out on the social aspect of physical classes, as well as the need to look busy when the professor is droning on. Pro tip, always write something, at all times, even if it is your to do list. It makes you look engaged. Of course, you have to follow along in half of your brain, so that you can answer pointed questions from the instructor but I’m like a ninja with this. I’ve been doing it since I was in middle school.
A synchronous class is a class that you actually have to show up for.
I’ve been to plenty of those.
People shuffle in, clutching their caffeinated beverages, and drop their school bags before sitting down. They chatter excitedly about what they did on the weekend. Or they grunt acknowledgement of greetings and close their eyes, preparing to get a few more minutes of sleep.
And then there is me, who gets there early, pulls out the text book and paper, prepared to take notes.
I really do take notes. And work on my to do list. At the same time.
I’m talented like that.
Do I still take notes like this in a PhD program? No, because now I type my notes, and have handwritten back up of any graphs that are created.
A word to the wise, asynchronous requires discipline and the ability to work on your own. However it offers much more freedom.
It is really to each their own. How do you learn best?
Dispatches from the Evening Shift 