The Asynchronous Shift in Professional Experience

Asynchronous learning in higher education has increased in recent years, reflecting a transformative shift in the way students engage with their studies. For many, the flexibility, self-paced nature, and ability to fit study into their schedules offer a viable alternative to traditional face-to-face or online synchronous study. As universities continue to expand their online offerings, asynchronous courses are becoming an integral part of the initial teacher education, including professional experience units. It has been noted that the pedagogies employed in professional experience, for example, relationship and community building (between peers and teaching staff), hands-on experience with feedback, real-time collaboration and reflection, and scenarios – are perceived as difficult to replicate within asynchronous delivery.

Since 2020, an asynchronous mode of delivery has been offered in the majority of professional experience at X University, with approximately 30% of pre-service teachers taking up this option. This research reports on the preliminary findings of a larger project that investigates the impact of asynchronous learning environments on pre-service teachers’ learning and performance during professional experience. Underpinned by a Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (Garrison et al., 2000), this research investigates the impact of three interdependent constructs (teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence) that influence engagement and learning.

The presentation outlines the findings of a survey and focus group data with pre-service teachers and educators that provide insights into the opportunities and complications of asynchronous learning modes in professional experience units. It aims to better understand the motivation, engagement, and experience of pre-service teacher learning in asynchronous learning contexts and preparation for placement. The research also explores the experiences of teacher educators who teach or coordinate units with asynchronous learning in professional experience units at X University with an asynchronous mode of learning.

The findings draw attention to the practical aspects of implementing asynchronous learning, including the advantages of flexibility and self-paced learning, against challenges such as reduced real-time interaction and the need for greater self-discipline among students. The findings will inform a broader research objective aimed at exploring educators’ and pre-service teachers’ experience of navigating the complexities of asynchronous learning environments in professional experience contexts.