Category: Community Contributions

My experience with asynchronous learning began alongside many others, during the Covid-19 Pandemic. My classes went fully online when I was in Grade 10, and I found that I procrastinated all of the work until the very last two days, when I spent 48 hours doing a semester worth of work. In High School, I found synchronous learning worked better for me because it had hard deadlines.

In University, I began commuting to school, 1.5h each way. With set 8:30am classes each morning and no flexibility, I found that synchronous classes were my downfall. I work every night, so at most I get about 6 hours of sleep, because all my time goes into commuting rather that learning. Asynchronous classes worked so much better for me, because I could put time into learning, doing the work, and being engaged (rather than tired) over just commuting back and forth.

So we get this interesting sort of juxtaposition between my experiences with asynchronous classes. When looking back, what I think it really boils down to is design. My Covid classes were designed to by synchronous, so they felt unengaging and unmotivating when taken asynchronously, while my University classes were asynchronous by design.

I work at Red Robin and the Savory Steakhouse burger is hands-down the best thing on the menu. It’s got bacon, tomato, lettuce, and everything else you could ever dream of. So for this module’s community contribution, I decided to create learning objectives which focus on students learning how to make this legendary burger!

1. Students will be able to list the required ingredients for the Savory Steakhouse burger
2. Students will be able to assemble the Savory Steakhouse burger by following the recipe steps in the correct sequence
3. Students will be able to create their own personalized variation of the burger, while keeping the essence of the Savory Steakhouse

Does listening to classical music, like Mozart, make you smarter? This is a neuromyth commonly referred to as the “Mozart Effect.” The idea that listening to Mozart boosts your IQ was popularized in the ’90s in a book by Don Campbell. This neuromyth spread fast, and by 1998 the state of Georgia spent over $100 000 to distribute classical music to families with newborns. The Mozart Effect was debunked a year later.

I definitely remember hearing this neuromyth while growing up. While music can improve mood and focus, it cannot directly increase intelligence. For me, as a current learner and future teacher, this research helps me see the role of music in education. Knowing this allows me to make design choices to support learning, like using music to create an environment for concentration and creativity.