Asynchronous lectures are recordings that are posted on the Canvas learning platform and can be viewed at your convenience.
- Some courses are mainly organised using asynchronous teaching and a high degree of self-study. This provides a high level of flexibility so you can decide for yourself when you want to study. Learning resources such as audio files, documents, assignments and recordings of lectures are available in Canvas, and you can use these when you want. Most asynchronous courses will have coursework that involves submissions on specific deadlines in order for you to register for examinations.
Synchronous lectures take place primarily on Zoom, with students present in real time.
- USN has a lot of studies that use synchronous teaching and supervision. Using modern online conferencing systems, currently Zoom and sometimes Skype for business, teaching can take place in real time with audio and video functions. This provides both flexibility and closeness between students and lecturers, despite the fact that you are physically not in the same place.
- The technology enables close dialogue, discussion and collaboration between the students and the lecturer, and between the students themselves. This arrangement is somewhat less flexible in terms of time, as students must be logged in at scheduled times every week. However, we find that this makes it easier for students to achieve better continuity and progress in their studies. This form of online studies is particularly important in teacher education programmes, and in other studies where dialogue and collaboration with other students are fundamental.
Many of our online programmes of study use both asynchronous and synchronous teaching methods.
If you would like to combine part-time studies alongside work, it is especially important to thoroughly read the programme descriptions to find out how your programme of study is organised and adapt your working hours accordingly.
At USN, students can take anything from short online courses lasting just six months, to entire courses of study spanning 5 years. An online course is more flexible than a regular programme of study, but study routines are required to complete the programme in this way.