Asynchronous Learning: From Isolation and Individual to Collaboration and Community

(photo by Mykyta Kravčenko | Unsplash)

by Nathan Ulrey 
Find 3 ideas that create a sense of collaboration for those asynchronous students who could find themselves feeling isolated. 

In the world of asynchronous and online learning, there are fewer things more awkward for a student than being dropped in a group with other students who have no clue what to do. But when asynchronous collaboration is done correctly, group projects become more than just completing tasks together- they become a community of deeper thinking, real-world social skills, and dynamic learning. 

When students work together online, they practice communication skills like negotiation (Grothaus, 2022), time management (Lu et al., 2024), and digital etiquette (ACE, 2022b). Students also engage in higher-order thinking, peer evaluation, and idea synthesis (Shahvar & Tang, 2022). This perfect storm of asynchronous group work lives in the combination of social and cognitive methodologies. 

Check out these 3 research-backed ways to establish groups that actually thrive in an asynchronous environment. 

1. Group Contracts + Social Kickoff 

• Best For: 5-10 person groups 
• Purpose: Create clear expectations and student connections 
• Outcomes: Social trust, cognitive engagement, fewer group problems 

The teacher forms groups and provides a sample “Group Contract.” Students decide their roles, their expected response times, and their preferred tools of communication and collaboration. The teacher launches a shared board where students can post memes about working in small groups. 
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Cho and Tobias (2016) suggest that trust and social presence are critical for group engagement, and these two activities build those concepts. The activities allow the students to author their norms, which research shows reduces miscommunication and increases inclusion (ACE, 2022a; Grothaus, 2022). 

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(image courtesy of Padlet.com)

2. Group Workboard + Teacher Check-ins 

• Best For: 3-5 person groups (weeks-long or month-long projects) 
• Purpose: Accountability and teacher support 
• Outcomes: Proper project management and improved feedback 

The teacher can create a shared platform (like Google Docs or Padlet) where the group track progress, deadlines, and notes. Teachers check in asynchronously (a few times a week) and leave notes and nudges.  

This pairing highlights teacher- and cognitive- presence by scaffolding teacher involvement while still maintaining group autonomy (Shahvar & Tang, 2022). The teacher check-ins help to prevent student disappearances and deadline disasters. Cheng et al. (2021) mention that shared responsibility fosters social identity and long-term accountability. Students within the group feel safer, knowing their teammates won’t vanish around week 4! 

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3. Team Identity + Norm-Creation 

• Best For: Any class size (start of a semester) 
• Purpose: Group cohesion and sense of purpose 
• Outcomes: Strong community, long-term collaboration 

The teacher has students create a vision board (maybe in a slideshow, a poster on Canva, or infinite whiteboard software) with team name, mission, fun facts, and a shared war cry. Ok, that last one may seem silly, but Grothaus (2022) says that groups with shared identity reported greater engagement and stick-to-it-ness. 

Specifically, this combo is intended for larger Communities of Practice, encouraging students to create their own meaning, goals, and culture (ACE, 2022a). 

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So What?? 
Asynchronous groups don’t have to be awkward. With a little teacher attention and intention, students can learn, build community, and maybe have a little fun, too.

(photo by Mykyta Kravčenko | Unsplash)

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Further Reading

American College of Education. (2022). TECH6313 - Creating Digital Collaboration and Communities: Module 2 - Creating digital collaboration and communities. Canvas. https://2571531.kaf.kaltura.com/playlist/dedicated/380548312/1_ys2gogr9/ 1_ecgknlci   

American College of Education. (2022). TECH6313 - Creating Digital Collaboration and Communities: Module 2 - Social learning through collaboration. Canvas.  https://2571531.kaf.kaltura.com/playlist/dedicated/380548312/1_ys2gogr9/ 1_gwejd9vs  

Cheng, F.F., Wu, C.S., & Su, P.C. (2021). The impact of collaborative learning and personality on satisfaction in innovative teaching context. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.713497  

Cho, M.-H., & Tobias, S. (2016). Should Instructors Require Discussion in Online Courses? Effects of Online Discussion on Community of Inquiry, Learner Time, Satisfaction, and Achievement. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 17(2). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v17i2.2342 

Grothaus, C. (2022). Collaborative online learning across cultures: The role of teaching and social presence. Qualitative Research in Education, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.17583/qre.10474  

Kravčenko, M. (2023). A person sitting at a desk in front of a lamp [photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/a-person-sitting-at-a-desk-in-front-of-a-lamp-Bb_gxpV09qk 

Kravčenko, M. (2023). A woman sitting at a desk in front of a lamp [photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/a-woman-sitting-at-a-desk-in-front-of-a-lamp-R6HSykHkzvQ 

Lu, Y., Ma, N. & Yan, WY. Social comparison feedback in online teacher training and its impact on asynchronous collaboration. Int J Educ Technol High Educ 21, 55 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-024-00486-x 

 Shahvar, S., & Tang, R. (2022). Toward a conceptual model of online collaborative learning: A multi-phased investigation into experiences and perceptions of online MLIS students. Journal of Education for Library & Information Science, 63(4), 436–460. https://doi.org/10.3138/jelis-2021-0039