It’s been a week since expanding my #edtech learning to include both the blended learning #ACSATech Innovative Technology Academy based upon the Leading Edge Certification for Administrators and the Massive Open Online Course #ETMOOC. Both have provided me with similar, yet different, learning opportunities that have made me think more deeply about my own learning as well as what and how I share with others.

The graphic below came to mind when reflecting on my first week of #ETMOOC, but took on new meaning when compared with my experiences in #ACSATech.

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Communication -Creative Commons Graph credit: Ramius

During the first week of #ETMOOC I made it to the orientation, in real time, last Monday. I had my laptop logged into Blackboard, the Chromebook I am experimenting with, logged into Twitter, and my phone handy as well. I was fully engaged.

While I had to leave before all of the questions were finished, I was moved by the power of the global community and interactions over multiple mediums which I thought enhanced my connection with the content presented.

Contrast this with my experiences watching the Introduction to Twitter and Social Curation from the archives. Without the sense of a real-time community and the active Twitter chat, my engagement and interest fell flat.

I began thinking more deeply about my own level of engagement and, as a result, my own learning experience through synchronous vs. asynchronous online work. I was really convinced this was the difference.

Contrast this again with my first week in #ACSATech: one day of in person engagement with a much smaller group (about 30) followed by the coursework, between now and the end of February, completed online asynchronously. My level of engagement has been high: interested in engaging with others, reviewing each message posted, commenting, sharing, reflecting on those that jump out at me or those that I feel I have something to offer.

When thinking back on the week, comparing the two learning modules, my personal learning and engagement has more to do with relationships than synchronous vs. asynchronous learning. Having the in person connections, smaller group and local relationships with members of the #ACSATech cohort, and the live, real-time relationships and interactions with #ETMOOC, I find myself most engaged and ready to learn.

I am looking forward to building new relationships through both learning experiences, as well as strengthening my own learning and sharing in the process.