Asynchronous Teaching

Designing Flexible, Inclusive Learning That Actually Works

Live online workshop | 2 hours Delivered by Helen Rimmer, Empower – The Library Skills Collective

Does this sound familiar?

You want to offer learning that’s flexible and inclusive — but:

People are too busy to attend live sessions
Attendance drops, even when interest is high
You’re told to “make it asynchronous” with very little guidance
Uploading slides or recordings doesn’t feel like real teaching
You’re worried about accessibility, engagement, and burnout — including your own

Asynchronous teaching can work brilliantly. But only when it’s designed properly.

This session shows you how.

What this session is really about

Asynchronous teaching isn’t about doing less — it’s about doing things more intentionally.

In this practical, human-centred workshop, you’ll learn how to design asynchronous learning that people actually engage with, complete, and apply — without over-engineering or exhausting yourself.

This is not about shiny platforms or complicated tech. It’s about clarity, inclusion, and sustainable learning design.

What you’ll learn

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

Understand what asynchronous teaching is (and what it definitely isn’t)
Decide when asynchronous learning is more effective than live delivery
Design short, engaging asynchronous learning activities
Apply inclusive and wellbeing-aware principles to learning design
Avoid common mistakes that lead to low completion and disengagement
Confidently redesign existing sessions or create new async content

You’ll leave with ideas you can use immediately — not a to-do list you never get to.

Who this is for

This session is ideal for:

Librarians and information professionals delivering training
Learning and development leads
Educators, trainers, and facilitators
Managers designing internal learning
Anyone asked to “put something online” without much support

You don’t need technical expertise or prior experience with online teaching — just curiosity and a willingness to rethink how learning works.

What we’ll cover

What asynchronous teaching really means (and common myths)
When asynchronous works best — and when it doesn’t
Designing learning for real humans, not ideal learners
Simple structures that support engagement and completion
Inclusion, accessibility, and wellbeing in asynchronous learning
Tools and formats that are realistic and sustainable
How to blend asynchronous and live learning effectively

There will be time to reflect, discuss, and apply ideas to your own context.

How the session works

Live online (Zoom)
2 hours, interactive but low-pressure
Practical examples and gentle reflection
No forced participation
Recording available for those who can’t attend live

This is a supportive learning space — not a performance.

Why Empower?

Empower is built on the belief that learning should be:

Kind, not overwhelming
Practical, not theoretical
Inclusive, not one-size-fits-all
Designed for real working lives

This session reflects the same values — supporting both learners and those designing learning.

What you’ll take away

A clear understanding of asynchronous teaching
A simple framework you can reuse
Greater confidence in your learning design decisions
Permission to stop overcomplicating things
One clear next step you can take in your own work

Ready to design learning that fits real lives?

Book your place now Spaces are limited to keep the session interactive and supportive.

Join a Live Empower Session