Managing student outcomes in a totally asynchronous learning environment: Lessons learned

A graduate course, APMA 6430 Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists, has been offered by the University of Virginia´s School of Engineering and Applied Science since 1985 in both traditional and synchronous distance learning modes. The decision to move to a totally asynchronous delivery mode was made in 2009 and fully implemented in Spring, 2010, based in part on the desire to support student achievement given the many - but different - challenges faced by both on-grounds and off-grounds students. The shift in delivery method brought its own set of challenges along with its inherent flexibility in student engagement with the course. In this paper, we review the lessons learned and how we met various administrative, support, and instructional challenges from the first three offerings of this course in a totally asynchronous on-line mode.