How to Make Asynchronous Online Courses That Learners Enjoy

Imagine a learning program that fits perfectly into your members’ busy lives—one that’s ready whenever they are, yet still feels personalized, vibrant, and impactful.

This is the potential of asynchronous online courses. For associations and nonprofits, self-paced learning is a powerful way to scale your mission, create a strong value proposition, and provide equitable access to education for every member, regardless of their time zone or schedule.

The best part? Self-paced doesn’t have to mean “learning alone.” By embracing modern design strategies, you can transform static content into an inspiring journey. If you want to learn how to make online courses engaging for your members, you’re in the right place. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What Are Asynchronous Online Courses?
• How Do Asynchronous Online Courses Encourage Learning?
• What Challenges Arise With Asynchronous Online Learning?
• Fresh Activities to Improve Asynchronous Online Courses
• An LMS: The Engine Behind Your Online Education Program

Whether you are looking to revitalize a legacy program or launch a brand-new learning center, the strategies below will help you create courses that members actually complete. Let’s get started by defining exactly what asynchronous learning is.

What Are Asynchronous Online Courses?

Asynchronous online courses are educational experiences where learners, instructors, and peers engage with educational content at different times. Instead of attending live webinars, learners log into a learning management system (LMS) to access pre-recorded videos, readings, and interactive modules. Along with hosting content, LMSs act as the “digital classroom,” facilitating engagement through discussion boards and automated feedback rather than live dialogue.

For associations, asynchronous courses typically fall into two categories: completely self-paced "evergreen" modules or cohort-based programs with weekly milestones but no set meeting hours. The defining characteristic is that the learner controls when the learning happens, independent of an instructor’s schedule.

How Do Asynchronous Online Courses Encourage Learning?

The primary strength of asynchronous online learning lies in its ability to respect the learner’s time and needs. By decoupling the learning process from a specific clock or calendar, you empower members to engage with content when they are most alert, motivated, and ready to absorb new information. This shift moves the metric of success from simple attendance to comprehension and mastery.

Here are a few ways this format drives better outcomes:

• Learner Autonomy and Pacing: Members never have to worry about rigid schedules clashing with work, travel, or family obligations. They can progress at their own pace, breezing through concepts they already know and slowing down to focus on new ones.
• Reduced Cognitive Overload: Unlike a live webinar where the speaker keeps moving regardless of the audience’s understanding, asynchronous courses allow learners to pause, rewind, and review content as many times as they need.
• Deeper Critical Thinking: Without the pressure to respond immediately in a live setting, learners have the time to reflect, research, and compose thoughtful responses to discussion prompts. This often leads to richer insights than spontaneous Q&A sessions.
• Global Accessibility: Level the playing field for your diverse membership base. Through asynchronous learning, every member, regardless of their time zone or location, has equal access to the same high-quality education.

Ultimately, asynchronous learning transforms professional development from a logistical challenge into a sustainable habit. 

What Challenges Arise With Asynchronous Online Learning?

While asynchronous learning’s flexibility is its greatest asset, removing the structure of a live classroom shifts the burden of motivation entirely onto the learner. This causes challenges like:

• Learner Isolation: The most significant drawback is the lack of real-time human connection. Without the energy of a live instructor or the camaraderie of peers in a chat room, members can feel disconnected.
• Procrastination and Drop-Off: Without the urgency of a fixed start date or live session, everyday work and personal life demands can easily take priority over learning, leading to lower course completion rates.
• Delayed Feedback Loops: Unlike a live workshop, where a member can raise their hand and get instant clarification, asynchronous learners must wait for email replies or forum responses from peers.
• Passive Consumption: Without interactive elements, it is easy for learners to tune out. They might “watch” a video while answering emails in another tab, resulting in a false sense of completion without actual comprehension.

Asynchronous courses are usually a passive solo learning experience. Without group activities, they provide fewer opportunities to recall, apply, and retain new information.

Luckily, these obstacles aren’t insurmountable failures of the format. Instead, they are simply design challenges. By recognizing these pitfalls early, you can implement specific activities for asynchronous learning to improve connection and accountability in your self-paced programs.

Fresh Activities to Improve Asynchronous Online Courses

Make your on-demand courses more enjoyable, engaging, and effective for learners by building interactive activities into their design. Because the following activities break up the passive reading or watching experience, learners can switch gears, process new information, and refocus.

1. Pre-course self-assessment

A pre-course self-assessment provides a baseline for what learners know at the start of the course. If they take the same assessment at the end of the course, they can see how far they’ve progressed. 

Allow learners to take a self-assessment to test out of certain modules. Self-assessments also preview course content, similar to activity #11 on our list.

2. Accountability buddy or cohort

The biggest challenge when taking an asynchronous online course is holding yourself accountable. Ask learners if they’d like to be matched with someone who’s taking the course at the same time or taking a similar course. They can help each other stay on track. Provide a sample accountability guide with best practices and discussion topics.

If many learners are taking the same course at once, ask if they’d like to join a small cohort of peers who meet every few weeks online to discuss the content and their progress. You could also create a private discussion forum (activity #5) for these groups. 

3. Case studies or practice scenarios

Case studies and hypothetical scenarios give learners the opportunity to apply what they’re learning to real-world situations. For instance, in a legal ethics course, you might describe a scenario where an attorney must navigate a potential conflict of interest between a new and former client.

After providing the scenario, include guiding questions, such as:

• What would the learner do in this situation?
• What are their reasons for this choice?
• What impact would these actions have?
• What factors caused the situation?
• How would they prevent the situation in the first place, if possible?
• What lessons did they take away?

When the case study is complete, the learner watches a video with the instructor’s interpretation or interpretations by people with different perspectives and solutions. This combination of independent analysis and expert review makes case studies a high-impact activity for asynchronous learning.

4. Critical analysis

Ask the learner to critique a third-party document or theory to test their judgment. For example, provide a sample strategic plan and ask them to identify three risks based on the course material. This moves them from memorizing facts to thinking critically.

5. Discussion forums

Asynchronous learners are usually alone in their learning journey. If others are taking the same or similar course, set up a private discussion forum for them. Seed it with questions. Although they may not all be going through the course simultaneously, they can still engage with others studying the same material.

6. Feedback

Give learners a few opportunities during each asynchronous online course to provide feedback on the user experience, such as the clarity of instructions or the relevance of a specific module. At the end of the course, allow them to review all of their comments to see if their perspective has changed or if they have new suggestions.

7. Graphic organizers

Providing visual thinking tools helps learners organize and analyze new information. Consider providing the following in your asynchronous online courses:

• Tables and charts
• Venn diagrams
• Mind maps
• Sketchnotes
• Storyboards

By breaking up texts with visuals, you make complex information more digestible and increase the likelihood of retention. Plus, visuals are easy to download or screenshot for learners to quickly reference and recall information later.

8. Guest speakers

Listening to the same instructor for an entire course is monotonous. Mix it up with guest speakers, interviews with experts, and talk show formats. Ideally, the learner hears different perspectives from a diverse mix of practitioners.

9. Guided Notes

Note-taking enhances comprehension, and how learners take notes matters. One study found that handwritten notes show a stronger association with memory and processing speed than digital alternatives. To encourage learners to follow that best practice, provide a note-taking template that they can print out and follow while reading or viewing content.

10. Interactive videos

Transform passive watching into active participation by embedding interactions directly into your video content. Instead of just pressing play, learners must engage with the screen to progress. 

You might add:

• Hotspots that reveal additional details when clicked
• Branching scenarios where the learner chooses the next step in a story
• Embedded quizzes that pause the video to check for understanding before moving on

This ensures learners are mentally present rather than just letting the video run in the background. TopClass makes it easy to add interactive video content like this to your asynchronous online courses.

11. Listening or viewing (anticipation) guides

An anticipation guide lists key points and terms, reflection questions, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and true-or-false statements about the lesson’s content. Use the guide to activate a learner’s prior knowledge and preview the lesson. Make it printable so they can use it to take notes. 

12. Group Meetups

Asynchronous online learning doesn’t have to be anti-social. Schedule optional meetups to bridge the gap between self-paced study and community connection. Here’s what that might look like:

• Topic-Based Discussions: Host monthly gatherings based on current enrollment trends. Invite course alumni to join current learners and share their real-world applications of the material. Use breakout rooms to facilitate small, intimate group discussions.
• Exclusive AMAs: Incentivize enrollment by giving learners and alumni access to exclusive “Ask-Me-Anything” sessions with industry influencers on hot topics.
• Interactive Watch Parties: Replay a popular conference session or webinar with the original speaker (or a subject matter expert) active in the chat to answer questions live. Afterward, send attendees to breakout rooms for interactive exercises.

These live touchpoints combat learner isolation while preserving the flexibility of the asynchronous format. Ultimately, they transform a standard course into a vibrant networking opportunity that connects members to their professional community.

13. Microlearning

Break course content into small, digestible chunks. Bite-sized microlearning content is easier for learners to retain and fit into their busy lives.

For example, instead of a single 60-minute lecture on “Project Management,” create six 10-minute videos covering specific phases like “Initiation” or “Risk Assessment.” This approach respects the cognitive load of your members and allows them to find quick answers to specific problems without scrubbing through an hour-long recording.

14. Mixed media

The same format repeated over and over can become monotonous and bore learners. Keep learners stimulated by changing up your format. As part of your asynchronous online courses, you might have learners:

• Read online content, journal articles, blog posts, news, book excerpts, and paper excerpts.
• Watch videos, including those with solo instructors, interviews, and panelists.
• Listen to podcast episode excerpts.

Varying the formatting creates a richer, more dynamic learning environment. Different formats force the learner’s brain to stay active and adapt, which leads to significantly higher engagement and retention rates.

15. Point-counterpoint debates

Since learners can’t participate in class discussions where different perspectives are raised, mimic that experience with simulated debates. Share videos of people debating a topic—the more contentious (and memorable) the better.

Ask learners to write about their first reactions, how their opinion changed during debate, and which side they ended up on and why.

16. Quizzes 

Quizzes give learners a break from passive content. They can test their retention and identify where they should go back and review content before moving on. Schedule quizzes every two to three modules so students have the chance to recall what they’ve learned. This is an example of retrieval practice. Include a few questions from earlier modules to test retention.

17. Reflective journaling

A private, personal record of their learning experience encourages students to become more aware of their cognitive process. They can record their reflections in an online or analog journey, audio, or video.

• At the start of the course, ask learners to write about their goals, expectations for the course, and challenges they anticipate.

• At the start of each module, ask them to record their prior experiences with or knowledge about the topic, as well as their biases, assumptions, and opinions. 

• At the end of each module, ask them to reflect upon what they learned and experienced, and to record their thoughts on the content, assessments, and their ideas and reactions.

• At the end of the course, give them the option of submitting what they feel comfortable sharing as feedback, for example, what didn’t work well, what did, what they’d do differently next time, what they wish had occurred, and how they will apply what they’ve learned.

18. Resource bank

Ask the learner to contribute content to the list of supplemental resources for your asynchronous online courses. For example, you might ask for blog posts, podcast episodes, videos, or journal articles. Invite them to review and critique one or two of the existing resources.

19. Virtual field trips

Search for resources that relate to course content and provide a look behind the scenes. Ask industry vendors for suggestions—a great sponsorship opportunity—or film your own. You can also use these videos to educate people about your members’ industry or profession.

An LMS: The Engine Behind Your Online Education Program

Armed with these ideas for improving online courses, you’re ready to reimagine your learning program. You need a robust technical foundation to bring your vision to life. This is where TopClass LMS shines.

TopClass LMS is purpose-built for associations and nonprofits, designed to handle the unique complexities of professional education from tracking continuing education (CE) credits to managing tiered certification paths.

It serves as the engine behind your asynchronous online courses, giving you the flexibility to build:

• Dynamic Content and Assessments: TopClass LMS supports interactive media and SCORM packages, paired with robust quizzes to validate learning outcomes.
• A Unified Member Experience: Members can log in to access a personalized learning dashboard, browse your online course catalog, and engage with peers in an online community.
• Automated Certification and Credit Tracking: Manage the complexities of professional education. TopClass LMS automatically tracks CE/CME credits and manages recertification cycles, freeing your team from manual data entry.
• Powerful Reporting Tools: Stop guessing about engagement. Access detailed analytics on completion rates, assessment scores, and member feedback to prove ROI and continuously improve your offerings.

By choosing TopClass LMS, you ensure that your technology empowers your learning strategy.

Additional Resources To Power Your Course Development Strategy

Help your asynchronous online courses stand out from the competition by making them engaging, enjoyable, and effective. The activities we explored provide a break from passive consumption, so learners can focus, process, and retain new information.

Remember, your LMS is the key to bringing your program to life. The right platform will help you provide an enjoyable learning experience that keeps your members interested, connected, and eager to return for the next stage of their professional journey.

Looking for more ideas for improving online courses? Check out these free resources:

• What Are LMS Integrations? A Guide + Integrations You Need: Discover how to connect your tech stack for a seamless member experience. Explore essential integrations—like your AMS and CRM—that save time and streamline data flow.
• The Only LMS Implementation Checklist You Need: 9 Easy Steps: Launching a new learning platform doesn't have to be overwhelming. Use this practical roadmap to navigate the setup process.
• How to Build an Effective Member Journey Map That Works: Stop guessing what your members need. Learn how to visualize their professional journey and identify the perfect moments to engage them with relevant education and support.