What to Expect for your First LiveSync

Whether you are a new or seasoned student, you probably have some questions about what to expect from LiveSyncs in a new term. A LiveSync is a synchronous (live) meeting with your professor and class in order to reinforce the content that you are learning over the course of the term. Learning the four components of what LiveSyncs are will equip you for success as you engage in this essential element of course learning. While courses may vary in how LiveSyncs are done, each will utilize these four components to assist you in learning and applying the course to your life and ministry. 

The following post will break down the four components of a LiveSync to explain what these sessions are and how to get the most out of them. 

You

You may not realize it, but by coming as an active learner, you bring the essential component of a great LiveSync. LiveSyncs are a place where you can come with your questions and observations from the course materials. Thus by bringing your questions to the LiveSync, you set the stage for a thorough exploration of the course content.

For example, if you come to your Old Testament I LiveSync with questions about how you have struggled in teaching and applying the Old Testament in your ministry, then you will be able to enrich the experience for both other students and your instructor. Or if you come to your Church History I LiveSync with questions about the best way to introduce the Apostles’ Creed in your church, then you will be ready to engage with your professor as they explore similar topics. 

Coming to these meetings with these types of questions will not only help you to be more prepared, but they will also help the professor to engage more deeply with other students as you explore these topics together. 

Professor

You likely signed up for your class because you heard about the incredible scholarly and pastoral reputation of your professor. For example, who would not be eager to take New Testament II with Tom Schreiner, a leading NT scholar, and local pastor? Or who would not want to learn Hebrew with Adam Howell, the host of the Daily Dose of Hebrew?

At Southern Seminary and Boyce College Online, we are privileged to have expert faculty who love to mentor students in learning content that matters. 

So, if you are not familiar with your professor, you can start by reading their bio on the SBTS/Boyce College faculty website. 

When you attend LiveSyncs, come prepared to hear firsthand about the projects they are working on, their best counsel for learning the course materials, and personal anecdotes from their ministry experience. 

Fellow Students

At Southern Seminary and Boyce College Online, we have students from over 40 different countries who are preparing for ministry. You will find that some of these students share many similarities with you, while others come from remarkably different backgrounds. So come prepared to learn from these students and expand your understanding of what it looks like to minister faithfully in different cultures and places. 

For example, as you take Christian Preaching, come ready to learn how preaching in a church in Northern Ireland may present challenges and differences when compared to preaching in a historically African American congregation in Detroit. Since the learning process involves more than cloistered individuals surrounded by textbooks, come ready to engage with students from diverse backgrounds who are just as committed to applying this course in their local context as you are in yours.

Course Materials

LiveSyncs reinforce what you are already learning through the course materials. For this reason, you should come to these meetings having engaged with these materials and being ready to discuss them. You are not expected to have mastered the course by the time of these meetings. Instead, this is a place where the learning process extends from textbooks into conversations with your professor and fellow students. This should motivate you to ensure that you have invested sufficient time in learning the course materials. By coming prepared, you will be more motivated and equipped to learn this material alongside your classmates. 

LiveSyncs will differ from course to course. Some courses may integrate student questions more directly, while other courses may devote more time to exploring new topics related to the course materials. However, if you come expecting these four components, then you will be ready to get the most out of your LiveSync experience.