The terms “synchronous” and “asynchronous” learning have become ubiquitous in describing online learning although they similarly exist in in-person learning environments. Synchronous learning refers to instructors and students gathering at the same time and (virtual or physical) place and interacting in “real-time”. Asynchronous learning refers to students accessing materials at their own pace and interacting with each other over longer periods.
Rather than characterizing this a dichotomy, it is helpful to view learning experiences as falling along a spectrum of synchronous-to-asynchronous experiences. At the synchronous end of the spectrum lie activities such as live-streaming lectures and participating in video-conference discussions. At the asynchronous end lie activities such as watching pre-recorded lectures, reading assigned materials, and participating in discussion boards. Somewhere in the middle fall hybrid activities that create continuity across these spheres, e.g., assigning students a defined task to do on their own offline during a scheduled synchronous session before coming back online and sharing their reflections with the group.
While optimal course designs vary with learning goals and content to be covered, most online courses will benefit from incorporating both asynchronous and synchronous activities. Synchronous instruction is well-suited to creating immediate social engagement and faster exchanges of information, helping to build a sense of community and clarify misconceptions (Dawson, 2006; Giesbers et al., 2013, 2014; Hrastinski et al., 2010). However, it requires scheduling shared times for students and instructors, often across different time zones, and is prone to technical challenges and accessibility limitations related to strength of Wi-Fi. In contrast, asynchronous instruction is temporally more flexible. This both allows more time for students to explore and engage with material (Davidson-Shivers et al., 2001) and allows access to a wider range of students.
This article is part of a series around bridging synchronous and asynchronous learning, including guides on direct instruction, learning activities, assessment and feedback, and questioning and discussion. Explore additional resources (via the linked text above and the linked articles below) related to this challenge to help you foster engaging synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid learning experiences across a variety of instructional practices.
Synchronous learning refers to instructors and students gathering at the same time and (virtual or physical) place and interacting in “real-time”. Asynchronous learning refers to students accessing materials at their own pace and interacting with each other over longer periods.
For example, a synchronous (live) presentation allows students to ask questions while the presentation is in progress; an asynchronous (recorded) presentation allows students time to deliberate and reflect before asking their questions, perhaps in an online discussion group.
Synchronous = happens at the same time.Asynchronous = doesn't happen at the same time. With synchronous learning, participants can receive immediate feedback. With asynchronous learning, the participants can learn at their own pace.
In asynchronous learning, learners tend to learn at their own time and pace, interact with their colleagues, give and receive feedback, and achieve learning goals. In synchronous learning, participants learn in real-time, so that they can develop and demonstrate specific skills in real-time.
Examples of synchronous e-learning are online chat and videoconferencing. Any learning tool that is in real-time, such as instant messaging that allows students and teachers to ask and answer questions immediately, is synchronous.
Other examples of asynchronous communication are corporate intranet, project management software that supports comments, and pre-recorded videos. For comparison, examples of synchronous communication are conference calls, online meetings, direct phone calls, video meetings, and on-site communication.
In traditional (synchronous) programming, each person would have to wait for the person before them to finish their task before starting their own. But with asynchronous programming, everyone can start and work on their tasks simultaneously without waiting for the others to finish.
Asynchronous learning allows you to learn on your own schedule, within a certain timeframe. You can access and complete lectures, readings, homework and other learning materials at any time during a one- or two-week period. “A big benefit to asynchronous classes is, of course, the flexibility.
Blended eLearning is a combination of both synchronous and asynchronous eLearning methods: participating students receive real-time feedback, but they also have access to their online course, various learning tools and interactive videos later.
An in-person instructor may use elements of asynchronous learning to supplement a synchronous class. For example, they may choose to move one lesson online and have students complete it on their own time. But typically asynchronous learning refers to online courses designed so students can learn on their own time.
The key difference between synchronous and asynchronous communication is synchronous communications are scheduled, real-time interactions by phone, video, or in-person.Asynchronous communication happens on your own time and doesn't need scheduling.
Synchronous learning refers to instructors and students gathering at the same time and (virtual or physical) place and interacting in “real-time”. Asynchronous learning refers to students accessing materials at their own pace and interacting with each other over longer periods.
Emails or texts are examples of asynchronous communication because they don't have to be coordinated in time. Each event or sent message can happen at irregular intervals because the information is stored for whenever the recipient chooses to access it.
Asynchronous programming is relatively complex. It can overcomplicate things and make code difficult to read. On the other hand, synchronous programming is fairly straightforward; its code is easier to write and doesn't require tracking and measuring process flows (as async does).
Synchronous online classes run similar to traditional classes, with attendance, lectures, and discussion periods. Students typically attend and participate via webcam or livestream forum and may move into smaller virtual rooms for group work or a teacher's office hours.
An in-person instructor may use elements of asynchronous learning to supplement a synchronous class. For example, they may choose to move one lesson online and have students complete it on their own time. But typically asynchronous learning refers to online courses designed so students can learn on their own time.
Students complete most portions of a course through their own time – no Zoom meetings in real-time. They provide more flexibility to decide when and how to spend your time for the course. Asynchronous classes require you to look at learning differently: Listen to lectures when you are most focused and alert.
Synchronous transmission is faster, as a common clock is shared by the sender and receiver. Asynchronous transmission is slower as each character has its own start and stop bit.
Introduction: My name is Arline Emard IV, I am a cheerful, gorgeous, colorful, joyous, excited, super, inquisitive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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