Liz,
You too need to share your insights! I too use synchronous for office hours. I don't use the phone, I keep everything in the LMS.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Liz,
I agree with you. I think we have to be careful in pushing students to f2f expectations in an online course. There is a difference!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Trina,
How nice? Do you like having everything designed? It is better for the students as all the courses will have the same "look" and "feel".
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The choice between Asynchronous or synchronous communication is simple – use both. Each is perhaps more suited to specific objectives but using only one or the other overlooks the effectiveness they achieve when combined. Recorded presentations and email permit students the option of reviewing material and asking questions in conjunction with their life’s schedule, and live sessions and office hours, if planned with enough variety in offered times, provide many of the advantages present in a F2F traditional classroom situation.
In my university all live sessions are recorded complete with student participation. This plus archived email has the added plus of a record of communication not always present in other interactive forums.
A question also arises in using venues such as Facebook – are there legal issues to consider?
Students tend not to do as well in asynchronous contexts like this. Participation is grudging and inadequate and the forums often lack the magic and organic character that topical and voluntary discussion forums have. So I will say students do better in the synchronous setting because it is immediate and we are present and there are opportunities to share screens and have organic discussions. But the asynchronous environment I think feels more like a chore to the students, even when there are interesting questions and topics to be discussed.
I am responsible for communicating with students using both formats. With synchronous communication through live chats, students benefit from interaction with classmates and receiving immediate answers to questions on course content and assignments. Not all students attend live chats, therefore, I do quite a lot of communicating asynchronously, as well, so that all students feel engaged in the class.
This is a decision that I don't need to make personally, as my institution provides us with guidelines- we hold at least an hour of synchronous life whole-class chat per week, and we have a certain number of live office hours through IM. In addition, we have many asynchronous elements, such as discussion boards, assignment submission, and email. :)
Darcy Schultz
Each offers benefits, but there are instances – decided by a school, for example – when one has no choice as what to use. But when the choice is available both offer excellent opportunities for what becomes, in essence, a 3-D experience in teaching . Organic, exciting, and interesting student engagement can be had in both, but there must be the right approach to presenting each, the right layout for each, the right explanation of why one or the other is being used, and a direct correlation to the use of both in the professional world. Is there a thread that ties both together? You bet: it is up to the instructor. One can have the best asynchronous or synchronous tools on the planet, but if the instructor does not know how to best present them, if the instructor is not over-the-top enthusiastic, and if the instructor is not a constant presence then these tools will fail. Period.
I don't get to decide if students use synchronous or asynchronous as both mediums are available and required by the university. For example, the live chats are synchronous while the discussion boards are asynchronous.
Hi,
I also have both asynchronous and synchronous elements required in my online classes. The majority of the class is asynchronous (discussion boards, essays, etc). However there are also live lectures each week. Students have the choice of whether to attend live, or listen later to the archived recording (which in a way then is asynchronous). I prefer asynchronous learning in an online class. I think it really allows for the full flexibility that online students are seeking.
Emily
For the most part the school uses asynchronous communication, where the students have their assignments and can turn the work in by the deadlines. Also, the student is able to send email for communication of questions.
The school where I teach uses synchronous communication tools. We are required to hold 2 Live Chats per week, in addition to 1 hour per week for office hours. There is also an option to use instant messaging for both instructors and students.
My online learning experience utilized asynchronous communication learning tools. I probably would have preferred synchronous learning as it seems more interactive from a student’s perspective.
The majority of the tools used in my online class are asynchronous because it gives the students the ability to work at their own pace. Recorded lectures, discussion forums, etc. allow the students to move at their own pace yet interact with other students and the instructor.
I use synchronous communication tools when it comes time for a review or during a help session where open communication and much interaction is encouraged.
In my online courses, I use both synchronous and asynchronous communication tools. I think most of my students (working adults with families) prefer the asynchronous tools because turn-out for the live chats tends to be sparse. (The live chats are recorded and can be listened to 24/7.) This unit has given me additional ideas for incorporating new asynchronous tools, like blogs and wikis, to add fun and variety to the online educational experience for my students.
My university provides both asynchronous and synchronous tools as well, and I do find that different learners respond to those according to their schedules and styles of learning.
While every student is required to participate in the asynchronous discussion board, students are not required to attend the live lectures. For these students, I recommend that they view the lecture at a convenient time, and if they have questions or issues, use a form of more immediate communication -- chat, email, phone -- to discuss those with me.
The course I teach provides a variety of both.
Asynchronous:
-emails
-weekly discussion boards
-classroom announcements and instructor files
Synchronous:
-weekly live chats (twice per week)
-instant messaging during office hours (and other times)
I really like the combination of both because it gives students a choice about how they want to learn.
In your online course, how do you decide whether to use asynchronous or synchronous communication tools?
For Our University this is driven by the course development process and University policy. Both are used however not both are equal (some are for earning points and some exercises do not earn points).
I have experiences synchronous chats that were text chat for all in the class at a predetermined time and the student did earn points for punctuality, attendance and participation. In other places the synchronous chats are done and not required (except for faculty to do them) and at times you are talking to texting to an empty room which is not beneficial for anyone.
For courses I develop I use what is best for the subject matter, what addresses the need to all students with different learning styles and allows for opportunities without making things harder than they have to be(as long as we meet outcomes).
Joanna Oestmann
AIU course development determines what is asynchronous or synchronous in the health care courses which are driven by University policy. In courses I develop I choose what is best for the subject matter and it is dynamic over time. What works for statistics might not work for introduction to health care and might not work for research.Eric Oestmann
Eric,
True, but doesn't that hold true in a f2f course? It sounds like you have technology support.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Joanna,
Just as you said, you may not have the luxury of choosing the type of course you deliver. You have to work within those perimeters and be creative
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
