Is it Asynchronous or is it Synchronous

Synchronous vs. asynchronous communication tools seem to have their own place.
Asynchronous communication happens when it happens. People can communicate asynchronously without the hassle of a common time in their schedule to chat. E-mail is one example of asynchronous communication. In the past there were bulletin boards (how many of you remember those days?) that were also asynchronous communication. You can send a message to someone and they can read it anytime after it is sent and then send a response anytime you want. Synchronous communication differs in that for two people to communicate synchronously, they have to be in the same space at the same time. The two must sit at their respective computers ‘at the same time’ if they are to exchange communication. Synchronous can be fast or slow. An example of fast is video and voice and an example of slow is text (typing) chat.

What are the advantages of each type of communication in the teaching and learning realm? In synchronous communication where you can’t meet face-to-face, there may be a real need for this communication tool. This tool takes an existing teaching method such as lecture and makes it more available by removing location barriers. One might say that it makes education more widely spread and allows students from a variety of backgrounds to learn together.

Asynchronous communication is different and has its own character, advantages and disadvantages. It appeals to a different set of people for various reasons. It removes both the geographical barriers and time barriers. It makes communication just that much more accessible. It gives one time to think about the discussion they are part of a little more carefully. They have time to think about their contribution, do some research and even proofread. Taken away a specific time also seems to open the discussion to a larger number of participants. I must also mention that this tool allows the student to move at their own paced.

The lesson I took away from the various readings on synchronous and asynchronous have their strengths and their weakness. My point is that the communication can be either tool and that we as teachers need to think about the nature of student-teacher or student-student communication and how that fits into our teaching objectives.

Resources:
Ashley, J. (2003). Synchronous and asynchronous communication tools. Retrieved September 29, 2007 from http://www.asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources/articledetail.cf
Haefner, J. (2000_. Opinion: The Importance of Being Synchronous. Academic, Writing. http://wac.colostate.edu/aw/teaching/haefner2000.htm