Based upon the reading for this week’s session, I learned that distance education can be broken down into categories, which are synchronous and asynchronous learning. I found that both synchronous and asynchronous communication tools have their benefits and challenges, when it comes to utilizing either kind of technologies. Within the field of distance education, both forms of technologies have proven to be effective in helping to further teaching and learning from a distance. Some people prefer to use one over the other because they have background or experience using them or one may work better than the other. Furthermore, people learn differently. No one learns or processes information exactly the same. The instructor and pupils are geographically and physically separated.
Synchronous communication tools necessitates that the professor and learners be logged on at the same time. These kinds of technologies allow the educator and students the ability to communicate with each other simultaneously in real time. Examples of these types of media are videoconferencing, instant messaging, live chat, teleconferencing, podcasts, web conferencing, and internet radio.
On the other hand, asynchronous communication tools have more flexibility. It does not have a time requirement. The teacher and students can log in at any time and post assignments, messages, or course material. The educator and learners are still geographically and physically separated. This does not happen in real time. Examples of this kind of communication tool are email, discussion boards, social networking (twitter, Facebook) message boards, wikis, and collaborative documents.
The every technology has its benefits and challenges associated with them. The benefits of synchronous communication tools are course session happens in real-time, students’ get instant feedback, conversations are more interesting, raises the students’ level of motivation, pupils’ are willing to give their opinions, people are more stimulated intellectually, discussion are more meaningful, easy for students’ to build relationships with others, and promotes good social interaction.
Some challenges include students may discuss information that is not pertinent to the topic at hand, learners must log in and participate at the same time or a specified time, people may not know how to operate the technology involved, system and network malfunctions may occur, and technological breakdowns can cause delays in coursework or class lectures.
The benefits of asynchronous communication tools are learners’ can reflect on current and past topics, students’ have more time to process the information, does not require participants to log in at a specific time, enhances work efficiency, and the classroom information can be accessed at any place or time.
The challenges to asynchronous communication tools are it does not happen in real-time, feedback is not instantaneous, social interaction is often limited, discussions may not be meaningful, people feel isolated and disconnected from others, and it is hard for people to build relationships with others.
These were some of the ups and downs related to both forms of online learning. Overall, in distance learning, the educational world operates both synchronously and asynchronously.
References
McGreal R. & Elliott, M. (2008). Technologies of online learning (e-learning). In T. Anderson. T. (Ed.), Theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). (pp. 143-165). Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/06_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf.
Pullen, J. & Snow, C. (2007). Integrating synchronous and asynchronous internet distributed education for maximum effectiveness. Education and Information Technologies, 12(3),137-148.
Stewart, A. R., Harlow, D. B., & DeBacco, K. (2011). Students' experience of synchronous learning in distributed environments. Distance Education, 32(3), 357-381. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/910125832?accountid=40368 View this document in ProQuest.
Synchronous communication tools necessitates that the professor and learners be logged on at the same time. These kinds of technologies allow the educator and students the ability to communicate with each other simultaneously in real time. Examples of these types of media are videoconferencing, instant messaging, live chat, teleconferencing, podcasts, web conferencing, and internet radio.
On the other hand, asynchronous communication tools have more flexibility. It does not have a time requirement. The teacher and students can log in at any time and post assignments, messages, or course material. The educator and learners are still geographically and physically separated. This does not happen in real time. Examples of this kind of communication tool are email, discussion boards, social networking (twitter, Facebook) message boards, wikis, and collaborative documents.
The every technology has its benefits and challenges associated with them. The benefits of synchronous communication tools are course session happens in real-time, students’ get instant feedback, conversations are more interesting, raises the students’ level of motivation, pupils’ are willing to give their opinions, people are more stimulated intellectually, discussion are more meaningful, easy for students’ to build relationships with others, and promotes good social interaction.
Some challenges include students may discuss information that is not pertinent to the topic at hand, learners must log in and participate at the same time or a specified time, people may not know how to operate the technology involved, system and network malfunctions may occur, and technological breakdowns can cause delays in coursework or class lectures.
The benefits of asynchronous communication tools are learners’ can reflect on current and past topics, students’ have more time to process the information, does not require participants to log in at a specific time, enhances work efficiency, and the classroom information can be accessed at any place or time.
The challenges to asynchronous communication tools are it does not happen in real-time, feedback is not instantaneous, social interaction is often limited, discussions may not be meaningful, people feel isolated and disconnected from others, and it is hard for people to build relationships with others.
These were some of the ups and downs related to both forms of online learning. Overall, in distance learning, the educational world operates both synchronously and asynchronously.
References
McGreal R. & Elliott, M. (2008). Technologies of online learning (e-learning). In T. Anderson. T. (Ed.), Theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). (pp. 143-165). Retrieved from http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/06_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf.
Pullen, J. & Snow, C. (2007). Integrating synchronous and asynchronous internet distributed education for maximum effectiveness. Education and Information Technologies, 12(3),137-148.
Stewart, A. R., Harlow, D. B., & DeBacco, K. (2011). Students' experience of synchronous learning in distributed environments. Distance Education, 32(3), 357-381. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/910125832?accountid=40368 View this document in ProQuest.