MODULE 2: SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION MODULE 2 Synchronous and Asynchronous Modes of Communication DESCRIPTION In this module you will be introduced to both Synchronous and Asynchronous modes of communication and how they relate to e-learning. As well as, their benefits and limitations in e-learning. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this module, the students will be able to: Classifying and describing types of CMC. Describe the variety of synchronous and asynchronous modes of communication LEARNING CONTENTS o o o o The various modes of synchronous and asynchronous communication What is synchronous and asynchronous learning What are synchronous and asynchronous tools The advantages and disadvantages of synchronous and asynchronous tools LEARNING TASKS o Connecting with the present o Sharing your experiences o Responding to comprehension check MODULE 2: SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION PRELIMINARY TASK: CONNECTING WITH THE PRESENT INSTRUCTIONS: Before we begin the discussion, try to list down some synchronous and asynchronous means of communication that you know of in the given blanks below. SYNCHRONOUS ASYNCHRONOUS 1. VIDEO MEETINGS 1. SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES 2. PHONE CALLS 2. E-MAIL 3. AUDIO GRAPHIC CONFERENCING 3. 4. ONLINE CHAT 4. 5. INSTANT MESSAGING 5. DISCUSSION Technology has changed the way we learn: schools can opt to not have their students come in for a face-to-face instruction specially during this time of crisis. With the advent of Synchronous and Asynchronous modes of communication we can now communicate in the comfort and safety of our homes. These two modes have a huge impact on your online education experience in the midst of the global pandemic. It is therefore empirical to be acquainted with these modern modes of communication. However, these modes of communication are not without its challenges. Given that you are at the comfort of your home, it’s tougher for your teachers to deliver their instructions to the entire class at the same time (Synchronous learning). To address this issue it is also best that teachers make use of Asynchronous communication. And so in this lesson you will get a better grasp of the best practices and tools to employ to effectively collaborate remotely. MODULE 2: SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION So what is synchronous vs. asynchronous communication? SYNCHRONOUS VS. ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION Synchronous communication means that two or more people exchange information in real-time. The word synchronous means working together at the same time, and in the online learning world, chat rooms and online conferences are good examples of synchronous communication. In a chat room, people's comments to each other are relayed immediately, enabling a real-time discourse. Similarly, online conferencing with the benefit of voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) tools enable real-time conversations to take place online. Learning from synchronous communication is enhanced because real-time conversations allow people to explore, through writing or talking, the class concepts. The act of verbalizing helps students build bridges between different ideas and concepts, thus helping them retain information more effectively. Asynchronous communication refers to the exchange of data between two or more parties without the requirement for all the recipients to respond immediately. Asynchronous communication is the relay of information with a time lag. Discussion forums and email are two examples of how asynchronous communication is employed in online learning. It is very helpful to communicate in this way, because students have plenty of time to formulate thoughts. By communicating via email, students are able to respond in detail to a question or topic that they might have answered incompletely in a real-time conversation. This time MODULE 2: SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION lag in communication helps students internalize information by giving them time to research certain ideas or merely extra time for contemplation. The main disadvantage to asynchronous communication is time lost waiting for a response. For example, your colleague can leave you a message in a topic feed on messenger and not worry about disturbing you. You will read the information when ready, consume it, take your time to decide on it, and answer when you’re available. This approach frees both parties from the need to be synchronized. MODULE 2: SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION Table 1. Synchronous and Asynchronous Modalities ADANVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE: SYNCHRONOUS VS. ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION A simple text based chat or even a basic chat box allows for instant communication between individuals and groups. Advantages: Increased motivation and engagement with course concepts. Video/web conferencing allow for body language and tone of voice. Real-time collaboration. Immediate response and feedback. Many low-cost and free solutions. Most useful for 1 to 1 communication. Increased social presence Disadvantages: Interactions can be focused on taskrelated issues (Park and Bonk, 2007). Lack of reflection between collaborators. Instant messaging does not allow for tone of voice or body language. If technology fails, the collaboration session not possible. Large time commitment for collaborators. Difficult for one to many communications. Lacks documentation. MODULE 2: SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION Another example is E-mail communication. It allows people to send and receive messages at their own convenience. Advantages: Available anytime. Available anyplace. Can incorporate a variety of media (LMS, Google Wave, Elluminate). Documentation of collaboration process (cloud technology). Can be used for one to one communication and one to many communications. More time for reflection. Contribution to discussion can be more evenly distributed. More opportunity for students to share multiple perspectives. Avoidance of undesirable classroom behavior. Disadvantages: No immediate feedback. Difficult to keep track of collaboration (email overload). Technology can be costly. Information must be organized and searchable or it is lost. Written ideas may be misinterpreted. Often lacks a true 'social presence.' Learner may feel less engaged due to lag in response time to forum posts or questions. Irregular or inconsistent contribution by individuals can affect the richness of discussion and learning. MODULE 2: SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION Let us Let us reconnect by sharing your experiences. Instructions: Given that we just had the discussions on synchronous and asynchronous modes of communications. I would like that you share with us your experience or if not experiences in at least one of each mode. And talk about how they help you in your studies or daily life. You can also talk about its disadvantage(s) if you have encountered some. You may write your short essay directly over the provided image or you may add another paper if necessary. Things you can talk about: How it helped you in your daily life or studies A funny or memorable experience about the use of both modes ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggg MODULE 2: SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION To check if there you have understood the discussion, answer the self-check test that follows. SELF-CHECK TEST Instructions: Answer the following questions below. Encircle the letter of the correct answer. 1. Which learning platform provides real time learning? a. Synchronous b. Asynchronous c. Asynchronous and synchronous 2. Which of the following is an advantage of synchronous learning? a. Time constraints b. Technology issues c. On the spot clarification 3. Convenience and thoroughness are characteristics of which learning platform? a. Synchronous b. Asynchronous c. Asynchronous and synchronous 4. Which of the following is an advantage of asynchronous learning? a. Costly b. Pace and availability c. No immediate feed back 5. Learning occurs through online channels without real-time interaction. a. Synchronous b. Asynchronous c. Asynchronous and synchronous 6. Learning involve real-time interaction. a. Synchronous b. Asynchronous c. Asynchronous and synchronous 7. Students involve in active discussion and required immediate feedback. a. Synchronous b. Asynchronous c. Asynchronous and synchronous 8. Synchronous learning can be carried out even while the students is offline. a. Synchronous b. Asynchronous c. Asynchronous and synchronous MODULE 2: SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS MODES OF COMMUNICATION 9. Asynchronous Learning supports individualized pacing. a. Synchronous b. Asynchronous c. Asynchronous and synchronous 10. Synchronous Learning is more flexibility for learners. a. Synchronous b. Asynchronous c. Asynchronous and synchronous SUPPLEMENTARY TASK: Read the online article about “A Faceted Classification Scheme for ComputerMediated Discourse” by Susan C. Herring. On a scheduled date, participate in an online Facebook Forum created by your teacher for this course. REFERENCES Online references: Williams, (2014), Wood (2010), & Kask (2009). Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication: Tools for Collaboration http://etec.ctlt.ubc.ca/510wiki/Synchronous_and_Asynchronous_Communication:Tools_for_Collaboratio n Retrieved from: Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Communication: 5 Reasons Why Asynchronous Communication Is the Future https://status.net/articles/synchronous-vs-asynchronous-communication/ Lawless, (2020). Synchronous vs Asynchronous Learning: Which is Right for Your Learners? https://www.learnupon.com/blog/synchronous-learning-asynchronous-learning/ video references: jec oaf (2020). Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiSkMj1COFE SimplyInfo (2018). What is Asynchronous Learning | Communication Tools | Advantages & Disadvantages | e-Learning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTU9bo4kKYI
