Synchronous versus asynchronous discussion
Making chats work
Chats can be challenging
The advantages of asynchronous
Can synchronous and asynchronous work together?
What is concurrency
References
Synchronous discussions happen in real time and are usually done with the chat or conferencing tool. All learners need to be online at the same time and can type messages to the rest of the group.
Chats are most commonly used for social gatherings online, Q&A sessions with the tutor, for group work and for role-playing.
Tip
Chats can become quite messy and confusing, so it is recommended to limit the number of participants to a maximum of five when using them for teamwork or role-playing. Because chatting demands high concentration levels, sessions should be no longer than 30-45 minutes.
To avoid everyone speaking at the same time it is recommended to come up with some ground rules. These rules can include a rotation of right to speak, within for example 5 minutes, without interruption by the others. This may, however, create an artificial feel about the conversation as it does not follow a natural flow.
A chat tool can be great fun, but it does not lend itself to deep complex discussion. Participants need to have good keyboarding skills to keep up with the pace. Contributions are typically very short.
Some learners find it hard to attend at a particular time. In an adult learning environment, setting up chat sessions will always interfere with personal routines, work or precious time set aside for leisure. In an increasing global learning environment we have the additional challenge of working around different time zones. As a result chats cannot be made mandatory.
Asynchronous discussion forums allow learners to participate in the course in their own time. As opposed to chat rooms, discussion forums allow participants to reflect on what was written by their peers and possibly do further research before replying. Deep learning can only happen when there is time for personal reflection so learners can think about what was said and how they want to respond. As the asynchronous learning environment allows for reflection it has a distinct advantage over synchronous tools.
‘Does information presented primarily in written form make some people aware of details they would normally overlook in a face-to-face context? I believe students have a great potential to absorb more information in the online setting, because they can take their time, work when they are at their best, and reread especially if they missed information through lack of concentration the first time.’ (Bender, 2003)
Yes, of course. Learners may want to get organised for group work by using a chat room and sort out the logistics in real time, before moving on the discussion forum to do the work. You may want to design a real time role-play, of which the transcript could be posted in a discussion forum for deeper reflection. You may want to invite a guest who is only available at a particular time and use the chat tool, but further reflect on the expert’s inputs in an asynchronous discussion forum.
Learner Instruction
Stop’n’think
How would this work in your course? Who would you invite? Would you use an asynchronous or a synchronous tool or both? Why?
We should leave it to the learners to decide whether they want to use a chat tool. You could make them available on the course page, or tell your learners that you could make them available if they feel they need one.
Concurrency means that a number of learners are active in an online course during a same time period. Group tasks can be completed independently but in a coordinated time frame. In this timeframe you can plan for synchronous and asynchronous exchanges. There is concurrency in this design course.
To be able to organise for group work there needs to be concurrency.
Tip
If your course allows for open enrolments, that is, at any time, you may want to opt for the regular organisation of short virtual workshops in which learners engage in group tasks. For example, if you allow learners to register for your 11-week business course at any point in time, you could offer 4-week virtual workshops four times a year. Learners would be given individual tasks to prepare for the workshop and register when they are ready.
Bender, T. (2003), Discussion-based online teaching to enhance student learning. Sterling, VA: Stylus
