ELT7008+Synchronous+and+Asynchornous+Assignment+5


 * ELT 7008 Asynchronous and Synchronous Conversations**

Learning in the days of Aristotle took place at the foot of the master in what is termed synchronous delivery. As described by Rosenberg (2000) synchronous delivery is “… time dependent. Communication takes place in real time. The delivery is live – if you miss it, that’s it (unless it is repeated live again, or recorded, which would then make it asynchronous)” (pp. 139-140). Synchronous delivery methods are often associated with the traditional classroom or learning opportunity. Live communication, whether in person or from a distance, has evolved with technology and no longer requires physical attendance at one location.

Efficient synchronous communication tools are a more recent development and include: shared whiteboards and live presentation tools, learner control tools including hand raising, approval feedback and audio/video control, live assessment testing and voting, breakout rooms for smaller groups, real-time chat, instant messaging technology, voice streaming, video conferencing and webcasting. (Orey, 2001) Asynchronous delivery methods came into being with the emergence of technology and “… are independent of time (‘prerecorded’). In other words, anyone can access the program at any time and as many times as desired. There is no ‘live’ component, and in most cases nothing has to be scheduled” (Rosenberg, 2000, p. 139). The ability to access learning opportunities from distant locations using technology or the world wide web led to what is referred to as online or e-learning opportunities. Distance delivery of instruction takes advantage of asynchronous communication tools as noted by Orey (2001):

Asynchronous communication tools have been in use for two decades and usually include email, newsgroups, BBS (electronic bulletin board systems), surveys and assessments. More modern asynchronous technologies include blogs (or web logs – a web application containing time-stamped posts on a common webpage) and wikis (an interactive website with authoring capabilities for users). (p. 2)

The transformation from the traditional classroom to alternative delivery methods such as online courses or e-learning opportunities is a direct result of technology and the myriad of alternative communication tools that now exist. Synchronous delivery methods and communication tools no longer solely exist in the traditional classroom as “… recent improvements in technology and increasing bandwidth capabilities have led to the growing popularity of synchronous elearning” (Hrastinski, 2008, p. 1).

References:

Hrastinski, S. (2008, October - December). Asynchronous and synchronous e-learning: A study of asynchronous and synchronous e-learning methods discovered that each supports different purposes. //Educause Quarterly//, 31(4). Retrieved from []

Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved October 6, 2010, from []

Rosenberg, M. (2000). //E-learning: Strategies for delivering knowledge in the digital age.// New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.