Synchronous vs. Asynchronous
Balance Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning
Complementing asynchronous activities with occasional synchronous meetings is a good way to organize learning in an online course.
Asynchronous Learning
Most engagement in an online course is asynchronous, meaning that the instructor and students interact in the course at different times. Students are given a broad time limit for completion of activities (normally a week), and during that time, students review course content on the LMS, post in discussion forums, submit assignments, take quizzes, and participate in all other aspects of the course.
Despite the lack of real-time contact, asynchronous learning can still be made interactive with the right selection of tools and activities, by communicating expectations clearly, and by providing timely, substantive feedback.
There are many tools for asynchronous learning available to UMass Boston instructors. You will find a listing of all tools available in the Tools for Teaching page. Most notably:
- Blackboard is the Learning Management System at UMass Boston and is the central course system that supports the use of discussion forums, provides a place to add lecture videos, and can serve as a base of operations for the course.
- VoiceThread a popular tool for online courses that allows students to use audio or video to comment on materials provided by the instructor. It also allows instructors to add voice to their presentations.
Visit the Learning Activities page for activity ideas using the tools available at UMass Boston.
Synchronous Learning
Synchronous learning is a learning event where the learner and instructor meet in the same place at the same time (as is the case in a face-to-face course).
Web Conferencing
Synchronous learning in an online environment is usually done through web conferencing tools. UMass Boston supports two major web conferencing tools: Zoom and Blackboard Collaborate.
Web conferencing is a helpful way for instructors to increase their presence in a course by meeting with students in real time. The meetings can be used to clarify content (office hours), to host student presentations, for live discussion and collaboration, as well as provide students with meeting space and workspace for group projects.
However, scheduling web conferencing meetings in an online course can be a challenge given the unique schedules of all learners involved in an online course. For that reason, it is best not to rely solely on live meetings for relaying information to students. Web conferencing events should be optional and recorded for students who are not able to participate. Additionally, it is a good practice to provide a transcript of the information that was covered during the web conference to all students to ensure that the course information is accessible.
Live Collaboration
In addition to meeting live for face-to-face conversations, faculty and students can also work together online in real time using technology such as G Suite for Education, and Pronto – a text-chatting tool.
Glossary
Asynchronous
instruction is when the instructor designs a course to include pre-recorded lectures (e.g., VoiceThread) and creates other learning modules that give students opportunities to interact, such as discussion boards or blogs, in which students can engage in dialogue that supports learning. Instructor presence is planned and includes asynchronous communication throughout the semester.
Synchronous
Defined by when the instructor teaches a class in real-time on a set class schedule using video conferencing technology (e.g., Zoom, Blackboard Collaborate). Reliable Internet access is needed both by students and instructors. Since there are many valid reasons why students may not be able to participate in synchronous instruction, it is important for instructors to plan asynchronous alternatives for students who miss class.
All Glossary Terms