Limitations of synchronous and asynchronous Teaching

Now that you have a better sense of the affordances of synchronous and asynchronous teaching, it is important to consider the limitations. The University of Waterloo has developed a Keep Learning resource that provides an interesting overview of the advantages and disadvantages of synchronous and asynchronous teaching. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Synchronous Learning

Synchronous Advantages Synchronous Disadvantages
  • Students can ask questions and get answers in real-time, as the session is proceeding.
  • The instructor can gauge the students understanding in real-time, and adjust the session accordingly.
  • Students feel an increased sense of the instructor actually “being there” – that is, more social presence and instructor presence.
  • Instructors can facilitate workshop-style classes and run breakout group activities
  • Live chats or office hours allow for real-time interaction, like a conversation.
  • Some students might not be able to participate at the required time due to technical or scheduling problems. Some students might be in different time zones. 
  • AODA (accessibility) requirements may be more difficult to meet - for example, providing captioning for a live presentation.

 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Asynchronous Learning

Asynchronous Advantages Asynchronous Disadvantages
  • Recorded sessions allow students time to digest the session content and/or conduct further research before posing questions in a discussion group. This is better for more deliberate thinkers and also, in some cases, for students whose first language is not English.
  • Students can access the course content, and interact with the instructor and their peers, whenever it suits their schedule.
  • Students can re-watch recorded sessions to deepen their learning, or to review content prior to a final exam. Students can likewise review threads in discussion groups long after those discussions have taken place.
  • More democratic: during a live session, only a small number of students will be able to ask questions; in an online discussion group all students can pose questions or make comments.
  • Allows students to work around unanticipated challenges such as falling sick for a week, or dealing with a family emergency.
  • Students might feel less connected to an instructor when they are watching a recorded session.
  • Students might feel less connected to the course overall when they do not see their classmates.
  • Students might put off engaging with a recorded session because they can always “do it later.”
  • Asynchronous learning requires significant task initiation skills since none of the class time is scheduled, only the assessment deadlines.
  • Asynchronous learning equires a higher level of commitment and independent learning skills.

Source: https://uwaterloo.ca/keep-learning/strategies-remote-teaching/synchronous-vs-asynchronous-online-learning Links to an external site.