| Asynchronous Communication 
Asynchronous communication is communication taking place at different times or over
a certain period of time. The term has acquired wide currency in online learning, where
exchanges between teachers and students are frequently enacted asynchronously rather than
in simultaneous or face-to-face conversations (see synchronous
communication).
Note: Module 2 of this resource
deals extensively with asynchronous communication in online teaching and learning.
| Examples of Uses |
E-mail, electronic mailing lists, e-mail based conferencing programs,
UseNet newsgroups, messaging programs |
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| Requirements for Using it on a
Computer |
Conferencing programs and electronic mailing lists usually reside on a
server which distributes the messages that users send to it. Any computer user with e-mail
and a reasonably fast connection to the Internet (28.8 bps or better) can engage in
asynchronous communication. Web-based conferencing programs that distribute many messages,
or messages containing attachments, will require more system power; for this reason,
having a high-end computer, (Pentium-class PC or Macintosh PowerPC) with a sound card and
speakers and a fast connection to the Internet (T1 or better) is advisable. The computer
should also be running Netscape or Internet Explorer 4+ and should be Java enabled. |
|
| Requirements for Using it to
Create Materials |
Asynchronous communication is currently perhaps the most popular
technology being used in online learning, and there are numerous packages and tools
available. Faculty wishing to use asynchronous communication in courses should check what
their own institutions offer and what training is provided to operate them. (There are
also many free Web-based asynchronous communication tools.) Because the tools are more
likely to be server based, faculty will be able to use them as instructional
media—provided that they have access to e-mail and a reasonably fast connection to
the Internet (28.8 bps or better). Note: Many of the courses featured
in Module 1 mention using discussion lists and conferences as a routine part of classwork.
The difficulty of creating materials with asynchronous communication tools, however, lies
more with the intricacies of leading and sustaining productive online conversations than
with the technical expertise required to manage the technology. The broad popularity of
this technology and its uses receives in-depth emphasis and examination in Module 2 of this resource. |
|
| Examples in Module 1 |
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This project is a joint initiative of the Center for the Virtual University and the Center for Teaching and Learning
at UMUC.
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