2.3: Asynchronous Communication Tools
- Page ID
- 27211
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Tools like Discussion, Announcements, and the Calendar are different ways of communicating asynchronously with students, meaning not at the same time. Asynchronous communication helps distance education fulfill its potential in the area of expanding access, as the tyranny of time is often why students take online classes.
Here is an overview of some common asynchronous communication tools:
- Email: It is one of the most popular asynchronous communication tools. It allows sending messages, attachments, links, etc., which the recipient can view and respond to on their own time.
- Discussion/Message boards: Online forums where multiple people can hold conversations over time by posting messages. Popular platforms include Reddit, Quora, forums in Canvas learning management systems.
- Blogs/Vlogs: These are online journals updated consistently by an author and viewed by readers asynchronously. Platforms like WordPress and Blogger enable the creation of blogs, and YouTube videos are consumed asynchronously.
- Shared documents: Docs stored in cloud platforms like Google Drive, Office 365, Dropbox etc. allow teams to collaborate by editing shared files without being online at the same time. Versions can be compared.
- Project management tools: Platforms like Trello, Asana, Basecamp etc. Provide shared team workspaces to communicate on projects asynchronously through task lists, notifications, file sharing and more.
- Voicemail/Answering machine: Allow leaving spoken messages for someone to listen to later. Enable asynchronous audio communication.
- Text messages: SMS/online messaging apps like WhatsApp enable asynchronous written conversations as users aren't expected to respond in real-time.
Key benefits are flexibility, ability to compose thoughtful responses and the record it provides. Challenges can be miscommunications without real-time clarification, feeling disconnected from team members.
The tools allow teams to share information and advance work without members being available at one time. This supports asynchronous collaboration.
Image created using Adobe Firefly: asynchronous including email, message boards, and text messages.