Timing of Communications

As anyone who has ever taken an online course knows, communication is a foundational component of each course.

Line drawing of a telephone to symbolize synchronousSynchronous communication occurs simultaneously. Much like a telephone conversation where both parties must be connected before talking, synchronous communication in distance education occurs when two or more participants use the same type of application and communicate in real time. Examples include:

  • Chats
  • Texts
  • Video or web conferencing
  • Audio conferencing

Line drawing of a envelope to symbolize asynchronousAsynchronous communication occurs among two or more participants but not simultaneously. Email is the most common form of asynchronous communication. You send an email message even though you don't know whether the recipient is available at that moment to receive the message. The recipient retrieves the message the next time he or she logs onto an email account. In online learning, most CMSs have built-in email applications although they often are named differently. For example, in Sakai it is called messages; in Canvas it is called conversations. Discussion forums are also a form of asynchronous communication.

Timing of communication can't be addressed without this term: 24x7. Hopefully your communications won't fall into this category because this means that they occur 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Next we'll discuss the types of communication tools.