(Smith, 2012, Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication)
Synchronous Tools
in Online Learning Scenarios
Online Trends and
Advanced Tools
By Prof. Jonathan Acuña
Solano
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Twitter: @jonacuso
Post 204
One
of the most inconvenient things that college students have is to find time to
get together with partners to develop course projects. Synchronous tools allow
learners in a college setting to work together at the same time while in
different locations within the same city, country, or afar. “Synchronous
communication is any form of live communication that demands all parties
involved in a conversation be present at the same time. This forces the
conversation to occur when both parties are available and may inconvenience
schedules of one or both of the participants” (Smith, 2012) . For an online
course, synchronous tools provide support for students to discuss, share, and
collaborate simultaneously with or without the assistance of a professor. For
all these reasons, as an online teacher, it is important to recognize the
benefits, challenges, and what is needed on your online course prior to
selecting synchronous tools. A couple of synchronous tools I have often used and
encourage students to use are: Google Docs along with Google Talk and
AnyMeeting.
When
one gets to talk about the benefits we can get out of Google Docs, it is
important to highlight how it can be synchronously effective for learners. What
if students need to get together for a project? Do you –as an instructor- want
them to get together? If the answer is yes, how about having them get together virtually? Google Docs, no matter what
you are developing (a report, equations, a presentation, etc.), all of that can
be done on it. 1) Students can develop presentation jointly even while having a
conversation simultaneously about what needs to be included or excluded. 2)
Learners can be working on a report, e.g., and in different parts of it
synchronously and sharing feedback for one another either while talking or
chatting. And 3) What about brainstorming? It can be a great place to share
ideas and keep a record of them while conversing or chatting at the same time.
Google Docs is a great synchronous tool to be implemented and used with or
among students. “Anyone who is in the market for word processing software
should take a look at Google Docs. Some may be uncomfortable relying on
web-based software. However, with collaboration tools and online storage,
Google Docs will appeal to Word users who work on multiple computers or who
collaborate with others” (Marshall, n.d.) , and who lack time
to get together with peers to plan presentations, write reports, and so on.
Though
Google Docs along with Google Talk is a great tool, AnyMeeting.Com is a free
online application when more than two people need to work simultaneously.
Google Docs is a great tool to work on a one to one basis, but if more people
need to collaborate, AnyMeeting is a better option. “Users can host an
unlimited number of webinars, with up to 200 users per session. It is easy to
easy to use, so even first-time hosts will be able to easily find their way
around the software” (Warren, n.d.) . As a teacher then,
a) I can create a virtual classroom to meet with three or more students with or
without the use of webcams, something Skype cannot do unless you pay for that
service. b) I can mute or promote speakers so they can take control of the
class in case I want them to voice opinions or comment. c) I can even show them
anything I have on my computer desktop including videos that they can actually
see and hear. If students are taught to use tools like this, life can go on
though they may be miles apart or lacking the time to commute to have a
conversation about a college project.
Synchronous
tools are indeed important to be shared and promoted among students who cannot
get together due to their tight schedules. Tools like Google Docs and
AnyMeeting favor cooperative learning among learners who have a difficulty in
moving from one place to another. And even if they may be out of the country,
they can join meetings and participate actively. And what if the instructor
needs to be away, too? He can create a virtual classroom for all of them to
continue with instruction and fostering learning.
References
Marshall, J. (n.d.). Google Docs Online Word Processing Software.
Retrieved from About.Com:
http://wordprocessing.about.com/od/choosingsoftware/gr/writerly.htm
Smith, R. (2012, May 23). Synchronous vs Asynchronous
Communication and why it matters to you as a doctor. Retrieved from
iMedicalApps:
http://www.imedicalapps.com/2012/05/synchronous-asynchronous-communication/
Warren, G. (n.d.). AnyMeeting Review - Free Web
Conferencing Tool. Retrieved from About.Com:
http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/conferencing-and-collaboration/fr/freebinar-review.htm
Wednesday, November 04, 2015
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