To understand what asynchronous learning is, let’s first define synchronous learning, which is something that we are all used to.
When we go to school and listen to a teacher, or when we are on line on a web site, or in chat, we all learn the same thing at the same time, or we learn individually while a person is talking to us, or chatting with us. It is like a classroom, where the student can ask questions and receive an immediate answer. We learn synchronously as the teacher is teaching us. That is a fairy good description of what we are used to doing, and it is a clear definition of synchronous learning.
On the other hand, an asynchronous learning platform is one in which the student is learning at one’s own pace, with material that the student finds available. A student does not need to be in touch with the teacher or other students. A student can proceed at their own pace, learning what they need to learn. They can look up the answers to their questions, much like a question and answer chapter in textbooks. There is no interaction with anyone at this point. It is the student and the computer screen or a book, and the student learns at whatever pace they have set for themselves.
A case in point would be where the student, rather than taking an online course where they must be present at certain times, instead will look up the answers on the Internet and interact only with the computer keyboard in their search for answers to study questions. It is asynchronous in the respect that it is not synchronized with other students or even a teacher, or a classroom setting.
This terminology basically refers to the Internet only. A student can move through the curricula at their own pace, without having to meet certain scheduling times. This would be perfection for someone who is capable of readily learning on their own, rather than being in a group. If their schedules prevent them from attending an online class, they can still participate by being on their own.
There is no interactive environment in which the student can engage with others, however. To truly have in effective learning experience, one must combine the two: synchronous and asynchronous, in order for the instructor to determine the individual student’s progress. Otherwise, the entire point of the course of the study is lost. A good idea would be to have one-third synchronous with two-thirds asynchronous. Just about anyone could arrange such a schedule around their current job or other personal commitments.
