Synchronous communication is when all parties involved in the communication are present at the same time. Examples include phone calls, meetings, video conferences, chat rooms and instant messaging. The benefit of synchronous communication is that all parties involved can discuss and debate a topic and reach conclusions and complete tasks in real time by allowing simulaneous collaboration.
Asynchronous communication does not require all parties involved in the communication to be present and available at the same time. Examples include emails, discussion boards and text messages. The benefit of asynchronous communication is that it can take place of a longer amount of time, which can allow for research, review and feedback. It can allow people from different places to communicate and collaborate when it suits them. While this form of communication may not yield results as quick as synchronous communication it is still a very effective form of communication in many situations.
Effective learning can definitely be enhanced by collaborative communication, which can be assisted by both synchronous and asynchronous communication. Current trends are further confirming that collaboration is an integral part of the learning process, and new and improving communication techniques can aid this in many ways.
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