Synchronous vs Asynchronous Learning [Compared]

Synchronous vs asynchronous learning, which should you use for employee development?

Online learning is becoming more and more prevalent and so is the focus on synchronous vs asynchronous for employee learning. It’s not just the fact that elearning is less expensive and easier for contractor employees to access but it offers a better learning experience.

With that said, we’d like to explore the two components of e-learning, synchronous and asynchronous.

What is synchronous and asynchronous learning?

If you aren’t familiar with synchronous and asynchronous learning, let’s define what each one is in terms of employee learning.

Synchronous learning

Synchronous learning happens in real or actual time. In other words, this could be a conference call with an instructor-led training course. Or this could also be a group collaboration training session. Other examples would be live chats and live-streaming lectures.

Asynchronous learning

On the other hand, asynchronous learning happens on your own schedule. For example, you are assigned courses through a learning email and you take these classes when they work best. There may be a specific date you must complete these courses, but you still choose which day and time work best for you. Some examples would be PowerPoint presentations, pre-recorded video presentations, or assessment-style training modules.

The difference between synchronous vs asynchronous learning

The main difference between synchronous and asynchronous learning is when the training occurs. Synchronous learning happens in real-time during an in-person or online instructor-led training program. Asynchronous learning can happen whenever the employee feels they can learn best: before, during, or even after work

What are the advantages of synchronous learning?

• Increased interaction: Online learning is great, but for some employees, there’s a disconnect. The material is presented, learned and applied, but there is no human element. However, when you use synchronous learning, employees can interact with co-workers and the instructors. It humanizes the training.
  

• Instant feedback: If you have a question, comment or want to share your thoughts, synchronous learning lets you do so on the spot. Not only does this help address anything from the course you wish to clarify, but it can help your co-workers as well. And it lets you ask or get feedback before you forget your train of thought.
  

• Deeper subject knowledge: When you have a real-time conversation about a topic, you understand it better. Co-workers and instructors can paint a better picture of why you are learning what you are learning and why it will benefit you once back on the job.

What are the advantages of asynchronous learning?

• Can learn at your own pace: With asynchronous learning, employees can take a course as slow as they want to. If there is a particular module that they don’t understand, they can easily spend more time on it versus others.
  

• Cost-effective: Asynchronous learning is less expensive. Instead of hiring facilitators and trainers to run online courses, training modules can be pre-recorded and even used more than one time. For example, if you offer a training course in communications, you can use the same video snippets as you may have used in a team building training session.
  

• Flexible: If you employ team members globally, everyone can take the training on their own time and on their own timezone. Also, if you employ freelancers or contractors who may be taking your corporate training, asynchronous learning gives them the freedom to train when it works best around their current client workload. 
  

• Chance to review: You have the opportunity to make sure your training sessions are as successful as possible before you post them. And if changes need to be made, you have the time to do so.

How do you incorporate synchronous and asynchronous learning?

Now that you know the advantages of both types of learning, you may wonder which one is best to use for continuous employee learning? The answer-  both are useful given different situations. 

Synchronous methods

First let’s discuss synchronous learning. It’s best to think of it as online classroom learning. So when you need to book training onsite, this presents an easier solution. If you need to brainstorm ideas or problem solve, synchronous learning is great. It also works well for applying concepts and collaborating on how those concepts would work in real-life examples. 

Here are a few ways to use synchronous learning.

E-Classroom sessions

These are lessons, lectures or workshops that are led by an instructor. They can teach a new skill or introduce a new concept to use in day to day business operations.

Coaching or mentoring courses

Another example of synchronous learning is teaching soft skills like workplace communication or mentoring younger team members. Or on the flip side, this may be an outside coach who works with senior management on how to become better leaders. 

Webinars

In a webinar format, only the instructor is allowed to talk. All the participants use text chat to send questions to the instructor. And this class facilitator takes time to field questions or gage feedback during select times during the webinar.

Live Streams

Typically live streaming as it relates to synchronous learning is run through a company’s social media channel. This would be a private Facebook group not open to the public, but rather internal employees. It would feature an instructor demonstrating a “how-to” style class like operating a new product so employees could learn for themselves. Employees are able to upvote the video as well as comment on what they have seen.

Asynchronous methods

On the other hand, Asynchronous methods involve getting training content, taking assessments and gathering feedback without one timetable attached. Basically, this training exists and can be accessed several times by various employees. And there doesn’t need to be a facilitator or administrator present to begin the training.

Here are a few ways to use asynchronous learning:

Videos

Training videos are a great way to use synchronous learning. Just remember to keep videos short so you maintain the attention span of the learner. They should also be professionally shot using an outside vendor, with the aid of a video app or some learning management providers offering help with videos as well.

Labs

Another training method for self-paced learning is virtual labs. These labs offer ways to teach new skills without having to go in an in-person classroom setting. For example, if you want to teach programmers a new programming language, a virtual lab could be used to walk through the basic steps of how to program in this new language by logging in and following along on their own desktop. 

Social media or discussions

While self-based classes have their positives, one drawback is less peer-to-peer interaction. One way to counteract this is by adding a social media or discussion component to your asynchronous learning. That way, once the training module is complete or if an employee is stuck grasping a certain concept mid-training, they can ask their questions to fellow team members and get feedback.

Gamification 

While asynchronous learning offers flexibility, it can also cause some employees to not take the training seriously. If for example, they don’t see the value in a certain training module, they could simply go through the motions and not truly absorb what is being taught. But if you break the training up with gamification, it not only makes the subject matter more interesting, but it holds employees’ interest better than other formats.