Synchronous
Overview
Synchronous training is training that happens in real time. The student and instructor need to be online at the same time. The training can be video, audio, slide presentation, chat, etc.
Synchronous training has several advantages over asynchronous:
- Students feel more comfortable knowing that their is someone "out there" with a voice or face.
- Students do not have to provide all the motivation for learning, as they do in asynchronous learning- they can allow the instructor to guide the learning.
- Questions are answered immediately.
- It most closely mimics classroom training - social issues are less of a factor for students
Perhaps the biggest drawback to synchronous training is the need for students and instructor to be online at the same time. This is a concern for students with a busy schedule, or from different time zones. Other drawbacks include the need for sound and video (may require sound cards or downloads - not always an option in some organizations), development of presentation skills, the need (usually) for extra staff.
Of all the various elearning tools and programs currently available, synchronous training most closely resembles the classroom experience - instructor presents, students listen. This may explain their increased popularity over the last several years. One of the most significant advantages of using a synchronous platform (like HorizonLive, Centra, PlaceWare) is the reduction in travel and accommodation costs to an organization. Information can be broadcast across a divers geographical area with only a fraction of the cost of bringing all staff/students to a physical location. |
Resources
Mimicking
the Classroom
"For thousands of years, people have learned in classrooms, face-to-face
with an instructor. All of us discovered how to read, the interior of
a frog, or the correct way to pronounce parlez vous francais in a classroom.
It should come as no surprise, then, that the classroom paradigm still
ranks, far and away, as the primary means for training people in corporations.
Some estimate that nearly 80 percent of the training in a corporate setting
continues to come by way of the classroom. While many methods of delivering
training by electronic means have yet to firmly establish themselves in
the corporate arena, the one that most closely mimics the classroom is
gaining a solid foothold."
Key
Factors in Synchronous Delivery
"Sometimes it's less about the technology and more about the content
that makes for a winning synchronous session."
Making
Synchronous Training a Success
"How do you prepare to conduct a live training session over the Internet?
A consultant specializing in synchronous delivery offers some dos and
don'ts for organizations interested in applying the technology."
Designing
and Delivering Live, Online Training
"There are many in the training industry today who are looking to
live, online training as a way to retain workers, reduce travel expenses,
keep employees and customers up to date, and, in general, keep up with
the rapid increase of learning that must take place to remain competitive."
Synchronous
Exercises from Scratch
"Organizations that invest in synchronous training products have
visions of brilliant collaboration taking place across the bandwidth.
Why then are so many synchronous programs still designed to highlight
the "Sage on Stage?""
ISD
for Live E-Learning
"Ready to ride the live e-learning wave? Before you make the move
to the virtual classroom, consider your instructional design strategy."
Elements
of Group Interaction in a Real-Time Synchronous Online Learning-By-Doing
Classroom Without F2F Participation
"Individuals interacting as a community of learners were observed
constructing transformative knowledge in an interactive, real-time eClassroom
designed and implemented for teaching a university level course at the
Applied Human Sciences Department, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada."
24
Hours in the Life of a Synchronous Trainer
"The following events at an internal training department are based
on real facts. Names have been changed to protect the innocent--and my
job."
Synchronous
Team Teaching: Put Your Heads Together
"In the new virtual environment, many trainers opt not to take advantage
of all of the tools available to increase interaction. They can'tsee themselves
being able to multi-task to the extent required, so they limit participant
use of chat, whiteboard tools, and other interactive features of the synchronous
classroom. The trainer's role is then reduced to pushing content and lecturing,
instead of facilitating interactions and knowledge sharing."
An
Instructor's Guide to Live E-Learning
"Before you move from the traditional classroom to e-learning, you
may want to double-check your stand-up trainer’s toolkit. You'll
find that much of your traditional training expertise is transferable
to the online classroom. If you still need help on figuring out how to
extend the online learning experience, try these tips."
Guidelines
for Live e-learning sessions
"Live e-learning using virtual classroom tools such as Centra or
InterWise is a very different model for e-learning than web-based self-paced
content. Live e-learning is probably the closest e-quivalent of running
an instructor-led session online and has many of the same dynamics of
the classroom but gives us many of the benefits of e-learning. This article
focuses on discussing some of the issues associated with successfully
running a live e-learning session."
Combining
Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning
"With the emergence and fast-paced evolution of distance learning,
educators must balance the need for any time, any place activities with
the necessity of teaching team dynamics and face to face communication.
Combining asynchronous individual assignments with minimally structured,
synchronous, collaborative assignments will increase the level of learning
achieved by students."
Synchronous Platforms
Interwise
"Interwise delivers products and services that provide all of your
live and on-demand collaboration, communication and eLearning needs in
one platform - widely recognized as the most superior web-based technology
available today. This is an ultimate testament to the implementation of
the company's visionary leadership, top-notch research and development,
and focused implementation of leading-edge products and services. "
HorizonLive
"HorizonLive.com, Inc. is a leading provider of synchronous platforms
supporting live, web-based collaboration, elearning, web conferencing,
and interactive webcasts."
Centra
"At Centra, we are committed to one goal: to provide superior Web
collaboration solutions that not only enable the delivery of information
in a variety of live and self-service formats, but also add unprecedented
value through capabilities to capture interactions and content, personalize
and manage information, and instantly re-use it across the enterprise."
LearnLinc
"An instructor-led, interactive virtual classroom featuring IP audioconferencing
with multiple synchronized content choices and learning tools."
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