M3S2: Tools for digital education.

At the end of this session, you will be able to –

• Select appropriate tools for synchronous online instruction, and
• Identify the germane tools for asynchronous online instruction.
The model that we used for the classifying conventional instructional methods on the two variables of
learner autonomy and group size can also be used to categorise the online instructional methods. In
the same model, we can further categorise synchronous and asynchronous approaches.
As you can see, the horizontal axis represents learner autonomy, and the vertical axis represents the
group size. When the learner autonomy is minimal, and the group size is large, we can select the large
group approaches for synchronous mode such as web-streaming, and podcasts; for the asynchronous
mode it could be recorded videos.
With the learner autonomy remaining minimal, if the group size is relatively smaller, the synchronous
examples could be live chat, or WhatsApp Group Messaging or video call, and asynchronous method
could be recorded video also.
As the learner autonomy shifts in favour of the learner, and the group size is relatively small, the
synchronous methods could be Group Mail, Web Conferencing, Discussion Boards, and Blogs /
Wikis / Tweets; and the asynchronous methods could be Group mail, and Blogs / Wikis / Tweets.
With the autonomy still in favour of the students, if the size shrinks further, the synchronous method
could be telephone talk, and the asynchronous methods are quite abundant with blogs, emails,
WhatsApp, text documents, and in more technologically evolved situations Simulated Lab, and
immersive learning with Artificial Intelligence, and Virtual Reality.
At the end of this session, are you able to –
• Select appropriate tools for synchronous online instruction, and
• Identify the germane tools for asynchronous online instruction.