Asynchronous Tools
Asynchronous tools enable communication and collaboration over a period of time through a
"different time different place" mode. These tools allow people to
connect together at each person's own convenience and own schedule.
Asynchronous tools are useful for sustaining dialogue and collaboration over a
period of time and providing people with resources and information that are
instantly accessible, day or night. Asynchronous tools possess the advantage of
being able to involve people from multiple time zones. In addition,
asynchronous tools are helpful in capturing the history of the interactions of
a group, allowing for collective knowledge to be more easily shared and
distributed. The primary drawback of asynchronous technologies is that they
require some discipline to use when used for ongoing communities of practice
(e.g., people typically must take the initiative to "login" to
participate) and they may feel "impersonal" to those who prefer
higher-touch synchronous technologies.
Synchronous Tool
Synchronous tools enable real-time communication and collaboration
in a "same time-different place" mode. These tools allow people to
connect at a single point in time, at the same time. Synchronous tools possess
the advantage of being able to engage people instantly and at the same point in
time. The primary drawback of synchronous tools is that, by definition, they
require same-time participation -different time zones and conflicting schedules
can create communication challenges. In addition, they tend to be costly and
may require significant bandwidth to be efficient.
Referent By: Julia Ashley , iCohere
http://www.asaecenter.org/Resources/articledetail.cfm?itemnumber=13572
