Synchronous or Asynchronous Course: Business Students’ Perspectives on an Optimized Modality of Online Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Colleges and universities in the United States swiftly shifted campus-based classes to virtual spaces as a response to extended campus closures necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Synchronous online courses were mandated as a replacement for traditional face-to-face classes in many higher education institutions. We understand that the benefits and drawbacks of synchronous courses need to be reviewed in this environment that has been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Thus, two survey studies were conducted in the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters. The findings in Study 1 reveal that students felt more isolated in their studying in the early phase of the pandemic, which increased their preference for the synchronous modality. The results of Study 2 suggest that the perceived isolation effect no longer held. The results from both studies confirm that students prefer an equal split between synchronous and asynchronous components for conceptual courses but prefer additional synchronous components for quantitative courses. A series of regression analyses was conducted to account for such preferences. The results urge educators and administrators to develop a hybrid approach that leverages the benefits of synchronous and asynchronous courses and optimizes online learning and teaching experiences.

The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on business students’ future preference for online courses

“…Second, there was statistically significant evidence, in support of H2a, that students forced into remote learning during the pandemic were less likely to want to continue learning using the online modality (keeping all other factors constant). Our results echo Wu and You (2022), who observed that how a student evaluated a synchronous remote‐learning course overall shaped their preferences going forward.…”

“…However, regarding H2e, the importance of care of family members becomes significant in the multivariate analysis likely after any indirect mediating effects with other variables (such as household size) are included. This factor increased a student's desire to take an online course and aligns with recent news of students with caregiving responsibilities inclining toward permanent hybrid learning (Wu & You, 2022). However, since this variable was not significant in the univariate analysis, it is not emphasized in Table 4.…”

“…However, Wu and You (2022) used a repeated survey to demonstrate that California business students' opin-ions regarding online (both synchronous and asynchronous) coursework improved over time (fall 2020 to spring 2021), with greater preference for an online synchronous course design in quantitative subjects. Further, research in Germany suggested that the synchronous online method could assist in supporting greater social interaction and psychological needs (Fabriz et al, 2021).…”

Exploring the Diverse Impact of Music on Alleviating Academic Stress in University Students during the Post-Pandemic Era

“…The existing research literature indicates that such forms of communication often drive high engagement due to its real-time nature; however, it can be highly challenging for the students as it enforces preestablished structures and learner discipline [29] [30]. Previous research on gender-based differences in synchronous and asynchronous learning suggests that male students typically favor the former.…”

Teaching with Chunking in Synchronous Classes: The Influence on University Students’ Intrinsic Motivation

“…Synchronous classes are educational spaces for real-time online connections; they allow for the sharing of activities between students and teachers; and they constitute a joint and interrelated teaching-learning academic experience. In this virtual-synchronous space, the teacher can assess the students' learning progress and provide feedback, based on the challenges that the student encounters (Wu & You, 2022;Moallem, 2015).…”