Synchronous vs Asynchronous learning: which is better?

To build up a team you can rely on to work together effectively, you need to ensure that your staff has good soft skills that enable them to do this well. Only by improving the soft skills of individual employees can you ensure that your team sees success overall. There are a few ways you can help your employees, one being through courses designed to teach them soft skills. But which is better, synchronous or asynchronous learning? Read on to find out which is the better option for your employees.

What is synchronous learning?

Synchronous learning is when a teacher or instructor and a group of students are gathered together at the same time for the learning to take place. This can be in a classroom, in person, or gathering together in an online call for example. As long as all the learners are being taught at the same time, this can be counted as synchronous.

What is asynchronous learning?

Asynchronous learning involves students having the ability to access learning materials and documents to learn at their own pace, usually over a longer amount of time. They may still interact with other learners, but this is less frequent and generally, the learning is led by the student themselves, therefore meaning the time it takes is also dictated by the learner.

Which kind of learning is better?

Generally, synchronous learning offers a more in-depth method of learning and means that students get the most from the courses. It can be argued that asynchronous learning is better for allowing learners to fit training or courses around their lifestyles, however, it also means they don’t have the chance to share ideas, converse with peers and tutors or get real-time feedback which is all vital to the majority of learning.

Synchronous learning is thought to be better for promoting engagement and therefore means that offering instructor-led online courses is conducive to making sure your employees are benefitting from their training, as well as showing them that you care about their careers. This is something that is proven to improve staff loyalty and employee retention, so investing in your staff’s soft skills is not only growing their ability to communicate and build your team, but it is also ensuring you have a stable group that will continue to support your business with dedication.

Where can you find synchronous learning courses?

Now that you are clear on all the benefits of synchronous learning, you can start choosing the best courses for your staff. Phoenix offers instructor-led online or in-person training for a huge variety of soft skills so you can simply select the ones that are right for your team and let the instructor do the hard work with your employees. Get the best out of your team today and choose Phoenix to upskill your staff.

Sources:

https://nomadiclearning.com/blog/2022/02/asynchronous-vs-synchronous-learning-for-remote-learner-engagement-how-about-something-in-between