3.3 Audio Communication

As it's name denotes, podcasts are meant to be broadcasted to many people. By design they are a one-to-many communication tool. In contrast, audio can also be used for one-to-one communication. This is nothing new and is as old as the telephone itself. Compared to podcasts, audio communication is more impromptu, spontaneous, and personalized. On this page, we will discuss the use of synchronous and asynchronous audio communication.

Synchronous Audio Communication

Phone calls are perhaps the most underused technology technology in online courses. Research has found that online students prefer to communicate using text. However, many issues can be resolved when online teachers have a short phone call with a student, as explained in the video to the right.

Asynchronous Audio Communication

Phone calls can be difficult to schedule with students and there is no record of conversation that students can refer back to. It can also be easier for teachers to record than it is for them to type detailed comments. In the video the right one instructor explains how to he uses http://vocaroo.com/ to record student feedback.