Asynchronous 

Asynchronous Collaboration Applications:

Asynchronous collaboration does not happen at the same time or in real-time, examples include sending an email, posts in a forum, etc. (Lowenthal, 2022). 

Advantages of Asynchronous:

• Can collaborate at flexible times and from any location

• Documentation of collaboration process (ex: discussion forum or revision history)

• Can be used for one to one communication and one to many communication

• More time for reflection before responding, more meaningful contributions

• Contribution to discussion can be more evenly distributed

• More opportunity for students to share multiple perspectives

Disadvantages of Asynchronous:

• Tone of voice or body language is not accounted for

• No immediate feedback

• Difficult to keep track of collaboration (can be overwhelming)

• Information must be organized with filters otherwise it is hard to retrieve collaborations

• Could lack true 'social presence'

• Learners may feel less engaged due to delayed response time to forum posts or questions

• Irregular or inconsistent contribution by individuals can affect the richness of discussion and learning

Asynchronous Collaborative Tools