Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Making Decisions About Asynchronous and Synchronous Engagement Strategies: Access and Inclusion

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Learning: Design, Engagement and Definition

Abstract

This chapter conceptualizes an inclusive framework for decision-making in the selection of synchronous or asynchronous technologies to enhance engagement in online learning. Technologies are discussed in light of their utilization and value for course and curriculum design and development in online environments, with the considerations of providing sustained support, and optimizing technology and teaching efficacy. The content presented in the chapter will benefit those who develop and support synchronous and asynchronous learning environments to address challenges when transferring courses to online or hybrid modes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Araújo, F. J. O., Lima, L. S. A., Cidade, P. I. M., Nobre, C. B., & Neto, M. L. R. (2020). Letter to the editor: Impact of sars-cov-2 and its reverberation in global higher education and mental health. Psychiatry Research, 288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112977

  • Bonk, C. J. (2020). Pandemic ponderings, 30 years to today: Synchronous signals, saviors, or survivors? Distance Education, 41(4), 589–599.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Correia, A. P., Liu, C., & Xu, F. (2020). Evaluating videoconferencing systems for the quality of the educational experience. Distance Education, 41(4), 429–452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dailey-Hebert, A. (2018). Maximizing interactivity in online learning: Moving beyond discussion boards. Journal of Educators Online, 15(3), 65–90. https://doi.org/10.9743/jeo.2018.15.3.8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erickson, S., Neilson, C., O’Halloran, R., Bruce, C., & McLaughlin, E. (2020). ‘I was quite surprised it worked so well’: Student and facilitator perspectives of synchronous online Problem Based Learning. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelfer, J. I., & Nguyen, N. (2019). An undergraduate inclusive teacher preparation programme in early childhood education: An online delivery approach. Early Child Development and Care, 189(4), 650–658.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goode, J., Peterson, K., & Chapman, G. (2020). Online professional development for computer science teachers: Gender-inclusive instructional design strategies. International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 11(3), 394–404.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gronseth, S. (2018). Inclusive design for online and blended courses: Connecting web content accessibility guidelines and universal design for learning. Educational Renaissance, 7, 14–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hale, J. A. (2019). Technology in practice: Using web-conferencing software for synchronous class meetings. Community College Enterprise, 25(1), 80–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, D. J., & Davis, R. A. (2007). Engaging multiple perspectives: A value-based decision-making model. Decision Support Systems, 43(4), 1588–1604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2006.03.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henriksen, D., Creely, E., & Henderson, M. (2020). Folk pedagogies for teacher transitions: Approaches to synchronous online learning in the wake of COVID-19. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 28(2), 201–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, E. B. (2019). The centrality of teaching presence: Using multiple modes to facilitate collaborative active engagement in a synchronous teacher online learning community. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 30(2), 107–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hummel, R., Lowry, G., Pinkney, T., & Zadoff, L. (2018). An inquiry into creating and supporting engagement in online courses. IGI Global. Retrieved from https://educate.bankstreet.edu/faculty-staff/31

  • Jacobi, L. (2017). The structure of discussions in an online communication course: What do students find most effective? Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 14(1).

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, M., Ballenger, J., & Holt, W. (2019). Educational leadership doctoral students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of instructional strategies and course design in a fully online graduate statistics course. Online Learning, 23(4), 296–312. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v23i4.1568

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joiner, J. M., & Patterson, D. (2019). VoiceThread as a tool in online BSW education. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 39(4–5), 440–454. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2019.1649787

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Judge, T. A., Bono, J. E., Ilies, R., & Gerhardt, M. W. (2002). Personality and leadership: A qualitative and quantitative review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 765.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahai, S. S., Sosik, J. J., & Avolio, B. J. (2004). Effects of participative and directive leadership in electronic groups. Group & Organization Management, 29(1), 67–105. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601103252100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karkar-Esperat, T. M. (2018). International graduate students’ challenges and learning experiences in online classes. Journal of International Students, 8(4), 1722–1735.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kutsch, E., & Hall, M. (2005). Intervening conditions on the management of project risk: Dealing with uncertainty in information technology projects. International Journal of Project Management, 23(8), 591–599.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, C.-S., & Irby, B. (2008). An overview of online education: Attractiveness, benefits, challenges, concerns and recommendations. College Student Journal, 42(2), 449–458.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, L.-C., Hung, I.-C., & Kinshuk, & Chen, N.-S. (2019). The impact of student engagement on learning outcomes in a cyber-flipped course. Educational Technology Research & Development, 67(6), 1573–1591. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09698-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, J. C., & Alexander, R. (2017). Factors affecting faculty use of video conferencing in teaching: A mixed-method study. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE), 10(2), 37–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, J. C., & Kaye, E. R. (2016). Preparing online learning readiness with learner-content interaction: Design for scaffolding self-regulated learning. In Handbook of research on strategic management of interaction, presence, and participation in online courses (pp. 216–243). IGI Global.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, J. C., Spector, J. M., Lockee, B. B., & Childress, M. (2018). Design of innovative learning environment: An activity system perspective. In M. J. Spector, B. B. Lockee, & M. D. Childress (Eds.), (2019). Learning, Design, and Technology: An International Compendium of Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Springer International Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, F., & Bolliger, D. U. (2018). Engagement matters: Student perceptions on the importance of engagement strategies in the online learning environment. Online Learning, 22(1), 205–222. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v22i1.1092

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, H. (2020). Best practices for implementing remote learning during a pandemic. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues, and Ideas, 93(3), 134–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2020.1751480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pang, L., & Jen, C. C. (2018). Inclusive dyslexia-friendly collaborative online learning environment: Malaysia case study. Education and Information Technologies, 23, 1023–1042.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, S. J., Walumbwa, F. O., Avolio, B. J., & Hannah, S. T. (2012). The relationship between authentic leadership and follower job performance: The mediating role of follower positivity in extreme contexts. The Leadership Quarterly, 23(3), 502–516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2011.12.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petzold, A. M. (2020). Letter to the editor: Resources and recommendations for a quick transition to online instruction in physiology. Advances in Physiology Education, 44(2), 217–219. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00049.2020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reilly, K. (2020). The online learning divide: School closures are leaving students without home computers or internet behind. Time, 195(12/13), 38–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, K. (2011). Servant-leadership as gender-integrative leadership. Journal of Leadership Education, 10(2), 155–171. https://doi.org/10.12806/v10/i2/rf8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, L. M. & McCluney, C. L. (2020, June 17). Working from home while black, Harvard Business Review.https://hbr.org/2020/06/working-from-home-while-black

  • Robinson, F. (2011). Stop talking and listen: Discourse ethics and feminist care ethics in international political theory. Millennium, 39(3), 845–860. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305829811401176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers-Shaw, C., Carr-Chellman, D. J., & Choi, J. (2018). Universal Design for Learning: Guidelines for Accessible Online Instruction. Adult Learning, 29(1), 20–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1045159517735530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sansosti, J. M., & Sansosti, F. J. (2012). Inclusion for students with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders: Definitions and decision making. Psychology in the Schools, 49(10), 917–931.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simon, H. A. (1959). Theories of decision-making in economics and behavioral science. The American Economic Review, 49(3), 253–283.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. T. (2019). Making the connection: Broadband access and online course enrollment at public open admissions institutions. Research in Higher Education, 60, 960–999. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-018-9539-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, S. U., Hayes, S., & Shea, P. (2017). A critical review of the use of Wenger’s Community of Practice (CoP) theoretical framework in online and blended learning research, 2000–2014. Online Learning, 21(1), 209–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snelling, J., & Fingal, D. (2020). “10 strategies for online learning during a coronavirus outbreak,” ISTE Blog, https://www.iste.org/explore/learning-during-covid-19/10-strategies-online-learning-during-coronavirus-outbreak (retrieved June 14, 2020).

  • Spears, L. C. (1995). Reflections on leadership: How Robert K. Greenleaf’s theory of servant-leadership influenced today’s top management thinkers. John Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spears, L. C. (2010). Character and servant leadership: Ten characteristics of effective, caring leaders. The Journal of Virtues & Leadership, 1(1), 25–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinert, Y. (2010). Faculty development: from workshops to communities of practice. Medical Teacher, 32(5), 425–428.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stone, A. G., Russell, R. F., & Patterson, K. (2004). Transformational versus servant leadership: A difference in leader focus. Leadership and Organization Development Journal, 25(4), 349–361. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730410538671

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Dierendonck, D., & Nuijten, I. (2010). The servant leadership survey: Development and validation of a multidimensional measure. Journal of Business and Psychology, 26(3), 249–267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-010-9194-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Dierendonck, D., & Patterson, K. (2015). Compassionate love as a cornerstone of servant leadership: An integration of previous theorizing and research. Journal of Business Ethics, 128(1), 119–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2085-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, R. M. (2003). Online learning in higher education: A review of research on interactions among teachers and students. Education, Communication & Information, 3(2), 241–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warschauer, M., Knobel, M., & Stone, L. (2004). Technology and equity in schooling: Deconstructing the digital divide. Educational Policy, 18(4), 562–588.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA

    Jessica Lantz, Eric Stauffer, Jamie Calcagno-Roach, Andrea Adams, Kristen Shuyler, Aaron Noland & Juhong Christie Liu

Authors
  1. Jessica Lantz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Eric Stauffer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jamie Calcagno-Roach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Andrea Adams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Kristen Shuyler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Aaron Noland
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Juhong Christie Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jessica Lantz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Design, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA

    Brad Hokanson

  2. Learning Design and Technology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Marisa Exter

  3. Graduate Programs Office, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA

    Amy Grincewicz

  4. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Matthew Schmidt

  5. Instruction Curriculum Leadership, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA

    Andrew A. Tawfik

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Lantz, J. et al. (2021). Making Decisions About Asynchronous and Synchronous Engagement Strategies: Access and Inclusion. In: Hokanson, B., Exter, M., Grincewicz, A., Schmidt, M., Tawfik, A.A. (eds) Learning: Design, Engagement and Definition. Educational Communications and Technology: Issues and Innovations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85078-4_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85078-4_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-85077-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-85078-4

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation