COMPARING THE IMPACT OF SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE LEARNING ON STUDENT RETENTION AND SATISFACTION

Oumaima Chafouk, Driss Marjanei

Abstract


This study investigates the effect of synchronous and asynchronous online learning methods on learners’ retention and satisfaction. The research aims to answer two primary questions: (1) Does real-time interaction in synchronous learning foster better short-term and long-term retention compared to asynchronous learning? (2) Are students more satisfied with the flexibility of asynchronous learning or the engagement of synchronous learning? A sample of 30 intermediate-level English learners was randomly divided into two groups: one receiving a synchronous lesson via Google Meet or Preply virtual classroom, and the other accessing an asynchronous lesson via pre-recorded video and PDF materials. The results of independent t-tests and paired t-tests revealed no statistically significant difference in retention between the groups, although both showed a slight decline in performance over time. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests indicated that the synchronous group reported higher engagement and a positive impact of interaction on understanding, while the asynchronous group appreciated flexibility. However, there was no significant difference in overall satisfaction between the two groups. These findings suggest that while synchronous learning may offer greater engagement, both learning methods are similarly effective in terms of retention and satisfaction.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


online education, synchronous learning, asynchronous learning, student engagement, flexibility, retention

Full Text:

PDF

References


Anderson, T. (2003). Modes of interaction in distance education: Recent developments and research questions. In M. Moore & W. Anderson (Eds.), Handbook of Distance Education (pp. 129-144). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228981310_Modes_of_interaction_in_distance_education_Recent_developments_and_research_questions

Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2011). Three generations of distance education pedagogy. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 12(3), 80-97. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v12i3.890

Baba, M. M., & Murad, M. A. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on education in Iraq: The role of online learning platforms. Journal of Learning for Development, 7(2), 209-223. https://jl4d.org/index.php/ejl4d/article/view/385

Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Schmid, R. F., Tamim, R. M., & Abrami, P. C. (2014). A meta-analysis of blended learning and technology use in higher education: From the general to the applied. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 26(1), 87-122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-013-9077-3

Boelens, R., De Wever, B., & Voet, M. (2017). Four key challenges to the design of blended learning: A systematic literature review. Educational Research Review, 22, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2017.06.001

Chen, B., & Carliner, S. (2020). The effect of different types of interaction on learning outcomes in online education: A meta-analysis. Journal of Learning and Instruction, 65, 101-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2020.101117

Clark, R. C. (2020). E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning. John Wiley & Sons. https://www.wiley.com/enus/E+Learning+and+the+Science+of+Instruction%2C+4th+Edition-p-9781119603192

Dixson, M. D. (2010). Creating effective student engagement in online courses: What do students find engaging? Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10(2), 1-13. https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/josotl/article/view/1744

Garrison, D. R., & Vaughan, N. D. (2021). Blended learning in higher education: Framework, principles, and guidelines. John Wiley & Sons. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Blended+Learning+in+Higher+Education%3A+Framework%2C+Principles%2C+and+Guidelines-p-9781119261651

Giesbers, B., Rienties, B., Tempelaar, D., & Gijselaers, W. (2013). Investigating the impact of asynchronous and synchronous communication tools on the learning process. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 29(6), 547-558. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12009

Hrastinski, S. (2008). Asynchronous and synchronous e-learning. Educause Quarterly, 31(4), 51-55. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2008/11/asynchronous-and-synchronous-elearning

Kauffman, H. (2015). A review of predictive factors of student success in and satisfaction with online learning. Research in Learning Technology, 23, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v23.26507

Kayalar, F. (2021). The effects of synchronous and asynchronous learning environments on learners' retention of grammar knowledge in EFL contexts. Journal of Education and Learning, 10(3), 100-110. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v10n3p100

Ke, F., & Xie, K. (2009). Toward deep learning for adult students in online courses. The Internet and Higher Education, 12(3-4), 136-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.08.001

Lowenthal, P. R., Dunlap, J. C., & Snelson, C. (2020). Social presence and online learning: A review of research. Distance Education, 41(4), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2020.1821607

Means, B., Bakia, M., & Murphy, R. (2010). Learning online: What research tells us about whether, when, and how. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Learning-Online-What-Research-Tells-Us-About-Whether-When-and-How/Means-Bakia-Murphy/p/book/9780415998248

Moore, M. G., Dickson-Deane, C., & Galyen, K. (2011). e-Learning, online learning, and distance learning environments: Are they the same? The Internet and Higher Education, 14(2), 129-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.10.001

Rapanta, C., Botturi, L., Goodyear, P., Guàrdia, L., & Koole, M. (2020). Online university teaching during and after the Covid-19 crisis: Refocusing teacher presence and learning activity. Postdigital Science and Education, 2, 923-945. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-020-00155-y

Stone, C., & Springer, M. (2019). Interactivity, connectedness and ‘teacher-presence’: Engaging and retaining students online. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 35(5), 32-45. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.3740

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press. https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674576292

Watts, L. (2016). Synchronous and asynchronous communication in distance learning: A review of the literature. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 17(1), 23-32. https://www.infoagepub.com/products/Quarterly-Review-of-Distance-Education

Zheng, M., Bender, D., & Lyon, C. (2020). Online learning during COVID-19: Perceptions of university students. Education Sciences, 10(11), 292. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10110292




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v11i11.5605

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2024 Oumaima Chafouk, Driss Marjanei

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright © 2015-2023. European Journal of Education Studies (ISSN 2501 - 1111) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All authors who send their manuscripts to this journal and whose articles are published on this journal retain full copyright of their articles. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).