Asynchronous tools are seen when two or more events happen at different times. This could be valuable in the classroom in the sense that they are available at any time in any place. This makes it easier for the student to get the work done in the time frame that works best for the student.
An example of an asynchronous tool could be emailing a professor. The message will be sent to the professor at the time you click send, but they may not see it right away. Therefore the communication is still happening, but asynchronously. The only problem with this type of communication would be the delayed responses.
Synchronous tools are seen when two or more events happen at the same time. This could be valuable in the classroom because feedback is quick and allows for real-time collaboration. This could make group projects easier to complete, and for the students to check in with each other.
An example of a synchronous tool could be students setting up a time to log on and collaborate. This would allow for richer conversation during the meeting time. The only problem with this type of communication would be collaborating across time zones, making it difficult to connect.
