Abstract:

This study focuses on a comparison of Synchronous and Asynchronous Distance Learning, based on the learner’s perspective, using a single group of Students subjected simultaneously to both methods, in two separate courses. An eighth semester class of a Mechanical Engineering Educators’ department has attended two Distance Learning courses: one completely Synchronous and one completely Asynchronous. Being Signors in an Engineering Department and Trained Educators at the same time, the students of this class had also attended traditional face-to face lectures in the past and were able to reliably assess various aspects of these two Distance Learning methods by means of direct evaluations of their characteristics and by comparison to traditional face-to-face teaching. The survey took place at the end of the semester, using on-line questionnaires. Various dimensions of the learner’s perceptions were investigated like effectiveness and efficacy of each method, level of student interaction and level of achieved satisfaction. The study showed several serious indications regarding the similarities of the two methods and also some important differences in the field of understanding, consolidation of knowledge and management of learning time. Significant similarities of distance learning methods with the face-to face teaching method, in terms of the possibility of students interacting with each other and with the teacher, were also highlighted in the results of the survey.

Keywords:

Distance learning, Synchronous distance education, Asynchronous distance education, Comparative survey, Quantitative comparison.