Abstract
PurposeThis research aims to study the students' perspectives on synchronous and asynchronous learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Both synchronous and asynchronous learning approaches used in online education have positive and negative outcomes. Hence, the aim is to study online education's positive and negative consequences, reflecting sync and async approaches. This research followed a mixed research approach. The key stakeholders of this research are the Indian educational institutions and students.Design/methodology/approachThis research collected data from the students undergoing synchronous and asynchronous learning amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic. The data were collected (N = 655) from various students taking online classes during the pandemic. A questionnaire survey was distributed to the students through online platforms to collect the data. In this research, the authors have collected data using simple random sampling, and the same has been used for data analysis using SPSS version 26. The collected data were exposed to a factor analysis using a principal component analysis technique to reduce the vast dimensions.FindingsThe study findings show that synchronous learning is sometimes stressful, placing more responsibility on students mainly because of the increased screen time. At the same time, asynchronous learning allows the students to self-explore and research the topics assigned to them. Students also felt that asynchronous activities create a burden because of many written assignments to be submitted within a short period. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for the students and the teachers. However, teachers have helped students to learn through digital platforms. The majority of the respondents opined that technological disruptions and death in the family circle had been significant reasons for not concentrating during online classes. However, the combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning has led to a balanced education.Practical implicationsHigher education has undergone multiple transformations in a short period (from March 2020, 2021 and beyond). Educational institutions underwent a rapid transition in remote teaching and learning in the initial stages. As time progressed, educational institutions did course navigation where they relooked into their course plans, syllabus and brought a structural change to match the pandemic requirements. Meanwhile, educational institutions slowly equipped themselves with infrastructure facilities to bring academic integrity. At present, educational institutions are ready to face the new normality without disrupting services to society.Social implicationsEducational institutions create intellectual capital, which is important for the development of the economy. In the light of COVID-19, there are new methods and approaches newly introduced or old methods and approaches, which are reimplemented, and these approaches always work for the benefit of the student community.Originality/valueThe authors collected data during the COVID-19 pandemic; it helped capture the students' experience about synchronous and asynchronous learning. Students and faculty members are newly exposed to synchronous and asynchronous learning, and hence, it is essential to determine the outcome that will help many stakeholders.
Highlights
An intellectual asset is a part of intellectual capital, which helps in earning capabilities in the future
Faculty members were trained through different Quality Improvement Program and Faculty Development Programs to relook into certain components such as course design, course resources, teaching aids, grading instructions, nature of assignments and grading procedures and so on
Our study analyzes the students’ perception of synchronous and asynchronous learning approaches represented in the form of positive and negative outcomes during the COVID-19 crisis
Summary
An intellectual asset is a part of intellectual capital, which helps in earning capabilities in the future. Though India has not been fully developed in means of infrastructural facilities and quality education, there are new policies and regulations such as the New Education Policy 2020 to enhance the quality of Indian educational system, says Freire-Garabal and Nun~ez (2020) Educational institutions trained their faculty members to follow and implement the fundamentals of hybrid teaching to create a new experience for the student communities in the post-lockdown. To better facilitate teaching-learning, educational institutions witnessed “Hybrid Pedagogy,” a new method to use technology to create a better learning environment for students on-campus and for students on the online platforms at the same time These hybrid sessions reduced the face time and allowed students to experience technology-enhanced activity for students outside of class. These predictors from the analyzed results will help the institution, teachers, students and all the connected stakeholders to frame new strategies and take decisions when required
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