April 2012 Volume 15 Number 2 - Educational Technology & Society

Ge, Z.-G. (2012). Cyber Asynchronous versus Blended Cyber Approach in Distance English Learning. Educational Technology
& Society, 15 (2), 286–297.
Cyber Asynchronous versus Blended Cyber Approach in Distance English
Learning
Zi-Gang Ge
School of Network Education, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China // shouzhou11@126.com
(Submitted Novemnber 6, 2010; Revised February 12, 2011; Accepted March 26, 2011)
ABSTRACT
This study aims to compare the single cyber asynchronous learning approach with the blended cyber learning
approach in distance English education. Two classes of 70 students participated in this study, which lasted one
semester of about four months, with one class using the blended approach for their English study and the other
only using the cyber asynchronous approach. Students’ final scores were collected and processed at the end of
the semester. The null hypothesis was that there would be no significant differences in the outcomes of the two
approaches. But the data obtained repudiates the null hypothesis and shows that although both approaches
improved students’ performance, the blended approach could bring a significantly better result for adult elearners
in their English study than the single cyber asynchronous approach. The questionnaire survey at the end
of the study indicates that cyber synchronous learning can provide students with some unique help which cannot
be obtained in cyber asynchronous learning.
Keywords
Cyber synchronous learning, Cyber asynchronous learning, Blended cyber approach, Online courses
Introduction
With the fast development of broadband Internet and computer technologies, online courses and thus cyber
asynchronous learning have been employed more and more often for exchanging information between instructors
and students, and between students and their peers (Hew et al., 2010). Cyber asynchronous learning allows students
to have more freedom to conduct their learning process without the constraints of time and space. Meanwhile, the
more traditional cyber synchronous learning through TV or satellite broadcasting or some other teaching systems is
now gradually disappearing. At least, this is true in China, especially with Chinese adult e-learners (Ge, 2011). Cyber
synchronous learning in China usually requires that students conduct their learning by attending real-time lectures
through some sort of videoconference system. After all, most adult e-learners have regular jobs and may not meet the
time requirements of cyber synchronous learning. Besides, more and more e-learning institutions have begun to
encourage their students to utilize the cyber asynchronous learning environment instead of waiting for cyber
synchronous instruction.
Cyber asynchronous learning supporters cry out the advantages of this learning approach. They point out that cyber
asynchronous learning allows students to study through emails, blogs, etc., and students can make out their own
schedule, without live interaction with the instructor (Kruse, 2004). Cyber asynchronous learning allows learners to
determine whether or when to participate in course activities without considering whether other learners or the
course instructor is present in the virtual learning system. So the obvious advantage of cyber asynchronous learning
is convenience. As most adult e-learners are often busy with their jobs, this kind of convenience is really very
precious for them. Besides, students often have to rely on themselves in a cyber asynchronous learning environment,
for their teachers cannot always wait for them online. This actually can improve one’s personal ability in learning
(Robert & Dennis, 2005). Asynchronicity can also enhance educational assessment of students’ learning processes.
Cyber asynchronous teaching platforms normally can keep records of a student’s online learning activities, including
discussion threads and his or her interactions with peers and/or the instructor, which can be an important source of
data for the assessment of the learner (Tanimoto et al., 2002; Shi et al., 2006; Hew et al., 2010). Moreover, these
records can enable the student to review his or her learning activities at any time, and this kind of reviewing and
reflection can help enhance the student’s higher level learning, such as analysis and evaluation (Newman et al., 1997).
On the other hand, cyber asynchronous learning does not necessarily mean that real-time interaction cannot happen.
A good case in point is a threaded discussion, which is asynchronous in nature but also involves intensive interaction.
Seeing these advantages, many e-learning institutions have begun to develop online learning courses, which are the
most important part of a cyber asynchronous learning environment. In addition, online learning systems may also
enable them to employ fewer faculties and thus cut their costs.
ISSN 1436-4522 (online) and 1176-3647 (print). © International Forum of Educational Technology & Society (IFETS). The authors and the forum jointly retain the
copyright of the articles. Permission to make digital or hard copies of part or all of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies
are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by
others than IFETS must be honoured. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, to republish, to post on servers, or to redistribute to lists, requires prior
specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from the editors at kinshuk@ieee.org.
286