How to Balance Synchronous and Asynchronous Teaching and Learning: a Local Study

Abstract

The transition of higher education institutions to distance learning, caused by the spread of COVID-19, has highlighted the need to minimize the social distance of students and teachers, with the updated the use of blended learning; accordingly, studying synchronous and asynchronous e-learning modes to support them. This article discusses the balance of synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning models and examines the attitude of teachers and students at higher education institutions to the choice of a particular learning mode. Based on the self-assessment of the educational process participants, the main factors influencing the choice of learning modes are presented, and the compliance of the obtained results with the developed theoretical model is analyzed. A comprehensive analysis of the survey results allowed us to assess the association between the adherence to a particular learning mode and gender, the status of the respondents, the type of educational activity, and the resource provision of the educational process. The proposed methodology and the obtained results can be used in the design of e-learning courses and the establishment of educational communication to ensure quality teaching and learning.