Criteria for Evaluating Synchronous and Asynchronous Technologies

1. Usability

2. Aesthetically pleasing

3. Open Community

4. Affordable

5. Security

The first criteria, usability, is the most important.  It is simply painful when the number one impediment to learning is the actual technology itself.  I have been a part of classes where the technology is so incredibly difficult to use that the course becomes unmanageable.  If you are considering running an asynchronous or synchronous distance learning course, this will be your most important decision.

The second criteria is linked to the first.  Your platform should be aesthetically pleasing.  We are now teaching a generation in the K-12 arena that has grown up on the web.  They may have a higher tolerance for gaudy MySpace-like sites but when it comes to web design and layout, the technology should be clean, clear, and obvious.  Obvious meaning that labels are used with clear titles like assignments, calendar, syllabus instead of webfolio or modules.

The third criteria is a strong preference of mine.  I prefer open source technologies when I am using async or sync technologies.  The problem is many good open source technologies eventually get bought out rather quickly by closed source platforms.  Open source allows you to customize, personalize, and host privately.  This has a huge implication on cost which is the fourth criteria.

Cost is a huge consideration for many schools.  While some schools can afford Blackboard and the continuing licensing fees, however most cannot.  Open source alternatives are excellent options that, in my opinion, are just as good if not better because of the flexibility.  Schools pay tens of thousands of dollars to by closed source sync and async technologies when they could pay a few thousand at the most to host their own.

The final criteria is security.  I do not mean security in the password protected sense but rather the privacy kind of security.  As a high school teacher I want to protect my students information.  Many of our students live an open book on the various social networking sites.  I feel that it is somewhat my responsibility to protect their academic work.  This is one reason why I have resisted Google Sites or open blogging in my classroom.  Much of this online material is permanent and can be viewed by anyone.  I think the classroom environment should be a little more closed when it comes to the teacher-student relationship.  Imagine a senior applying to college and the admissions department using a poorly written blog to disqualify the student.  I would advocate for a more closed environment when evaluating sync or async technologies.