It is interesting that asynchronous discussions are the heart of an online course. That is opposrite of a classroom setting. I like the fact that asynchronous discussions encourage participation by all students. The barriers for students who normally have limited participation in a classroom, are mostly removed in an elearning environment.
In my view, the disadvantages to using synchronous discussion are such that I don't see me utilizing synchronous discussion.
The section on provding feedback is really important for me. In a classroom I rely on non-verbal feedback (smiles, nods, confused looks, etc.) to communicate to my students. The absence of these types of feedback makes me realize I need to aquire new techniques for use in an elearning environment.
