Synchronous and asynchronous refer to two different types of learning or programming models. Here are the key differences between the two:

Synchronous Learning/Programming

• Happens in real-time, with students or programs interacting at the same time and place.
• Requires students or programs to log in and participate at a specific time each week.
• Is a single-threaded process, meaning only one operation or program runs at a time.
• Is blocking, meaning it will only send the server one request at a time and wait for that request to be answered by the server.
• Is well-suited to creating immediate social engagement and faster exchanges of information, helping to build a sense of community and clarify misconceptions.

Asynchronous Learning/Programming

• Allows students or programs to learn or execute tasks on their own schedule, within a certain timeframe.
• Does not require students or programs to log in and participate at a specific time each week.
• Is a multi-threaded process, meaning operations or programs can run in parallel.
• Is non-blocking, meaning it will send multiple requests to a server.
• Offers learners the flexibility to study in a self-paced manner.
• Enhances the user experience by decreasing the lag time between when a function is called and when the value of that function is returned.

Its important to note that learning experiences can fall along a spectrum of synchronous-to-asynchronous experiences, and most online courses will benefit from incorporating both types of activities.