Bichronous online learning: Award-winning online instructor practices of blending asynchronous and synchronous online modalities

Bichronous Online Learning is the blending of asynchronous and synchronous online learning. In this qualitative study, 12 award-winning online instructors were interviewed for their online teaching practices focused on blending, design, facilitation, and assessment of asynchronous and synchronous online modalities. Data was collected through virtual interviews which were recorded, transcribed and analyzed. Award-winning instructor practices of blending are discussed through their blending decisions, sequences, and models. Instructors shared their decisions related to blending, such as modality purposes, affordances, and required or optional synchronous sessions. Blending sequences that emerged were asynchronous followed by synchronous, asynchronous followed by synchronous and then asynchronous again. Blending models that resulted were the complement model, replacement model and enhancement model. Asynchronous and synchronous design, facilitation and assessment strategies used by the award-winning online instructors are discussed in detail. The findings have implications for online instructors, students, instructional designers and administrators.