This study examines student opinions on, and preferences for, three modes of online language learning: asynchronous, synchronous and hybrid. The study took place at a Japanese university in Spring 2020 and involved 37 English language learners in two freshman humanities classes over a period of three weeks. Students received one week of instruction in each mode and then completed a survey in which they stated their preferred mode and reasons for their preference. They also rated their overall experience with each mode and reported its strengths and weaknesses. Results reveal that students most preferred the hybrid mode of instruction because they could both go at their own pace and listen to the instructor each class. In contrast, they least preferred the asynchronous mode because they could not get help in a timely manner.
Lawrence Knowles (Tue,) studied this question.