Synchronous conferencing
Synchronous conferencing is the formal term used in computing, in particular in computer-mediated communication, collaboration and learning, to describe technologies informally known as online chat. It is sometimes extended to include audio/video conferencing or instant messaging systems that provide a text-based multi-user chat function. The word "synchronous" is used to qualify the conferencing as real-time, as distinct from a system such as e-mail, where messages are left and answered later. Synchronous conferencing protocols include: Types. According to the type of media used, synchronous conferencing can be divided into According to the number  of access point used, synchronous conferencing can be divided into Synchronous vs asynchronous conferencing. Both synchronous and asynchronous conferencing are online conferencing where the participants can interact while being physically located at different places in the world. Asynchronous conferencing allows the students to access the learning material at their convenience while synchronous conferencing requires that all participants including the instructor and the students be online at the time of conference. While synchronous conferencing enables real time interaction of the participants, asynchronous conferencing allows participants to post messages and others can respond to it at any convenient time. Sometimes a combination  of both synchronous and asynchronous conferencing is used. Both the methods give a permanent record of the conference. Methods. Some of the methods used in synchronous conferencing are: Critical factors for effective implementation. There are four critical factors identified for implementing synchronous conferencing for effective instruction to the students Synchronous conferencing in higher education. Synchronous conferencing in education helps in the delivery of content through digital media. Since this is a real-time teaching, it also brings the benefits of face-to-face teaching in distance learning. Many higher education institutions offer well-designed quality e-learning opportunities. Some of  the advantages of synchronous conferencing in education are: Implementation of educational technology. The tools for implementing synchronous conferencing depends on the type of educational problem addressed. This is in turn decides the method of synchronous conferencing to be used and the tool to be used in the learning context. The tool selected addresses the problem of improving the learning outcomes which cannot be solved with an asynchronous environment. There are many tools and platforms available for synchronous conferencing. The selection of tools and platforms also depend on the group size which depends on the activity for the course design . Effective teaching strategies. To make synchronous conferencing effective and engaging, appropriate teaching strategies are important and plays a very important role in making the learning successful. Some of these are Limitations. Some limitations for synchronous conferencing in learning are: