Using Asynchronous Online Discussions to Promote Out of Class Learning in Vietnamese University Students

This paper explores the use of a digital communication tool known as asynchronous online discussion, or a discussion which does not take place in real time, as a means of encouraging students to practice and learn English outside of the classroom. The aim was to review within ESL theory the underpinnings of the use of such tools, propose some guidelines for getting the most out of them, and uncover any drawbacks or issues that could be encountered. The paper reviewed relevant literature from the past few years, focusing on several common forms of AOD, namely forums, blogs and social media, and evaluated their pedagogical value. Papers were selected based on direct relevance to AODs and, where possible, the Asian context. Rooted in well-established teaching practices such as collaborative and task-based learning, AOD could achieve similar improvements in all aspects of student language ability, but with several additional benefits. These include the greater appeal to the modern learner, the development of a genuine and supportive community outside of the traditional classroom setting, and greater control of the learning process than other forms of homework. The paper suggests that to fully unlock the pedagogical potential of AOD, teachers and students must be carefully trained, and more research could be conducted on aspects such as student anonymity and teacher intervention levels. 189