How to Use Synchronous Class Time

Whatever your school year looks like, it's likely that you'll be giving your students some blend of synchronous and asynchronous instruction. The question is: how can you use each of these forms of instruction most effectively?

Much of what we teach in our online course -- like our course itself -- focuses on asynchronous instruction.  In other words, we give teachers tools that help students learn independently, on their own paces, without direct instructor support. We like this style of instruction because self-pacing prevents students from falling behind or getting bored, and ensures that every learner has something appropriately challenging to do every day.

We also promote self-paced, asynchronous learning because it enhances the value of live, whole-class time. When students can learn the basics from videos, on their own time, it frees up class time to focus on collaborative, social learning experiences that build community and make learning fun.  For instance:

• In an English class, teach students the elements of poetry through videos, then spend live class time discussing the meaning of a particular poem.

• In a History class, teach students the Bill of Rights through videos, then spend live class time debating free speech on social media.

• In a Math class, teach students how to graph simple exponential functions through videos, then spend class time analyzing the spread of COVID.

• In a Science class, show students how to conduct a simple experiment through videos, then spend class time comparing results and observations.

• In a World Languages class, teach students the future tense through videos, then spend class time sharing what students plan to do after graduation.

Viewed this way, asynchronous learning is not a replacement for live, teacher-led instruction. Rather, self-pacing is a tool that frees up live teacher and student time to focus on the human connections and experiences that make learning truly meaningful.  

Of course, this is equally true whether you teach in school or online. Use videos to deliver content and synchronous class time to engage with your students directly. Your students will learn more, and you'll have more fun too!