Synchronous learning has been a staple of education for decades. However, asynchronous learning has weaved in and out of popularity. In essence, asynchronous learning involves students completing projects and other class assignments independently and at their own pace. Asynchronous learning can take the shape of a flipped classroom, project-based learning, or even flex days, as we have discussed in previous posts. While asynchronous learning requires more responsible and mature students, it also allows for more freedom and more personalization.

Due to COVID-19 measures, students in almost every school have had some blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning. The critical question is whether or not this paradigm should remain in the years following COVID-19. We firmly believe that a blended approach works best for most learners because it provides the critical structure to keep students accountable while reserving time for subject remediation and creative expression. A mostly asynchronous environment empowers students to learn at their own pace and according to their own schedule. Strategic opportunities for synchronous meetings foster a sense of community and prompt more in-depth discussions of relevant topics.

As students return to a more normalized school schedule, educators can take advantage of the benefits of asynchronous learning while optimizing opportunities for synchronous interaction. One way to do this is by flipping the classroom, which engages students in asynchronous coursework before meeting synchronously to discuss what they learned. In this manner, students have the time to learn at their own pace, meet with their broader support team, and pursue creative projects outside of the classroom. Another way to blend asynchronous learning into the future of school is through block scheduling. Giving students more time between class periods to review material, ask questions, and develop critical executive functioning skills creates a more balanced, more successful student body. Collaborative learning tools that are already in place due to COVID-19 can help course designers create content that keeps students interested, empowered, and curious.

The broader point is that students need space to learn independently before they matriculate to college and the professional world. The executive functioning skills we teach (organization, time management, learning skills, and impression management) need space to develop. Blending asynchronous learning with in-person instruction puts some of the control back into the student’s hands, providing the space necessary to practice critical skills such as prioritization and responsible use of free time. The blended approach is key to developing well-rounded students capable of handling the demands of life after high school.

Please check out our other posts for more information about the future of school or ways to integrate executive function into a student’s daily routine. If you think your student could benefit from working with a one-on-one academic coach over the summer or next school year, please reach out today!

About a year ago, we published a blog about the effects of COVID-19 on learning outcomes. We explained the phenomenon known as the “summer slide” and how school closures during COVID-19 could exacerbate this already severe problem. A year later, it is time to once again look at the impact of COVID-19 on educational outcomes as we come to grips with the lasting effects of learning loss.

According to a survey of over 900 U.S K-12 educators done by Horace Mann, 53% of students show significant evidence of learning loss, 44% of students show some evidence of learning loss, and only 3% of students are unimpacted by COVID-19 learning loss. Furthermore, the study indicated that 57% of educators estimated their students are behind by more than three months in their social-emotional progress. As we wrote in our previous post on this topic, most of the actual learning pertains to math and science more than English. However, studies now indicate deficiencies in social-emotional learning, compensatory skills, and executive functioning.

Learning loss does not affect every child equally. Studies indicate disparities not only on racial and socioeconomic lines but also by age. The pandemic affects younger children more than high schoolers. A study conducted by the nonprofit Amplify Education found that 40 percent of first-grade students and 35 percent of second-grade students are “significantly at risk” of needing intensive intervention compared to 27 percent and 29 percent last year. Another study conducted by McKinsey & Company concluded that children had lost at least one and a half months of reading. Standardized test scores for middle and high schoolers tell a similar story: the effects of COVID-19 learning loss will last decades, not years.

Schools have enacted measures to combat the steep decline in year-over-year achievement, but it might be too little too late. Hastily fashioned school intervention programs, especially virtual programs, have largely fallen flat. Plus, as summer rolls around, these crucial programs will end. Private and public schools alike have turned to other measures to combat learning loss. Los Angeles and the state of North Dakota are even considering extending the school year into the summer. However, the best way to combat learning loss seems to be at-home remediation and private tutoring.

Working through math packets, practicing literacy at home, or working with a one-on-one academic coach for subject-specific help or executive functioning skill development is the best way to stave off the long-term effects of learning loss. For more ideas, please check out our blog. To learn more about our unique summer offerings, please reach out today.

Longer school days, sometimes called extended learning time (or ELT), have become more and more common in recent years, particularly among charter schools and low-performing schools looking to improve their academic achievement levels. Schools whose students underperform in standardized testing have turned to ELT as a way to raise their average scores, often with strong results.

While each school district implements ELT initiatives differently, funding is usually provided to supplement the school year with about 300 extra hours of learning time, which means adding roughly 90 minutes worth of classes each day. This additional time can be used for everything from core subjects to extracurricular activities.

One of the most ambitious examples of ELT started in 2013 when the US Department of Education joined forces with the National Center on Time & Learning and the Ford Foundation to start a “Time Collaborative.” Over the course of 3 years, 40 schools in 5 different states received funding to redesign their schedules to extend the education they provide.

While projects like this may seem like an indication of where education in the United States is heading, a longer school day does have some notable drawbacks. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of having a longer school day.

On the pro side, the more hours teachers have with students, the more they are able to teach. Schools that introduce ELT or a similar program are able to offer academic enrichment programs that other schools lack the time to introduce. Aside from the benefit to essential programs such as math and English, having more hours in the day gives schools the opportunity to provide a more diverse range of activities for students outside of core subjects. This newfound time allows programs to focus on artistic or athletic pursuits, without taking away from students’ basic education.

Another concern that more school time can help address is slightly less direct. Based on the structure of a typical American workday, the schedules of parents and children often don’t align. Balancing parenting responsibilities with work responsibilities is especially difficult when scheduling conflicts force parents to choose between being there for their kids and finishing a project at work. By extending the classes to later in the day, parents who finish work at 5 o’clock may be able to pick up their children or meet them at home, something that is impossible for most families if school ends at 2 or 3 o’clock.

However logical this may sound, research has actually been inconclusive. A 2006-2007 study by the Massachusetts Department of Education found that students scored an average of 5-10% percent better on tests when their school day was increased by 25%, which seems to be a very small result from such a large increase in schooling. Similar studies conducted in other districts were not able to find any such connection between average time spent in school and average test scores.

On the negative side, there are a few problems with increased class time that are worth discussing. One of the biggest potential issues is the effect longer days can have on morale for both students and teachers. The more time students spend in school, the less free time they have to relax and pursue their interests. Too much school can lead to frustration and fatigue, which some students struggle with already. Similarly, children, especially in the younger grades, may not have the stamina to complete longer school days. Whether physical or mental, 9 hours of focusing can be understandably difficult for children.

Additionally, if class time is extended without reducing the amount of homework that is assigned, students may end up spending less time with their families while they are at home, as well as staying up later to complete their work, cutting into their sleep schedules. The possible ripple effect of longer school days on family dynamics and sleep schedules could outweigh the positives of improved test scores.

Students are not the only ones who stand to suffer from a longer school day. Most teachers are expected to take time outside of normal school hours to prepare class material, grade tests, and complete various other tasks related to their students’ education. As it stands, the average teacher works around 58 hours a week, meaning that an increase in class time will demand a minimum 60-hour work week for most educators. Increasing teachers’ hours will not only have an impact on their morale, but it will also cost already underfunded school districts significantly more money in salaries per year.

Whichever side of the argument you fall on, there is clearly no simple answer to the question of how long an ideal school day should be. For now, the National Education Association does not have an official position on the length of school days; they state the process should be “a carefully planned collaborative effort.” This “collaborative effort” has produced different school day lengths across the country, but clearly more research is needed to find a definitive answer to this complicated question.