Asynchronous Communication
This post is part of an ongoing series of chapters from the book CHOICE. Please view this post for an introduction and table of contents. To keep up with each new chapter published, please subscribe.
A 1:1 program offers a unique opportunity to use technology for transformative educational experience for many students. Asynchronous communication is a major component of this transformation.
The time you are with your students is not enough time to teach them everything they need. If you are in the lower grades, teachers are fitting in textbook education (english, science, math, etc) in between all of the life, organization, emotional, and fun aspects of your classroom community. In the upper grades, teachers have at most a 45 minutes block to settles the kids down, teach their topic, assign the homework, and get them out the door. The context switching alone gives you at best 25-30 minutes (often much less) of new on-topic learning.
Learning how to communicate with your students and teach them outside of your short time with them is a huge advantage. On the flip side, the students need to learn they can communicate outside of seeing their teacher in-person.
Asynchronous communications provides an opportunity to connect with your students on their time. A time when they are ready to learn and pay attention. It provides an opportunity for more in depth, critical, and slow thinking around a topic.
Technology is a tool to allow grading on thoughtful not vocal. Instant in-person communication favors the vocal. Asynchronous communication favors the thoughtful.
Author Comments
Providing a peak behind the curtain of the thought and writing process.
This chapter comes a lot from personal experience. Both as a student and a teacher. I was a student that found first hand the power of asynchronous communication. I distinctly remember a 1st period math class I had in high school. I had to start my day with this class and was never in the right mind for learning. I struggled. I struggled in a subject I never had issues in before.
Thankfully I had a teacher that recognized this. This teacher would let students email questions later in the day or after school hours (a big deal at the time). Even just being able to communicate during a study hall period later in the day made a load of difference in how I understood the materials.
As a teacher, I used a tool called Basecamp with my students. It allowed them to have a digital chat avenue to reach me. I held digital office hours outside of class time. A time students knew they could message me and I would respond. Or they could send a message earlier and I would respond during my office hours. I had several students that would say nothing in class, but were the most active in the chat. It let me see an understanding from the students I would have never seen in class.
How do you facilitate asynchronous communication in your classroom? School? District? Do you have any great success stories around the format?