Houston ISD has paused plans for what state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles called synchronous learning, a setup where students would learn remotely from another teacher while their own teacher attended professional development.<\/p>\n
Miles said no middle schools volunteered to try the experiment, and\u00a0HISD would “not offer this strategy this year,” according to a Sept. 30 email to school leaders. HISD plans to gauge interest again for it in the spring.<\/p>\n
Earlier this school year, at a teachers convocation, Miles announced that English and math teachers at about eight middle schools would participate in “synchronous learning schools.” He said the schools would volunteer to participate.<\/p>\n
The planned program would be part of Miles’ focus on teacher effectiveness, which he believes to be the most important factor<\/a> in student achievement.<\/p>\n Under this plan, which would start in the second semester, students would use a video platform twice a month to learn lessons presented at another school. During the remote instruction, those students’ teachers would have two days per month for additional professional development and work from home. “Synchronous learning” would take place in both schools participating in Miles’ reforms and those outside his New Education System.<\/p>\n Educators often use the terms “synchronous” and “asynchronous” learning to describe types of online learning. Instructors and students gather at the same time and place either virtually or physically for synchronous learning – so it happens in real time. Asynchronous learning is when students access learning materials at their own pace, and students do not interact with one another or the instructor in real time, according to a webpage by the Stanford Graduate School of Education<\/a>.<\/p>\n