Billings: schools should better use assessments, adopt asynchronous learning for student progress

Leveraging under-used assessments and embracing "asynchronous learning" can help students perform better in changing learning environments, a science and technology innovator said in an Education Daily Wire op-ed piece published late last year.

The need for new education approaches has become more obvious as teaching and learning increasingly moves online, Roger Billings, scientist, inventor and entrepreneur, and founder and head of Acellus Academy said in the Dec. 30 op-ed piece.

"Traditional systems can break down when they are moved online, particularly if a student is working through a lesson at non-traditional hours or more than one student needs help at the same time," Billings said. "More modern online education systems include a live-teacher backup function that relieves stress on teachers while simultaneously adding just-in-time support for students."

Roger Billings is also a science and technology innovator at the International Academy of Science.

A study released earlier this month by the Center on Reinventing Public Education found that less than half of school districts participating in the study mentioned using assessments to tailor instruction and determining what resources students might need. Approximately a third of the sample district "made explicit mention of using assessments to understand student learning at the start of the year," the study said.

"Fewer made mention of using these assessments on an ongoing basis as part of their COVID-19 response plan – just 20% total," the study continued. "City or suburban COVID-19 response plans more frequently mentioned the use of assessments than did rural districts' plans."

Those assessments, together with asynchronous learning or forms of instruction and learning that don't occur in the same place or same time, can be invaluable in online learning where teachers are not constantly present to provide instruction and support, Billings said.

"Asynchronous systems let students learn when the time is best for them, and let teachers check on their progress whenever they are available," Billings said. "A properly developed asynchronous system provides students with continuous synchronous support so they are never actually left alone."

Assessment can be seamlessly built into asynchronous learning systems, Billings said.

"Based on continuous assessments that can be built into online learning, students can progress to subsequent lessons or be diverted to additional instruction and resources automatically, depending on individual needs and without any impact on classmates or a teacher’s ability to also manage every other student," Billings said.