The mission to implement educational technology in the classroom has grown significantly in recent years. Districts are encouraged to invest in educational technology solutions that are comprehensive, integrate with current learning management systems (LMS), and are turnkey. While technology is wonderful, not using it properly or to its fullest potential is always a struggle. This is where the SAMR model can help teachers maximize what they can do to improve teaching and learning.
What is SAMR?
SAMR is a framework developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura that defines four different components of technology integration in the classroom – Substitution, augmentation, modification and redefinition. When viewed as components as opposed to steps or a ladder, educators can design teaching and learning experiences that reflect students’ knowledge and strengths, especially with this generation of tech-savvy young people. . SAMR is also the perfect instructional design tool for distance and blended learning to make teaching and learning seamless.
|
Making up |
Definition |
Goal/Ask Yourself |
Classroom Example |
|
Substitution |
The technology serves as a direct substitute for a commonly used tool. |
What will students gain by using this technology? |
Students use Google Docs to write an abstract. |
|
Increase |
Technology serves as a tool substitute with changes in its functional use. |
How will this technology improve student productivity or learning potential? |
Students add comments/comments to others’ summaries in Google Docs. |
|
Amendment |
Technology allows for substantial redesign of an activity, task, or project within a lesson. |
How will technology significantly change the task? |
Students revise summaries and include images and media clips as supporting evidence. |
|
Redefinition |
Technology enables tasks and activities that were previously not possible in a traditional lesson. |
How will technology help create a new teaching and learning experience? |
Using an app or software, students create an animated video of a meaningful scene from a book/story from a character’s perspective. |
To ensure successful integration of technology and strengthen SAMR in the classroom, teachers need training and professional development that builds knowledge, skills and confidence. For example, sharing the basics of Google workspace and Microsoft Teams should be the start of a series of progressively advanced sessions where teachers learn how to use features to enhance teaching. For example, explain why and how to use Google Docs, Forms, and Slides to foster creative thinking, problem solving, and classroom collaboration. Leverage this topic by having teachers create assignments using Google Docs to Substitution and Amendment. Allow them to collaborate on a change and redefinition task or project. A relative of this series could be teachers sharing what has been done with samples of student work.
During professor PD and before designing a project, it is essential to think about the why and how of implementing technology.
Why
- Why can technology help achieve specific learning goals or objectives?
- Why is the lesson better with technology?
- Why is it important for students to use technology for this task?
- Why is connecting to real situations with technology effective?
How are you
- How can technology align with educational goals and objectives?
- How can the lesson be enhanced or enhanced with technology?
- How can I empower my students by using technology for this task?
- How can I design a meaningful lesson for the lives of my students?
SAMR in Action – Examples for the Classroom
1. Lesson: Urban ecology
- Substitution: Students watch assigned videos on ecology and the environment while taking notes in their science journal.
- Increase: In groups, students collaborate on ways to improve a local neighborhood and create a digital poster using an application such as Adobe Express.
- Amendment: Students post their digital posters online via social media (use a dedicated course hashtag, e.g., #ecologyposter4sci). They will comment/provide feedback on others’ posts.
- Redefinition: Students will design a city under specific conditions, keeping in mind the ecological impact of each decision, using a STEM app or virtual platform such as Urban Ecology Virtual STEM Kit MyStemKits. Students will need to include ways to minimize human impact while optimizing cost-benefit scenarios. City designs will be posted on a class webpage which may be on the school digital displays for the enjoyment of visitors.
2. Lesson: Explain how to solve a mathematical problem in several steps
- Substitution: Students use a interactive display to show how they solved a problem.
- Increase: Using a screen sharing app or software, students tell how they solved a problem. Using their devices, other students can annotate and save what is shared for later use.
- Amendment: Students will use an application such as Google Forms to create a quiz of math problems that require multiple steps to solve. Classmates will solve and Forms will keep an ongoing record of data for class discussion.
- Redefinition: Students use screen recording software to create a video showing how to solve a multi-step problem. The video is published on the class’s YouTube channel in a dedicated playlist. The reading list is available throughout the school year for student review.
3. Lesson: Easter island
- Substitution: Students read articles online about Easter Island and the mystery of its inhabitants.
- Increase: In groups, students create slide presentations of their research results and share them with the class.
- Amendment: Take a virtual tour of Easter Island, then have students write and publish a “travel blog” for the class or school website. Include research cited to describe certain features of the island, including its famous sculptures.
- Redefinition: In groups, students will create a simulation experience for archaeologists and researchers using 3D printed artifacts. The simulation must include information posted on a visit web page that visitors can access during the experience.
4. Lesson: Write a persuasive essay
- Substitution: Write a compelling essay using Google Docs and save it to a shared class folder.
- Increase: Students use the editing tools available in Google Docs (spelling and grammar, suggested edits, dictionary) to improve their essays.
- Amendment: Classmates add comments/feedback to essays. This is an ongoing process until the final version is complete and ready for grading.
- Redefinition: Using video creation software, students produce a public service announcement for viewing on the YouTube channel and/or class or school website.
These are just a few ways to transform teaching and learning using the SAMR framework. Ultimately, the goal of lesson design using SAMR is to optimize instruction using technology. Teachers and students will be empowered to integrate technology into their projects with consistent practice and training. Fortunately, there are more resources available to facilitate this implementation, including professional development for teachers. For example, Mimio by Boxlight supports transformational teaching and learning experiences with customizable solutions to meet needs at every level. To learn more about how Mimio can help schools design a technologically connected classroom, click here.
To learn more about Boxlight solutions, including STEM training and professional development, visit www.boxlight.com.