It is no secret that technology has grown over the past 26 years and that there are no signs of it slowing down in the near future. The way that technology is used in the classroom nowadays has many benefits for the teachers and students.
I often think about how much I use technology in the classroom. Yes, I am a long-term substitute, but when I have a class for a long period of time, it is important that those students have the same technology supports as if their homeroom teacher was still with them. Though this is only my second year teaching as well, I feel that I have grown in my technology use in the classroom, which not only helps the students grow, but it is also fun and engaging to try new trends in technology. For me, it has not always been easy using technology, but that is what also makes learning fun for myself and the students!
I have been looking into the SAMR model recently. SAMR stands for Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition. Substitution and Augmentation are mainly used to enhance lessons, while Modification and Redefinition is used to transform a lesson.
I never fully paid attention to where I was in the SAMR Model. After researching more about the SAMR Model, I realized that just having one or two websites or an online source on the board is not sufficient enough for the possibilities with technology in the classroom. For me, I think that I fall in the Augmentation category of this model most of the time. Here’s the reasons why I think I am mostly in Augmentation of this model. One, I have had students create their own PowerPoint, and they either talked about their slides or they have a video recording to go with it. Two, for my lessons, I want to venture out and try new resources, but I do not think that the resources transform the lesson, rather the resources just enhance the lesson.
Even if students are given the opportunity to share their document with a peer in the classroom it is a great way for students to learn and collaborate with each other. I wish I found this page earlier in my career. It mentions the definitions of the SAMR Model and also gives examples. This video has also explained the SAMR Model. This page is really where I started to see myself in these steps, but I was also able to see how I could make modifications to my lessons to be in the Modification or Redefinition steps.
Image Source: www.gettingsmart.com
Take a look at the image above. Think about how the SAMR Model can deepen understanding for students using technology. There are so many new ways to teach students and technology allows students to see the world in a different light. The following are examples of how teachers can use the SAMR Model in their classroom:
Substitution: Using a Word Document or Google Doc instead of writing with paper and pencil. This step is the most basic step.
Image Source: https://blog.clever.com/2019/04/the-best-typing-games-to-boost-student-performance/
Augmentation: Using a Word Document or Google Doc with a text-to-speech function instead of paper and pencil or just having the students type on their own using PowerPoint and VoiceThread. Some different resources for augmentation can be found here for all grade levels.
Image Source: https://www.readingrockets.org/article/text-speech-tts
Modification: Technology gives students an opportunity to share their documents, like on Google Docs. We can share our documents with others and work together on that document, which allows a collaborative “environment” online. Another example is that students could create a podcast about a certain topic and other students can access it to make revisions as well.
Image Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Share-Google-Docs
Redefinition: Students can share a document with a student who could be in another state or a different country. This allows a student’s work to be seen by a broader audience, rather than just their peers in the classroom.
Image Source: http://www.discoversociology.co.uk/family/families-in-different-countries
Lesson ideas can be hard to come by, especially when technology is always changing. This website provides teachers with eight lesson ideas to use with the SAMR Model. I wish I found this website sooner because even if it does not plan out lesson plans for me, it still gives me an idea of what I can include in my plans to drive instruction to meet the needs of my students. As educators, it is important to try new steps with technology. Like I have mentioned before, technology is only going to continue to grow. Using the SAMR Model can really help educators develop lessons that incorporate technology to meet the needs of all of their students.
Looking at my research about the SAMR Model, I think I am going to push myself to the Modification step, and eventually move to Redefinition. The first step that I would take is to have students collaborate more with each other by giving feedback on a peer’s work. Even if students were to make a video/blog and other students were to comment and interact with it, it will make a difference when using technology. I am very excited to use more technology in my classroom!
