This week was all about different ways to bring technology into our classrooms. The model you can see above is called SAMR which is a scale from no tech at all on the left, to heavy tech use on the right. The accronym stands for; (S) Substitution, (A) Augmentation, (M) Modification, and (R) Redefinition. S- you’re swapping out some aspect of the assignment for tech to use the tool, but it doesn’t really change much ; A- you’re swapping out some aspect of the assignment for tech to use the tool, and it makes an effective positive change to the assignment ; M- Incorporating tech into the assignment that makes a substantial change to the assignment ; R- Incorporating tech into the assignment amplifies the effectiveness of the assignment itself.
I like this model of incorporating tech because it is a helpful tool that acts as guidelines on how to use tech in the classroom most effectively. Technology is an incredibly useful and helpful tool to have in our lessons, but it’s not necessary everywhere, and is useful in different senses depending on the lesson. This model almost acts as a scale for how to incorporate tech to maximize learning outcomes in every capacity. Tech is a tool, just like every other tool we have. You wouldn’t use a hammer to write a test, you wouldn’t a paintbrush to bash a nail into a wall, and you wouldn’t use a pencil to put together your new IKEA bed. This model helps the educator decide what they want tech to accomplish in the lesson, and what this tool is going to help students do in the activity. Just because we have it, doesn’t mean it always needs to be used and I like how this helps make me mindful of the effect technology has in my lessons.
