Technology Integration in the Classroom
Think about your grade school classroom. The type of desks you sat in and how they were arranged, what school supplies you had, and what creative projects were assigned. Did your teacher write on a white board, a blackboard, or a SMART board?
In the last five years alone, the education landscape has changed drastically, with technology having a far greater emphasis and impact on learning and instruction. As educational technology rapidly develops, educators are required to adapt alongside their new digital resources, but often without sufficient training or experience. I remember most of my teachers struggling to play educational videos, constantly troubleshooting connectivity issues, or having to restart the SMART board, computer, or projector and start over.
Administration often makes executive decisions to invest in "new and improved" technology, but fails to properly instruct their teachers on how to effectively use said tech. As a result, most educators are expected to learn "on the fly" or educate themselves on how to integrate this new technology, which can be stressful and frustrating. However, a few frameworks have emerged to help guide teachers toward meaningful technology integration, in addition to offer advice on what good digital integration entails. One such method is the SAMR model, which asks teachers to focus on how they utilize technology to further students' learning.
As demonstrated above, the SAMR model consists of four levels, which are separated further into two main concepts: enhancement and transformation. The first level, Substitution, uses technology as direct replacement, such as using a SMART board to write instead of a white or blackboard. Augmentation also uses technology as a substitute, but with a slight improvement, such as using the touch screen on the SMART board to access links easily. To allow students to collaborate, give feedback, and interact digitally, teachers can Modify technology so tasks can feel less individualistic. Finally, Redefinition enables instructors to use technology to teach something that was previously impossible to, such as hosting a virtual field trip, or students to create their own movies. These first two levels enhance student experience, whereas the last two use technology in a more meaningful way to transform their education.
I'd like to believe all of my activities and assignments fall under the transformational levels of the SAMR model, but in truth I think I struggle to find was to redefine technology to the benefit of my and my students. I usually create multimedia presentations to engage students more than a lecture would, and assign group projects with an option for nontraditional papers. But much of my presentation content would remain the same if I had lectured, and group projects are successful only when students feel comfortable being creative. Moving forward, I think introducing more peer learning when it comes to new material would be immensely beneficial for students, as well as encouraging creativity in completing final projects. Technology is a tool, not a substitute, and as a result, teachers should know how to implement it to reshape students experiences. In the future, I hope to rely on the SAMR model to guide how I teach using technology smartly and effectively.
Often the SAMR model is compared to a swimming pool, with the transformational levels being the deep end. No one swims in the deep end all the time. It's appropriate for some of your lessons to enhance what students are learning while others transform. For me, the most crucial part of all of this is reflecting on our lessons and making changes according to those reflections. You are doing just that.
ReplyDeleteI like how in depth you explained the SAMR model. I agree, most of my lessons would be mostly the same with or without technology. Sometimes we need to dig deeper and think more creatively about how we use the technology we have access to in our classroom when planning our lessons to enhance our students' experiences. I like how you were able to reflect on you technology use using this framework.
ReplyDeleteI can remember many of my teachers struggling to use the VCR machine when it would get rolled into the classroom. I like that you said technology is a tool and not a substitute! I do feel many these days do not few technology in the same way, many use it as a substitute and not to its full potential.
ReplyDelete