SAMR and Video Meet in the 21st Century Classroom

This National Tech Day, a plethora of new apps, tools, and services are knocking on the classroom door. The 21st-century educator has a tech toolkit that is constantly expanding, but as teachers begin to rethink the learning experience they’re increasingly concerned about the process of integrating and maximizing the value of technology in the educational space.

The SAMR Model aims to address those concerns. Created by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, SAMR is a framework for purposeful technology integration. It’s stages - Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition - make up the acronym. For teachers, this framework supports the creation of tasks that promote higher-order thinking while also finding meaningful uses of technology in their classroom.

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As you work through the framework, consider how you integrate technology, including Boclips for Teachers, in an effort to enhance and transform learning.

There are two main functions of the SAMR framework. The first is enhancement, where traditional learning is enriched by technology, and the second is transformation, where technology’s integration has fundamentally changed the process of learning.

Enhancement through Substitution and Augmentation

Substitution: Technology acts as a direct tool substitute with no functional change.

At the first stage, technology acts as a direct substitute for a traditional tool or resource. Students might use presentation software like Prezi or Slides, or ebooks might be favored over print editions. A simple swap in source text can achieve multiple ends. For example, students learning the preamble to the Constitution might use a video recitation with audio-visual cues as support for memorization.

Augmentation: Technology acts as a direct tool substitute, with functional improvement.

When technology augments a lesson, it isn’t swapped with a specific traditional tool or resource but adds depth. Students could use a QR code or shortened link to a Boclips video that pairs well with a reading assignment. They could explore the layers of a rainforest ecosystem through video, or learn about a culture in the Amazon through audio of their music.

Transformation through Modification and Redefinition

In the prior stages, technology has been integrated into the classroom without fundamentally changing instructional strategy or assessment. Now, something is transformed.

Modification: Technology allows for significant task redesign.

Students might be tasked with keeping a blog rather than a learning journal, or producing an audio recording of their speech. In the case of our lesson on the Amazon, students might utilize multimedia in the creation of a digital travel brochure to Brazil.

Redefinition: Technology allows for the creation of new tasks, previously inconceivable.

With Redefinition, tasks asked of students would not have been possible before. A collaborative digital space might be used to produce art or presentations, or students might be tasked with the creation of a website or documentary film.

Technology is changing the dynamics of education, and Boclips for Teachers provides a wide variety of content. As you consider technology integration in your curriculum and instruction, reference the SAMR framework to consider the tasks and opportunities available for students to demonstrate their learning.

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