Afternoon Reflection: The Pumpkin Spice Latte of Technology

Today I continued my journey from the Stone Age to the 21st Century!  Overall this has been a rocky travel to the present, and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the possibilities to incorporate technology in my classroom.  Thankfully, Jeff Utecht spent a majority of our morning class talking about SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition).  This clever acronym classifies the affect any technology incorporation may have in the classroom.  

 SAMR can be summarized with Starbucks, which, thankfully, we have in the Stone Age.  By becoming familiar with the SAMR concept, I can gauge the effectiveness and relevance that the technology will have; therefore, I can make an objective decision whether the particular device enhance the educational experience.  SAMR starts with substitution, which is the notion that the use of a certain piece of technology simply replaces a commonly used device, neither enhancing nor hurting the level of educational possibilities.  In Starbucks terms, this is the black coffee.  The levels of SAMR increase to augmentation (somewhat increasing functionality with the use of technology) and then to the transformative stages of modification and redefinition. 

In my classroom, I intend to utilize technology that fits into the modification and redefinition categories.  Modification and Redefinition are essentially the caramel macchiato and (legendary) pumpkin spice latte (or, PSL for the true Starbucks fans).  Anyways, my goal is to use technology in ways that truly modifies and revolutionizes the learning experience.  

As a biology teacher, I could use international collaboration with international students to discuss climate change and the global effects.  Students could use strategic thinking to co-create a worldwide plan to make communities more eco-friendly.  In the anatomy classroom, I could use online, interactive dissecting programs to show students dissections that would not be possible in the physical laboratory.  For plant biology, I could have students record videos illustrating the diversity of plants in our region, which they share over a blog to an international student in a different climate region.  The possibilities are truly endless to use technology to redefine learning.  Someday, I hope to turn technology in my classroom from black coffee to the Pumpkin Spice Latte!  How exciting!