There is no substitution, for not substituting!?

Yikes, I am my grandmother.  I can look around at all my tech devices and realize that I have realistically only used them at the substitution and augmentation level.  Maybe on a good day, I hit modification.  Man, am I behind the learning curve here.  I need some serious redefinition in my life.

According to the SAMR model, technology can be utilized in four distinct ways, substitution (Think grandma using her iPhone to only ever make calls), augmentation (Wow grandma is facetiming), modification (Hold the phone, I just got a text from Grandma), and redefinition, (Grandma is an iPhone beast, mapping, emailing, scheduling, uber-ing, nutrition tracking… Go granny).  Click here for a much more detailed explanation of SAMR by Ruben R Puentedura, PhD.

            My personal technological journey, or lack thereof, could have been a hindrance in my ability to provide opportunity for students. Redefining the ways tech can be used will expand students’ learning and literally redefine what is possible in a classroom.  However, I have stared into the light (the soft blue glow of electronics), and I am a changed woman.  A whole new world of teaching and learning is out there for the brave educators who embrace the ways tech can revolutionize their pedagogy.  I’m in, are you?

            One of the ways to use SAMR that I am most excited about, is to have three classrooms from different countries collaborate to research a current global hot topic.   Students would work in groups of six, two from each classroom, to bring a more balanced view of the current event.  This is more than pen pals.  The students would share a google document and use video chat to communicate.  This would allow the students the invaluable experience of working with different cultures for a common goal.  It would also bring in a wider perspective and create a higher quality research project.   Talk about useful experiences that cannot be accomplished without technology.  For many more examples and free lesson plans navigate to https://www.coetail.com and click on the blog tab.