SAMR -- Where Are You At?

I was thinking over break about my job and how much fun it is -- I almost don't want people to know how much fun I have because it hardly seems like work sometimes! This is my 4th year acting as Instructional Technology Resource Teacher, and one of the things I first shared with everyone when I started this job was information about SAMR. This got me thinking....I wonder where we are now in the SAMR model? There have been so many changes over the past 4 years -- addition of technology, addition of tech staff, new leadership, revised vision. Have we moved up the SAMR ladder? How can we keep progressing? What can I do to help teachers keep moving? These questions are what keep me trying to stay on top of the ed tech world!

As a recap, SAMR stands for Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition. Here is briefly what happens at each level:

• Substitution: Technology is used as a substitute tool (maybe like typing an essay instead of handwriting it).
• Augmentation: Technology used as a substitute tool also helps improve the learning situation (could be like using an annotated online text instead of a hard copy book).
• Modification: Technology allows for a learning experience to be redesigned (possibly like using Google Cardboard to have students take virtual field trips instead of only looking at pictures or watching a video).
• Redefinition: Technology allows for the creation of entirely new learning experiences, maybe not even previously possible (like the concept behind the Dream Lab at the junior high, where students use their own personal inspiration and experiences of empathy to work on projects to change the world whether in big or small ways).

I challenge you to look at the learning experiences happening in your classroom and answer the following questions:

1. Where am I -- S, A, M, or R?
2. Where do I want to be by the end of this year? Next year?
3. What do I need to keep moving from S to A to M to R?
4. What can I get Renee to do to help me? (This is a shameless plug for myself, designed to find new ways to get into your classroom so I can have fun trying new things with you and your students!)

For help with this, check out this terrific website with all sorts of resources to help you with SAMR, including connecting SAMR to Bloom's and examples of how things we see in so many classes (note taking, researching) look as they progress through the SAMR model.