Shout out to Technology Integration Specialist Emily Nestor for being our guest writer this week!!

With technology becoming such a staple within daily teaching and learning, it is

imperative for teachers to evaluate how they are incorporating technology. Through

this thoughtful reflection, teachers can ensure that they are providing students with

opportunities to complete task that allow them to integrate technology in a variety

of contexts. The SAMR model serves as a model for this reflection process. Through

embedding tasks that correspond to the 4 levels of the SAMR model, teachers can

enhance and transform their teaching and learning and boost student engagement

and achievement.

So, at this point I am sure you are wondering what the levels of the SAMR model are.

Below is a brief description of each level of the SAMR model.

S – Substitution Same Task, New Tech

Computer technology is used to perform the same task as was done before the use

of computers.

A – Augmentation Improve the Task by Adding New Features

Computer Technology offers an effective tool to perform the task with some

functional improvements.

Task at the Substitution and Augmentation level allow you to enhance learning

through implementing a “tech tool.”

M – Modification Change the Task

This is the level where technology is being used more effectively not to do the same

task using different tools but to redesign new parts of the task and transform

students learning.

R – Redefinition A Whole New Task

At this level, technology is used to complete a task that allows the students to do

something that was previously not possible.

Task at the Modification and Redefinition level allow you to transform learning

through implementing a “tech tool.”

Now I bet you are thinking what these levels look like in action. Below is an example

of each level of the SAMR model in action.

Topic: Geography

S: Use presentation software (like Powerpoint or Prezi) to construct a presentation

providing information about a selected locale.

A: Incorporate interactive multimedia – audio, video, hyperlinks – in the

presentation to give more depth and provide more engaging presentation.

M: Create a digital travel brochure that incorporates multimedia and student

created video.

R: Explore the locale with Google Earth; seek out and include interviews with people

who have visited the local.

Another benefit of the SAMR model is that each level is connected to a level of

Bloom’s Taxonomy. Below a graphic that shows the correlation of SARM and

Blooms. This is a great tool to help when planning for instruction because it allows

you to see which level of the SAMR model your task should fall into.

So as you can see, where your task falls on the SAMR model depends on the rigor of

your teaching and learning. It is important to remember that you aren’t always

going to be at the creating level of Blooms and having students use technology in the

redefinition lens. Sometimes a substitution task is what your students’ needs and

that’s ok! It’s not about using technology to create products that are the biggest and

the most grand – instead the focus should be on effectively using technology as a

teaching and learning tool within the classroom.