Below is an excellent video explaining the SAMR model in 120 seconds. SAMR is a framework through which you can assess and evaluate the technology you use in your class. The goal is to help you make informed decision regarding the rationale and utility of the technology you integrate in your teaching. This SAMR poster walks you through the different components of the SAMR model.
Is technology providing an added value to your teaching or is it simply replacing the old and traditional ways of doing the same thing? If it is adding value, define this value awhat can of value? The SAMR model will help you answer these and these and several other questions regarding your pedagogical EdTech practices. Bottom line, from a pedagogical perspective, technology is more effective when it leads to transformative learning experiences.
For those of you new to the SAMR concept, the video below shared by Candace M provides a great introduction to this concept. It explains in simple ways what SAMR is all about and provides concrete examples of its usage. Here is how it explains SAMR's four levels:
Substitution
In a substitution level, teachers or students are only using new technology tools to replace old ones, for instance, using Google Docs to replace Microsoft Word. the task ( writing) is the same but the tools are different.
Augmentation
Though it is a different level, but we are still in the substitution mentality but this time with added functionalities. Again using the example of Google docs, instead of only writing a document and having to manually save it and share it with others, Google Docs provides extra services like auto saving, auto syncing, and auto sharing in the cloud.
Modification
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. An example of this is using the commenting service in Google Docs, for instance, to collaborate and share feedback on a given task task.
Redefinition
If you are to place this level in Blooms revised taxonomy pyramid, it would probably correspond to synthesis and evaluation as being the highest order thinking skills. "Redefinition means that students use technology to create imperceptibly new tasks. As is shown in the video below an example of redefinition is "when students connect to a classroom across the world where they would each write a narrative of the same historical event using the chat and comment section to discuss the differences, and they use the voice comments to discuss the differences they noticed and then embed this in the class website".
Watch the video to learn more about SAMR
