Isn’t it nice to discover something that allows you to make sense of new information? It is a great feeling, isn’t it? Something (e.g., understanding) clicks in my brain and produces warm, fuzzy feelings (aka feelings of self-efficacy). That’s how I felt a few years ago when I first learned about SAMR.
As my district continues its Blended Learning journey, my understanding and self-efficacy are reinforced. SAMR is my technology integration coat tree, and I can hang my hat on it!
The ‘Who’
SAMR was developed by Ruben Puentedura as a structure for examining how technology is used in classrooms and schools.
School districts use the SAMR model when introducing Blended Learning or technology integration to their teachers and administrators. Teachers find it useful when planning and reflecting on lessons and units.
The basic ‘What’
The four levels of SAMR include
- Substitution
- Augmentation
- Modification
- Redefinition
The first two levels – Substitution and Augmentation – are typically where we see technology used to enhance learning. The third and fourth levels – Modification and Redefinition – is where we see technology transforming learning.
Tim Holt from EPISD introduces SAMR on this Digital Discoveries video.
More ‘What’
Substitution
At the Substitution level, technology is used as a substitute in a traditional lesson or activity. For example, traditionally teachers have assigned students to write essays and papers on various topics.
If employing SAMR at the Substitution level, then the teacher may ask students to use a word processing program to type their papers. So while technology has enhanced the assignment, it has not transformed learning.
Substitution is where most, if not all, teachers and principals (and central office folks, too) begin their technology integration journeys. And that is great! For those less comfortable with technology, this is a safe place. The danger is that we might get a liiiitle too comfortable here and want to stay.
Augmentation
Augmentation takes the enhancement one step further. In this stage of SAMR, the assignment or activity still involves substitution, but with functional improvement.
Continuing with the example above, the teacher requires that the students use a program like Microsoft Word or Google Docs to complete the assignment and also asks them to include relevant images or graphics in the document as well. Technology has enhanced the assignment through the addition of media.
And like above, we – teachers and administrators – do not want our lessons and activities to get stuck at this level. Nope.
Modification
With Modification, the SAMR model begins to transform learning in beautiful ways. At the Modification level, we see significant task redesign. Student work products are often for real-world audiences at this level.
Instead of a paper written only for the teacher to read, a student might write a blog post shared with a larger audience.
One characteristic of lessons and tasks at the Modification level is the difficulty of completing the assignment without the use of technology. In our current example, a student would find it extremely difficult to write for a larger audience without the use of technology for publishing.
Redefinition
Redefinition transforms learning even more. At this level, new tasks are created and the work is shared out to the world (authentic audience). The assignment cannot be completed without the use of technology at the Redefinition level.
At the Redefinition level of SAMR, the traditional essay morphs into a podcast episode, complete with script and show notes.
Notice how, as you move through the SAMR levels, content creation increases as does the size of the audience.
The ‘When’
When should educators be utilizing the SAMR model? Every day, I think. Now I don’t expect that teachers should have a lesson at the Modification or Redefinition level ready to go each day.
But remember that SAMR is a tool to examine how technology is used in the classroom. If that is the case, then educators should be analyzing how they are using technology each day. Here are a few questions to ask when examining our lessons:
- How have I integrated technology in this lesson?
- Is this the best way to use technology in this lesson?
- What other way could technology be used to support student learning of the standards?
- Do I even need to use technology with this lesson?
Notice the last question. If your district has adopted the SAMR model, that does not mean that every lesson must utilize technology. Sometimes, low-tech or no-tech is still the best way. For example, it might be better to use sticky notes instead of PollAnywhere.
The ‘Why’
Why do we need SAMR? Is it the next big thing? Might it fade away as so many movements in education tend to do? In other words, can we wait it out?
No, we can’t wait this one out. And why should we? Technology integration supports teaching, too – not just student learning.
Think about the future – post-secondary training and education, jobs, and careers – that we are preparing students for. How many of those situations will include no technology?
I often think about my own work. On the rare occasions when we lose internet or my computer crashes, my work can come to a screeching halt. Sure, I can continue with some of my responsibilities, but I am much more inefficient. And some of my responsibilities are nearly impossible to continue until the tech is restored.
If technology is here to stay, then we need a mechanism by which to analyze how it works in schools and classrooms. SAMR is that mechanism. And it is easy to use.
The ‘How’
This is where you, the central office person, comes into play. You might be a curriculum director or professional learning coordinator who must train teachers and principals in the SAMR model. Maybe you are the central office person who is tasked with leading the district’s Blended Learning initiative, and SAMR is a component of the roll-out.
First off, you need to make sure that you have a solid understanding of the model and how it can be useful to teachers and principals. I have included some resources below to help you with that.
After a brief introduction of SAMR, I think it is a good idea to provide teachers and principals with time to explore the topic on their own. Utilize the resources below.
Educators can also benefit by applying the framework to lessons. Provide teachers with a set of lessons (real or made up) and ask them to work with a partner or small group to determine which level of SAMR is best represented in each lesson.
The next step is to have teachers to bring in one or two of their own lessons which include some type of technology integration. Ask them, either individually or in a small group, to analyze their lessons through the lens of SAMR.
This activity can be eye-opening for teachers and principals. The analysis of their own lessons can reassure many teachers that they are on the right track. It might reassure them that maybe, just maybe, this blended learning/tech integration thing isn’t so bad.
This activity might also be a wake-up call for the “tech expert” teacher. Be gentle with these souls. Realizing your pet project – the one you’ve received accolades for – is not at the Redefinition level can be a difficult to pill to swallow.
But SAMR can also be the salve these teachers need because it can provide them with a structure for reflecting on how to redesign the pet lesson for better, more authentic technology integration.
When leading this activity, stress that SAMR is a tool that teachers and principals can use to improve their practice. Point out that SAMR provides a way for teachers to begin their technology integration journey (Substitution and Augmentation). And SAMR provides educators with the knowledge to take their lessons to a different level (Modification and Redefinition).
I’ve intentionally mentioned principals in this post. I think SAMR can benefit them just as much as it benefits teachers. With knowledge of SAMR, a principal can be more effective in her walkthrough feedback.
We all know how important it is for administrators to attend teacher professional learning, but with SAMR it is vital. Teachers and administrators will speak the same language when principals have an understanding of SAMR.
When working with teachers on initiatives that may require huge shifts in perspectives, I want to do what I can to alleviate the overwhelm that some may feel. I stress that it is perfectly fine to begin with Substitution. Make sure the expectation is clear that the teachers must grow and begin creating lessons at the other levels of SAMR.
I also let them know that while I hope that eventually most lessons with be at the Modification and Redefinition levels, the goal is NOT to have all Redefinition lessons.
Some standards do not need a lesson designed at Modification or Redefinition. In fact, sometimes a low-tech or no-tech approach is best. Teachers will have to use their professional judgment – as they do every day – but now they have SAMR as an additional tool to support those decisions.
Some of the articles on SAMR discuss the line that is drawn between the Augmentation level and the Modification level. This line indicates the movement from using technology to enhance learning to using it to transform learning.
I like to view SAMR more as a circle (everything tries to be round, right?) or a process. As teachers design lessons and units, they will move back and forth through the SAMR levels.
I hope you’ve found this long introduction to SAMR helpful. Has your district implemented SAMR? If so, how did go? How have you seen it benefit your teachers and principals? Let me know if the Comments section. I want to hear from you!
Resources:
Hippasus – Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR blog.
Tara Gander’s SAMR SMORE – Tara is a skilled instructional coach and expert trainer. Her SAMR SMORE is chock full of videos and other resources that will be helpful to teachers and to those who must provide SAMR training.
Digital Discoveries – YouTube channel by Tim Holt from EPISD. This site contains SAMR related videos, but also other technology-related videos. Great for independent learning for for use during group professional learning.
SAMR and Bloom’s Taxonomy from common sense education
Don’t forget to leave a comment about your SAMR experience!
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