iPads, MakerEd and More in Education

Good technology integration isn’t about using the fanciest tool, it’s about being aware of the range of options and picking the right strategy—or strategies—for the lesson at hand.

SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition) is  a four-level conceptual framework  developed by Dr Ruben Puentedura (2006) to help teachers make  effective use of technology in their instruction. It provides ‘a framework to support educators and instructional designers in creating optimal learning experiences using mobile devices in education’(Roomers et al.,2014.  p. 79). SAMR can also be used to encourage ‘teachers to ‘move up’ from lower to higher levels of teaching with technology, which according to Puentedura, leads to higher (i.e., enhanced) levels of teaching and learning.’ (Hamilton et al., 2016. p. 434). To help teachers better understand the SMAR concept we designed this illustrative visual based a number of interesting resources (see list at the bottom of this post)

Replacing VHS tapes with YouTube clips is probably not the ideal version of moving a classroom into the 21st century.

While that type of digital substitution may tick the boxes of education technology frameworks like SAMR, it doesn’t always provide an opportunity for deep thinking and real-world learning.

So how do teachers actually create meaningful work and allow students real agency in a 21st century classroom?

EdSurge talked with Scott McLeod, associate professor of education leadership at the University of Colorado in Denver. He’s the author of “Harnessing Technology for Deeper Learning,” which explores how his “four shifts” protocol can help educators test whether their practices and pedagogies support the goals of learning in the digital age.