Blog #4: SAMR

    I can't believe we are on the final blog of this course. Time has flown by! While I have liked this course I am definitely ready to be done. My brain feels like it is running on auto pilot mode towards the MIT program but I got to finish no matter what. I'm sure many of you are feeling the same way.

    While exploring the TLC and SAMR model I have found there could be some useful technology tools that I could see myself using in the classroom with my students and with parents. Both models help with technology integration in the classroom which is definitely something I need help with since I am not really that technology savvy. While I like both models I don't honestly think I will use them to their fullest extent just based off of their complexity. I can see myself using the substitution and augmentation stages of SAMR model but other than that I don't really think I'd go that in depth to the next two stages. When integrating tech into the classroom I think it is important to ask yourself the question "Is this enhancing student learning?". Often times I'm not sure that the level work needed to go into tech integration at the later stages is really worth just based off all of the responsibilities that teachers have nowadays.

    Technology may seem like it always better to use in the classroom but I don't feel that really is always the case based off of my student teacher experience. In my classroom it was heavily tech integrated and each student had their own iPad from the school. Students would often get frustrated when having to do something on it and their lack of interest in the web tool showed in the quality of work they produced. They much preferred being able to interact with their peers and the teacher which I found very interesting. Sometimes I feel as if we think there is web tool or tech website to address every situation in schools now and don't think thats the case. Going the old school route in certain
situations seems just fine to me so I don't how deep I would get into the stages of the SAMR model. I feel like I really know when I get my own classroom and see the level of tech integration within the school. As of right now I see myself using the stages substitution and augmentation the most just based off of my personal experience and comfort level.

On side not I liked this representation of the SAMR model in this image.



Comments

  1. Kimby ChaneyJuly 16, 2024 at 12:36 PM

    I enjoyed looking at your SAMR analogy and how it shows that the different levels can lead to greater student understanding. By the time the man reaches the submarine stage he can clearly see what is in the ocean and explore greater areas therefore better answering his question of what is in the ocean? This is Personally why I want to strive for these higher levels of SAMR, like you however I feel that I will mostly start out by implementing technology use at the substitution and Augmentation stages.

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    1. Ethan DavisJuly 16, 2024 at 9:16 PM

      It is definitely one of my goals to pursue the later stages in the SAMR model. I also agree that most teachers just hover around the substitution and augmentation for their time teaching. I am hoping to go beyond that.

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  2. Spencer CochranJuly 16, 2024 at 4:55 PM

    Ethan, your experience student teaching is similar to mine, except they all had Chrome Books. They just sat around waiting to take out their laptops for every little thing. They don't carry paper, and most don't even have pencils. We also spent a lot to time teaching new applications and tools to the students which would take time out of lessons, which were desperately needed as everything was on a time crunch ALAWYS. Is that how you felt when teaching in the classroom? What's your opinion handheld devices in the classroom?

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    1. Ethan DavisJuly 16, 2024 at 9:18 PM

      Good to know I experienced something similar to me. From my experience it okay to use devices in the classroom there just need to be more regulation and there needs to be a bigger purpose for them.

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  3. Joey CopelandJuly 16, 2024 at 7:48 PM

    Something I believe gets a bad connotation, is doing things "old school." As you brought up, sometimes if it works, it just works. The "old school" way doesn't mean I'm going to make my TV black and white and teach long division with a chalkboard. My mentor teacher always said "don't reinvent the wheel" and it's true. If it works, it works. That doesn't mean it can't be enhanced, but completely redefining it may not be the answer. I constantly think about the cost to benefit ratio. If something is working well, why would I pour countless hours into learning and then implementing something, that has very little benefit on the back end.

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    1. Ethan DavisJuly 16, 2024 at 9:23 PM

      The phrase "don't reinvent the wheel" is such a great saying. Keeping things basic and simple is sometimes the best you can do. I just want to make sure if we are using technology in schools we need to make sure it is actually enhancing student learning.

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  4. Ethan DavisJuly 16, 2024 at 9:21 PM

    I think the integration of technology at the secondary level for students since they are getting older and will need to understand those tools. Sometimes it just felt unnecessary with my elementary students.

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