Week 3 Blog Post

Week 3 Blog Post



Dr. Ruben Puentedura is an expert in education who presented a lecture entitled, "As We May Teach: Educational Technology, From Theory Into Practice" that is available as a free iTunes video. In it, he explained two methods of integrating technology into education. The first, TPCK, is represented visually with a Venn Diagram that shows how Technology, Pedagogy and Content have common elements that, when united in education, can enhance a student's performance.

The second method, SAMR, indicates the progress that students make as technology is integrated into a lesson. In it, S equals Substitution, which is the lowest level of technology that simply substitutes a piece of technology for an older form of teaching, but it still has the same basic function. The A equals Augmentation, in which technology still acts as a substitute, but with functional improvement. The M equals Modification, that results in significant task redesign. In it, new uses of technology are put into practice. The R equals Redifinition, that allows for new tasks to be done that were previously impossible before the technology was added.

I would like to consider how I might incorporate what I learned from Dr. Puentedura's lecture in my own lessons. In order to make the best of the project assignment in the class I am taking, I can't help but think that it would be good to follow the SAMR model.

My lesson is for 8th grade reading. The book is Phineas Gage: a Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science.

On the Substitution level, I could download the audiobook of Phineas Gage and play it through the classroom sound system while the students read along in their copies of the book. Using this step of SAMR, students would be using technology, but in essence would still just be reading the book.

On the Augmentation level, students could put sticky notes on words in their books that they are unfamiliar with. Then, after they read / listen to a chapter, they can look those words up on their laptop computers (we have a mobile computer lab) to find the meanings, and share them with other students. They could also do research on the internet to find out more about brain injuries and surgeries. This is information that they would not have access to in our school library.

The Modification level requires a significant task redesign. To take this step students will be introduced to another 8th grade class in Dallas, Texas, that is reading the same book, by way of iChat on the MacBook computer. The two teachers of the respective classes will hook up their computers to the classroom video projector and speakers, so that the students can see each other and get acquainted. They will then discuss the introduction to the book and form teams to work together on the book together.

The Redefinition level will allow students to collaborate between the classrooms via internet, to write reports, design blogs, develop wikis, or create Powerpoint or other computerized presentations that would become reports, teaching tools or enhancements for the book. Teachers will be present to guide and facilitate, but the students will be given the freedom to be as creative as they want with their group projects. When the projects are completed, they will be presented as possible publishable teacher helps for the Pathways reading program that is being implemented in the Texas and Georgia-Cumberland conferences.