EDUC 932 Blog Post #8: SAMR Model Lesson Planning

By Lefflerd (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The SAMR model defines levels of educational technology integration from substitution (S), in which technology is simply a direct replacement for another tool, to redefinition (R) in which previously impossible new tasks are created through the use of technology.  The model was developed by Ruben Puentedura, who explains his model in this video.

I struggle to think of a time in the past that I have seen in person a lesson that qualifies as an example of redefinition.  For most of my career as an educator I’ve dealt with crumbling tech infrastructure, and haven’t really had (until now, thank you Steve Katz!) a mentor to introduce me to the possibilities that can be realized with technology in the classroom.  I’m keen to get started creating lessons that rate high on Puentedura’s scale.

My fifth grade team has created a project for our students to take on over summer break (sorry kids, school summer homework policy) that probably qualifies as modification or redefinition on the SAMR scale.  The idea came from an article we read in class about 'catephiles' who have repurposed the catacombs beneath Paris as museums and community spaces.  What follows is a brief visual description of the urban renewal/renovation project that we will assign them: 

(photo credit: pixabay.com [mashup])

​I’m really excited to see what our students are able to produce!  And, I’m excited to spend some time before vacation showing them how to use some of the technology that they’ll need to complete their project.  I’ll update this post with new information as we work on the project.