Google Apps has made quality software accessible to everyone at little or no cost. In education, it provides educational institutions with cross-platform software that’s free and feature-rich. The wonderful thing about Google Apps for Education is that it is more than just a productivity suite. Yes, it makes managing the school computer labs and educational technology assets easier. Yes, it makes educators’ lives easier by letting us access what resources, plans, records, etc on the go.
The best thing about Google Apps for Education is that it goes beyond a productivity suite and offers functionality that can actually transform learning. I love reading about how other educators are creatively using Google Apps in the learning environment. It’s also great to have the chance to experiment with the possibilities.
Below is an infographic looking at Google Apps within the SAMR (Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition) framework.
Want to find out more about SAMR? Visit sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model for an easy-to-read but detailed overview.
Erifili,
I love that you are trying to explore SAMR and attempting to explain the stages through an infographic. This is a critical concept for teachers to explore and understand because it provides a meaningful framework for understanding how technology can positively and meaningfully impact instriction.
As I explored your infographic I wondered, though, if your examples provide enough clarity of the levels of a SAMR, specifically in Augmentation and Redefinition. I think it is important to get examples like these right as they should influence our peers who are just exploring the concept of a SAMR for the first time.
For example, Just sharing the document with a teacher is something students have always done…they are now just doing it electronically. Dig deeper, though, and students share the document while drafting and the teacher has anytime access to that document to check on progress, to redirect the student, to offer feedback, etc. That is using the features of tech to enhance the student experience without changing the task, and that is Augmentation.
Looking at Modification, the example you provide doesn’t change the task at all in a meaningful way, and that is the core definition of modification. Now, if that teacher used student comments made on the Google Doc, along with the revision history in that same document, and then asked students to evaluate their writing process, the way they as writers respond to feedback, and the impact feedback has on the quality of their written work, that would be significant task redesign based upon the opportunity the tools provide, and that would fit the definition of modification.
Keep up the great work of making concepts like SAMR available and understandable to our colleagues! It is important work that we do. Just thought I would share some feedback.