The SAMR model, as developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, gives an example of how developments in computing technology may effect teaching and learning processes. Due to COVID, schools are having to realign their teaching curricula with little to no help for the 2020-21 school year. Teachers understand that a drastic change must occur but are not receiving support from their administrators which makes the transition much harder. When schools fail to understand the “gradual release’ process for a thorough implementation; it really adds stress to their teaching staff, parents, and students. It is already difficult enough to be a teacher during this time and the added stress can overwhelm everyone in the building. If the decision to go 100% online was made in March, there would have been adequate time to support teachers through the SAMR stages but many schools waited and waited until now (a week before school is in) to make the decision to go hybrid or fully online which is causing chaos everywhere.

The goal of SAMR is to effectively integrate technology into the classroom to improve teaching standards and gain higher levels of attainment for students. It is questioned as to how effective this may be, and how breaking away from traditional schooling may effect both the learning of students and the planning by teachers.

SAMR: Substitution

The first letter in the acronym, ‘S’, stands for substitution. This essentially means that the computer is replacing tasks that were previously done without it, such as searching books for references or finding a company’s phone number. This has made it easier for many, as people no longer need to put any physical effort into finding things that they can simply just search for on the internet.

It has been proven that almost 70% of teaching tasks have now been designed to fit into the developing technology of Substitution, while 30% of student tasks have been developed. An article on technology integration written by Jason Hodgson speaks on this and states that this benefits both the teachers and students as, through development, each are allowed to blend in with the new culture of technology.

To see the impact this has on teaching and learning, it firstly has to be considered as to whether or not this technology would ‘improve the learning process’. For example, would students learn more effectively from typing notes rather than handwriting them? This is a question very often asked, as word processors may affect the student's ability to learn to use proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar thus may impact their learning negatively. Therefore it is important to consider the pros and cons of this ‘substitutive’ technology in order to conclude its impact on teaching and learning.

Pros:

·         The replacement of paper to computing technology could result in a lower carbon footprint, thus making this method more environmentally friendly.

·         The material places on learning sites can be accessed globally, allowing all an equal opportunity and access to educational resources.

·         Time saving: using sources from the internet can save time and money for the teacher. They will save on printing out worksheets as well as providing multiple books for a classroom when they can pay for online subscriptions with unlimited access.

Cons:

·         The substitution of paper and pen by word processors may create a lack of engagement from students. They may not feel they need to pay full attention when lessons/ lectures can be recorded and typed.

·         Again, word processers and factors such as spell checking within these means students may slack on their learning of proper spellings and the use of appropriate spelling and grammar, which in turn will negatively affect their education.

Despite the cons of Substitution, many schools have implemented the use of computer technology as a Substitution for regular methods. A study conducted by Patricia Richardson in 2017 found that many schools with IPad programs implemented reported that they have benefited both teachers and students, whom use them almost every day.

Teachers who took part in this study self-reported that they felt in date with the use of technology as a Substitute for traditional factors and feel as though it benefits both. The study did, however, identity an issue with students plagiarizing work, where they copy and paste from online sources, however, methods can be used to overcome this, such as online apps like TurnItIn and other online plagiarism checkers.

References:

EPISD Live. “Digital Discoveries - SAMR Substitution.” YouTube, 17 Feb. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmtyw3YxtRE. Accessed 30 Sept. 2020.

Fastiggi, Will. “The SAMR Model | Technology for Learners.” Technologyforlearners.Com, 2019, technologyforlearners.com/the-samr-model/.

Ii, Wood, and Rick P. “TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE IMPACT OF IPAD© USE IN THE CLASSROOM ON THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE.” Drum.Lib.Umd.Edu, 2017, drum.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/20298, 10.13016/M2JW86P6Z. Accessed 30 Sept. 2020.

Media, Lingo. “The 4 Stages of EdTech – The SAMR Model for Technology Integration.” Lingo Media - Changing the Way the World Learns English, 11 Aug. 2015, lingomedia.com/stages-of-edtech-the-samr-model-for-technology-integration/.

Michael Hodgson, Jason. “One-to-One Technology Integration: An Examination of Academic Tasks and Pedagogical Shifts and Changes to the Instructional Environment - ProQuest.” Search.Proquest.Com, May 2016, search.proquest.com/openview/bf0ab4443400ff9d9c0df38081e4a06c/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y.

Moore, Christina. “The SAMR Model at the Substitution Level.” Portfolio Site for Christina Moore, Portfolio Site for Christina Moore, 8 Feb. 2017, christinamooredesign.com/2017/02/07/the-samr-model-at-the-substitution-level/.

“SAMR Model - Technology Is Learning.” Google.Com, 2008, sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model.

Schrock, Kathy. “SAMR.” Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything, 2013, www.schrockguide.net/samr.html.