Continuing Conversations with TPACK and SAMR

Last week, I wrote about how TPACK and SAMR are the models that I want to use in having conversations about the use of technology in the classrooms. As a recap, I discussed the how both models function and how both models are slightly flawed. You can read the whole thing here!

Originally posted by Jonathan Brubaker on his blog.

Using these models, it becomes essential for us to rethink the ways that we do things. While technology use at the lower levels feels and looks great, and may even be more engaging for the students, we should take a moment to self-evaluate what we are doing and why.

As educators, we would never simply do something to do something. We tend to be calculated, thoughtful, and purposeful in the activities and lessons we plan for our students. With technology, we must also do the same. Technology is not a lesson plan. Technology is a tool to help us achieve something specific in the lesson plan.

As we examine our lessons, we should look to see how we fit with the SAMR model and the TPACK model. Asking ourselves simple questions about the use of the technology can be essential. Some questions that you may want to ask yourself include:

• What is my learning target for my students?
• What does my success criteria look like?
• How am I currently using the technology to support my learning targets and my success criteria?
• Can I become more efficient in achieving my learning targets and success criteria?
• How can technology assist my students in achieving learning targets and success criteria?
• Can I use this technology to do something new?

TPACK “Reproduced by permission of the publisher, © 2012 by tpack.org

While these are clearly not all of the questions, this can help us start to frame what we are thinking and doing with our lesson plans. Technology may not fit exactly into the plans that we did before. Finding ways to adapt and change our lessons can be the first steps towards climbing levels of technology integration in our classrooms, it can also increase rigor and student achievement in time. The best way to do that is to continue to stick to the plan and ensure that we are finding more meaningful, more challenging, and more educational ways to get our students there.

If you have any questions, please let me know!