Ruben R. Puentedura’s SAMR Model

I find Ruben R. Puentedura’s SAMR model helpful in providing a conceptual framework for the different options teachers have teaching content and skills using current and emerging technology. Having watched a video of him explaining it, I also see his approach as balanced because he does not criticize teachers for teaching using substitution or augmentation to enhance or enrich the learning process. He argues that lessons taught at the modification or redefinition levels are not necessarily superior or better. I agree. I believe there will be times when using technology to improve or enhance learning is appropriate or necessary and can still ‘add value’ to the student’s learning. However, to use technology only at the S or R levels would be to short-change or limit our children and to ill-prepare them for their future or to be contributing members of a globally-competing economy. I look forward to creating more assignments and projects at the M and R level.

In earlier times, if a teacher teaching a Careers course wanted students to benefit from the knowledge, personal experience and expertise of people in the community, the teacher might invite that person to visit the classroom and share in-person. Even today, as I teach Careers 10, I can invite someone or the students can own their learning and invite someone themselves. However, this isn’t always possible, especially if that person doesn’t live in the community. In that case, students might also find occupational information in a textbook, library book, or print magazine.

Substitution: If I substitute technology, students can do research online to try to find the same information. They could access websites like NOC or Job Bank.

However, these websites are pretty ‘no-frills’. For example, there are no testimonial videos of people working in the occupations that students might choose for themselves. In this case, I’d be substituting what students could find in a textbook, library book, or magazine with what they would find online.

Augmentation: As a teacher, I can purchase a membership with a company that provides an upgrade to what students can find online. Career Cruising, for example, provides some functional improvement. It’s a more user-friendly site, more visually appealing, offer’s more one-stop shopping in terms of accessing information, and provides 2 minute videos of people working in a particular field (e.g. lawyer).

Modification: I could significantly re-design this assignment by adding a component whereby the student moves from just being a consumer of knowledge to a producer of knowledge. For example, after researching an occupation using Career Cruising, I could ask the student or a group of students to use an iPad, camera, or camcorder to produce a news video on the occupation.

Redefinition: Finally, I could ask students to make a podcast instead of a video and share that podcast online OR I could ask students to post their video on YouTube AND embed that video on a blog that would also feature writing in addition to the video. By adding the YouTube, podcast, or blog to the equation, I’m transforming the project and the learning by using communication methods that were previously unavailable or, I suppose, inconceivable (I’m sure someone conceived it awhile back before the technology was invented).