Ruben Puentedura

March 18 2013
Dr. Ruben Puetedura  SAMR

What a fascinating way to think about learning and technology! He poses the question: How can we go from traditional learning spaces to a continuum of learning spaces so the entire world becomes a place of learning for our students?

Sign me up! Let’s go for it! Why should we look at schools as the only places/spaces for learning. With the technological tools we have let’s blow the 4 walls and extend learning way beyond the classroom! Let’s turn technology into teachnology. Let’s use technology to teach us, teach students in revolutionary new ways.

In looking at the SAMR model, I would as an administrator say that most of us in classrooms are using technology in the first 2 stages of the SAMR model. In Substitution, the exact same tasks are done by substituting using some tech tools. For example, the same essays are being written the same way but now instead of long-hand we are using word processors. There is no significant impact on learning by using the tech tool.

With Augmentation, tech tools are being used to enhance the same tasks. Tasks may now be done more efficiently, faster by using different features, but the same results in learning are happening. Importing images to add to our essay writing may make it look more appealing but there is no significance in the learning.

In Modification, although the heart of the task remains the same, certain features are used to do the task in new ways. For example the student may write an essay but now with online critiquing from peers, the student gets instant feedback to help with the learning. There are teachers in school who are able to extend their thinking and comfort level to try new experiences with technology but these teachers are few and far between. I have also noticed that popular assumptions would be that the younger the teacher in age and experience, the more risks they will take to teach in the modification stage. This is not the case in my school. In my experience, it depends on how open a teacher is to new ideas, to new ways of thinking. Sometimes it’s teachers who are open to learning from their students who are better able to think in the Modification stage or even the Redefinition stage.

The Redefinition stage is where technology allows for creation of new tasks never thought of or attainable before. It is not merely the stage where old tasks are replaced with new tasks. This is where there is a revolution of new thinking, reaching domains never thought of before. Puentedura claims that there are dramatic outcomes from students whose potential we had never considered before; seeing students improving like never before. At this stage teachers cannot separate Pedagogy, Content and Technology as singular entities; they must be organically combined with purposeful thinking of how we can create new learning. I would venture to say we cannot do this without our students as learning partners. We have to embark on this journey side by side learning from each other.

I am grappling with a student now who is functioning at a grade 2 level but he is living in a Grade 8 body. His teachers are frustrated because he is not responding to any of the vast menu of interventions tried. The learning gap is growing daily and ideas are now vanishing. I feel we are failing him. How can we take his singular interest, skateboarding and use technology, content and pedagogy to reach him? Can we move past teaching him to write about skateboarding and presenting a Powerpoint to perhaps having him teach us how to design a skateboard park using his iPad? Can we hook him up with an online skateboarding community to learn more about his world? Can we take a virtual trip with him another part of the world where he can demonstrate his skills with other peers who know nothing about skateboarding?

What we need is the same thing we always need to move new learning forward – time, money, inspiration, safe places to try innovative ideas, and supportive structures. But we can’t wait for all these to fall into our laps. Now that we know better we need to do better. We need not only to do things better or easier, we need to transform. We need leadership in our schools that navigate past the bereaucratic red tape (i.e. allow unlimited use of apple products), to think outside the box, blur the lines so teachers /administrators can experiment, take risks. We need to know the students we serve, truly know them so they may be partners in learning.

Something to think about when talking about changes in education that needs to happen:

References:
Ruben Puetedura's blog:
http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/
Changing Paradigms in Education:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U