Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Taking a Hammer to SAMR: Augmentation

An earlier article defined Dr. Ruben Puentedura's SAMR model as a tool teachers can use to measure the opportunities afforded to students by technology integration. In this fourth article of the "Taking a Hammer to SAMR" series, we learn about Augmentation, the second level of the SAMR scale: the use of technology tools that add functions, but do not change the original task of the lesson.

The SAMR Activity Scale:



The SAMR Activity Scale outlines how technology use affords students opportunities to learn and demonstrate learning. In the SAMR continuum, Augmentation refers to the use of technology tools that add functions, but do not change the task of the lesson. At the Augmentation level, technology use offers some advantages to the teacher or the student. An activity is completed in the same manner as a non-digital activity, but uses technology as a tool to offer additional functionality.

Example First Grade Lesson: Types of Clouds (Weather Unit)

The student uses an iPad to navigate to a website to read an article with photos of different types of clouds online and then uses Google Docs to type a short definition of one type of cloud.  Google Docs is used to check spelling and submit the definition to the teacher online.

This is Augmentation because the teacher is still using the same lesson and reading about the different types of clouds, but adds the functionalities of spell check and submitting a definition online.

Augmentation, the second level of the SAMR scale, refers tto the use of technology tools that add functions, but do not change the task of the lesson. In the next issue, the "Taking a Hammer to SAMR" series will focus on Modification, the first step toward Transformational technology integration.

Taking a Hammer to SAMR: Substitution

Use the Comments section below to share your reflections about the Augmentation level.

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