Integrating Technology into the Classroom (the SAMR model)
Our amazing Junior School have spent the last couple of years working to incorporate technology into their everyday teaching life. Not just add on's, not just gimmick's, but true integration.
They've worked on achieving this through the use of the SAMR model: https://www.schoology.com/blog/samr-model-practical-guide-edtech-integration
Here is how it works:
Many of us I'm sure, can identify with 'Substitution' and perhaps also 'Augmentation'. For example, in Geography you would be using 'substitution' if you used Google Maps instead of an Atlas; or if you then went on to use Google Rulers, or the app 'Measure' on your iPhone, to measure the distance between two places. That would be 'augmentation'.
Reaching 'Modification' or 'Redefinition' is where it starts to get challenging. Take a look at the below examples:
How many of us have created a narrated Google Earth tour and shared it online?! To be fair, that would only be relevant to certain subjects but either way, the act of using technology in this way is innovative, pro-active, risk-taking and takes a little courage. That doesn't mean we shouldn't do it... just that it might/will take a little more time to build into our lessons and practice than the 'Enhancement' levels. We should be STRIVING to reach 'redefinition'.
Our Junior School also shared a really useful image to help teachers identify app's that are helpful to certain skills we're trying to evoke within our students in lessons: http://www.teachthought.com/technology/the-padagogy-wheel-convergent-thinking-in-learning-technology/
Which one will you try out?
The group heard from members of the junior staff about how to embed technology in the classroom through Firefly. Putney High School uses Firefly across both the junior and senior site and hearing their tips on how to minimise printing, store homework and class activities, record results of student answers and then use that data to compare progress, helped the senior staff think about Firefly in new and unique ways.
Our staff then collaborated via a Padlet to collate their innovate ideas: https://padlet.com/h_mistry/530ms4tq8byh
One of the top tips mentioned was - how to split your iPad screen:
Instructions: Open an app (e.g.: Notes), double click the home button to bring up the home bar at the bottom of the screen, select and hold another app (e.g.: safari) and drag to hover over original app)
Useful for either two students working on the same iPad at once, or you can have two apps open at the same time:
Finally, the Chartered College of Teaching has published a special edition article about innovation through technology. This article helped form the Teaching and Learning session we ran. Have a read here: https://impact.chartered.college/browse-issue/?issue=special-issue-january-2019-education-technology