This week we learned about two different acronyms to use when thinking about implementing or using technology in education: SAMR and SECTIONS.

SAMR: Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition.

Substitution: Tech acts as a direct tool substitute, with no functional change.

Augmentation: Tech acts as a direct tool substitute, with functional improvement.

Modification: Tech allows for significant task redesign.

Redefinition: Tech allows for the creation of new tasks, previously inconceivable.

The SAMR makes me consider how learning can be done. I think learning can become more interactive and thus beneficial with the various types of tech used in instruction. More specifically, considering the SAMR model, I can evaluate how the learning is affected. I think various technologies play a role in learning, that make things easier, and it is fascinating when it redefines the experience of learning. I also think it is important to consider the purpose of substitution and its effect on learning. For example, some teachers will use a youtube video to read a story to substitute for them. I think this would be okay sometimes, but I do think that reading a story to your class is a bonding experience. It makes me think about technology and how it might impair human relationships. I think it is important to recognize that tech can affect human relationships negatively but also positively. Because of the positives of tech I don’t think we should eliminate it, but I don’t think we should eliminate natural human connection either.

SECTIONS: Students, Ease of Use, Costs, Teaching Functions, Interaction, Organizational Issues, Networking, Security and Privacy.

First and foremost when using technology in the class room, I would want to know that said technology is safe. That means emotionally. I would heavily consider how the selected tool or technology affects human interaction. Of course I would consider equity, and recognize that assigning homework that requires digital use may not be available to everyone. I also think that is important to be patient when teaching a group to use a type of technology. Just like math or english, or any subject, there will be students that are high-flyers and students that need more support when learning how to use a technological tool.

Then we learned how to use Canva, a free software (is that the right term…?) that you can use on a website to create digital posters. I have used Canva before at Kids Help Phone, when I interned there. I created a poster for a fundraiser event and enjoyed the digital art available to use from an “art bank” provided by Canva.

I can’t help but think about handwriting and drawing vs digital posters. I feel that this digital poster I created is neat and tidy. It is my own work, but not really. A graphic designer designed the fonts, colours, pictures and theme of the poster. I did switch it around to create this infographic, but it isn’t truly my own work. Furthermore, the words and symbols we were to use were explicitly chosen for us via the tutorial we followed. If I were to draw things with my hands then I feel like it would be truly my own work, but it wouldn’t look as neat or tidy! I guess when things are neat and tidy and symmetrical it is more pleasant for the mind to look at, maybe easier to understand.

I’ve always been one that appreciates someone’s hand writing, I think you can learn a lot about a person that way.

Here is my sketchnote that we were asked to create based on an article about two research studies. If you can’t understand it, it is about research done on sketchnoting. I think sketchnoting is a tool that really does help with memorization! I can speak to this first handedly because I was telling my room mate about our sketchnoting assignment, and realized I was telling her way more facts then I normally would after simply reading an article! I thought of the symbols I drew… the ear for listening… the intestines for digesting… and the summary sheet for summarizing… however I noticed it took me a bit longer to recall the summary sheet. I also don’t usually remember the names of universities because I don’t think that part is that important, but I remembered drawing the University of Waterloo. This was so cool.