SAMR and TPACK models in the classroom

SAMR and TPACK are two models that reflect on the integration of technology in the classroom.

The former presents four different levels according to how much technology influences a specific task in the classroom. The levels go from ‘Substitution’, in which we just replace old tools with new ones, to ‘Redefinition’, in which it is technology the one who enables students to carry out the task.

The latter, on the other hand, combines three knowledge areas: content knowledge, technological knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. The three of them work together to increase students’ motivation and make the content more accessible.  The content is the subject we are working with; the pedagogy makes reference to how we are going to work; and the technology refers to which tool we are going to use to make the content more accessible to our students while supporting the pedagogical choices we’ve made.

In our second practical work in ECO II, we worked in groups and developed a didactic sequence in which we took into account these models to integrate some technological tools. There, we reflected on the use of technology in the classroom and thought about how sometimes we use it just for the sake of being ‘modern’ and ‘up-to-date’ but without any real purpose, advantage or even coherence with the rest of the work.

So, from now onwards, when I plan on using technology for a specific task, I am going to ask myself: Do I really need this tool? Why? Could we carry out this task without it? Is it going to make the task easier? Has it got any disadvantage? Have we got the necessary resources in this institution so as to use this tool? 

References:
SAMR in 120 seconds. Video available here.
SAMR picture retrieved from this link.
TPACK in 2 minutes. Video available here.
TPACK picture retrieved from this link.

Assessing websites

Nowadays, we depend on the internet when searching for information. We generally look for data, images, ideas, etc. online; we google everything we’ve got doubts about; we don’t usually have books as our main source of information. However, not all websites are reliable. Our first practical work at ECO II was about evaluating and selecting websites.

We dealt with a list of criteria that, according to the British Council, we need to take into account so as to know whether a website is reliable or not. Some of the criteria were:

• Accuracy: It makes reference to whether the information seems accurate, whether it is based on opinion or facts, whether it contains external references and whether it is updated.
• Authority and coverage: It refers to the author, the sources of the information, its objectivity and the presence of advertising.
• Audience and relevance: It talks about the audience the website aims at.
• Educational focus: It refers specifically to whether the website has educational purposes and caters for all learning styles.
• Ease of use: It makes reference to whether the page is easy to access, its format, menu and design in general.

Although I generally take most of these factors into account when looking for information, I personally pay attention to the last criterion, the design of the website. I generally decide whether a page is trust-worthy by having a look at its colours, its pictures, its fonts, its organisation. It works for me! J

A little bit of humour to close…

References: 
British Council (2008). Evaluating and selecting websites. UK.
Evaluating websites: criteria for the classroom. Retrived from this link.
Learning the language of internet. Picture retrived from this link.

Two cool tools to use in worksheets

These are two webpages which can make our worksheets a little more attractive. The first one, Tagxedo, creates fun word clouds with the words, colours and shapes we choose. The second one, Dafont, is a webpage full of interesting free fonts to be used in Microsoft Word, Excel or any other text processor. I used them both when I was doing my teaching practices at secondary school recently, and they gave my worksheets a personal touch appart from making them more visually appealing. Even some of my students asked me how to download these fonts!

Here are some examples of how they look like...

Click here to try Tagxedo.

Click here to explore Dafont. 

New students; new technologies.

I’ve been reading an article titled ‘Digital natives, digital immigrants’ by Marc Prensky in my ECO II lessons. There, the author gives a general definition of what he calls ‘digital natives’ and ‘digital immigrants’, and how these two groups of people have a an impact on teaching today. He also criticises traditional teaching methods and activities.

I must say, I found Prensky’s ideas quite interesting and thought-provoking. I agree with him in many points, especially when he says ‘today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach’.

However, I personally think the author’s definitions of ‘natives’ and ‘immigrants’ are too general and he doesn’t take into account variables such as socio-economic status which, in my country, is very influential. Here, although technology is everywhere, it is not available to anyone. He also generalises when he talks about teachers – apparently, none of them is trying to include technology in the classroom and all of their lessons are boring and outdated. Again, I disagree. Many of my secondary school and university teachers use technology far better than any student.

Nevertheless, there’s never been so much thought about teaching, learning and the integration with the new technologies as there is today.  We cannot deny the fact that today’s students are indeed different from the ones in the past and technology is part of their lives in one way or another, and schools should take that into account. Its implementation in the classroom will mean less boring lessons, more engaged students; less outdated activities, more useful real-life like stuff.

References:
Prensky, Marc (2001). Digital Natives Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon. MCB University Press.
Picture retrived from this link.

A little bit about myself...

My name is Lucila and I'm from Argentina. 
I've been learning English for more than ten years and I love the language. I'm studying to become an English teacher and I plan to start a translating programme next year.
I love reading novels, spending time with my friends, travelling, photography and Harry Potter.