"Classrooms don't need tech geeks who can teach; we need teaching geeks who can use tech." David Guerin · Education Technology

Essential Questions

So how do we, as teachers, know if the tools we are using for instruction are the right tools for the job? In this sense, the mechanics have it easy. You cannot use a hammer to loosen a bolt. Oh, I suspect that some have tried, but that likely leads to bloodied knuckles and the unemployment line.

This is especially true when trying to make decisions about the types of technology tools to integrate into our classroom practice. Most of us believe that technology is important and has a place in the classroom, but we are unsure the "hows", "whens", and most importantly the "whys" of technology integration. 

There must be something more to this than an evaluator checking off a box that says, "Effectively uses technology in the classroom" or capturing evidence that says, "Students were playing with robots."

This week I had the opportunity to take a look as several examples of Frameworks for Evaluating Technology.  

cartoonstock.com

Among these were:

SAMR
TPACK
TIM
Triple E Framework
TIP Chart









Each of these frameworks had its strengths and weaknesses. In the end, I selected the SAMR Chart as the tool I would use to examine my own classroom practice. I like the usability and the fact that it broke the field into levels that seemed to synch well with Webb's Depth of Knowledge. This being said, I hope any readers would take some time took look through them all and make their own choice. I feel like each of them has a different thing to offer the user.

and this...is AWESOME!!!

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-MbpEE7mQumajRvUldCTjdJTU0/edit?pli=1

Setting the Context of the Technology Use

Because most of these frameworks listed above are designed to measure the technology use in a specific lesson or unit, I decided to look specifically at a recent formative assessment that my students took as a part of a synthesis writing unit. The formative assessment asked students to show their understanding of the elements of synthesis writing by making a Public Service Announcement (PSA) explaining HOW TO SURVIVE THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. They were asked to read through six "sources" (provided by the teachers) and pull out enough evidence to create a public service announcement to inform fellow students how to escape the zombie hordes.

The technologies used by the students were:

• a software-based storyboarding template (students' choice)
• digital cameras (or cell phones with cameras)
• video editing software (imovie or student selected)
• if students did not want to create a live-action PSA they could use animation software (I provided NAWMAL and istopmotion home. 

USING THE SAMR FRAMEWORK

Image the creation of Dr. Ruben Puentedura, Ph.D. http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog

So, I then used the SAMR framework to consider my use of technology on this particular formative assessment.

• Because the paper was originally a pen and paper assessment and it was transformed to a student-created movie, I believe that it should be considered "Transformative,"putting it on the top half of the SAMR framework. 
• The majority of my students had no idea that they could use their phones to edit film and create a polished final product, I feel safe in stating that they were asked to create, "new tasks [that were] previously inconceivable. 

In the end, I believe that I could use evidence and the SAMR scale to declare this particular assignment "redefinition." 

Final Thoughts

The SAMR framework was helpful in giving me a way of considering the "rigor" of the technology utilization for this particular project. Like most scales like this, I would caution evaluators from using a scale like this to "rate" a teacher's overall use of technology. I could envision using this tool during scope and sequence planning to get a sense of the depth and breadth of the technology integration for our course team.