Online Teaching Reflection: Day 29

Today I find myself reflecting more philosophically on the distance learning process, specifically models of technology integration. If you follow the work on this, two models, SAMR and TPACK talked about are referenced the most. I referenced TPACK in yesterday's reflection. Below are images of each model. 

 As shown above, SAMR is a more  technology-centered" (in my opinion) approach that outlines how tools are used to on a spectrum of "Substitution" to "Redefinition". TPACK emerges from the work on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). Whereas PCK identifies overlap between the content a teacher will deliver and how they plan on delivering it, TPACK introduces technology as a third facet. The sweet spot being the overlap between the content a teacher will deliver, how they will deliver it, and the appropriate technological tool to empower the process. 

TPACK speaks to me as an educator much more than SAMR. When I reflect on SAMR individually, or with other teachers, I find myself feeling "less than" at times...blaming myself for using a tool to "substitute" something I would normally do without technology rather than using a tool that could "redefine" my classroom, in a simpler way. When I take this same logic to the world of TPACK, my reflective practice becomes much more nuanced, and the art of teaching begins to emerge. I notice that, at times, in order to appropriately overlap the TPACK Venn diagram a specific content, aligned the correct technology, requires "augmentation" as a form of tech integration. Conversely, for the same overlap to occur with a different piece of content and pedagogy, "redefinition" emerges via the tech. 

The point I am trying to make is this: I believe that if we look at tech integration through a lens of SAMR entirely, we miss the MORE IMPORTANT practice of reflecting the content we are delivering and the methods for which that delivery will take place.

A few years back I delivered a Keynote Presentation at the Fall CUE conference where I tried to make this point with out diving into the nerdy depths of models in education. In the talk I urged educators, and myself, to reflect on the authentic pedagogies that work in OUR classrooms, for OUR students, given OUR gifts as educators. Then, once pedagogies identified, build in tech tools that fuel your pedagogical tendencies. An "Ed Tech Mission Statement" if you will. Click here for the talk, and if this post spoke to you, please share with other teachers. Tech integration should always happen in response to our pedagogical strengths, not the other way around. 

Plan like it's 1980. Revise like it's 2020.