10 ways to reach SAMR’s redefinition level

Ed Tech

Ed Tech | Thursday, April 3, 2014

10 ways to reach SAMR’s redefinition level

10 ways to reach SAMR's redefinition level

Redefinition is at the top of the SAMR model, and most educators want to know how the can reach it. Here are several ideas for redefining learning with technology. (Image via Dr. Ruben Puentedura via hippasus.com)

When I saw Dr. Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR model for the first time, I thought two things:

1. “Wow, why hasn’t anyone shown me this sooner?”

2. “How can I get to the redefinition level?”

If you’re where I was when I asked question 1 above, here’s your brief synopsis:

SAMR is a technology integration model that basically shows the way to get the most out of your technology in the classroom. The dotted line in the chart to the right shows where you cross over from doing what you’ve always done — just adding technology — to doing what you couldn’t do before.

Redefinition is at the top of the SAMR model, but that doesn’t mean that you “win” or that you’re doing it right only if you reach redefinition. Some tasks just aren’t made for redefinition, and great learning can happen without redefinition.

But redefinition is the Holy Grail. If you get there, you’re providing learning that couldn’t have happened a decade ago (maybe a year ago).

At a recent conference, I was asked for some redefinition examples, and I realized that that’s what we’re all really looking for: ideas we can modify so we can get there too.

Here are 10 ideas for reaching SAMR’s redefinition level:

1. A cultural exchange: My students were fortunate to participate in a cultural exchange created between me and a teacher in Spain. Students met in pairs via Skype to discuss predetermined topics and to just talk about whatever they wanted. They then wrote in their second language (Spanish or English) about the conversation and the other students help correct their mistakes. (I’ve written several posts about this exchange.)

2. Public blogs: Writing has always been at the core of many subjects. This takes writing and gives it a new, exciting potential audience: the world. Students write in publicly accessible blogs and share them via any channels possible (i.e. school website/newsletter, Twitter/Google Plus communities, listservs, etc.). They then have interactions with people about their ideas that they would never have otherwise.

3. Global perspectives: Students connect with a class in another part of the world to discuss a historical event — preferably one that affects both their own countries. Students write — in shared Google Documents, blogs, wikis or any other writing tool — factually about the event and then share opinions about it. They can compare how it’s perceived in different parts of the world. (Inspired by this post.)

4. “Aid the community” competition: Students from various countries engage in a project to tackle an issue in their communities (i.e. reducing the carbon footprint of their communities). Students share ideas on a wiki, discuss ideas together via video chat on Skype/Adobe Connect/Google Hangout, and partner with researchers at local universities or companies. They share the findings of their yearlong endeavor in a documentary on YouTube. (Source: ECISD Technology)

5. eBook authors: Creating an eBook opens students’ work up to a global audience. Students’ hard work to research or create a project can be produced digitally and distributed in previously impossible ways. iBooks Author or any publishing platform that produces epub or PDF files (Microsoft Publisher, Google Apps, etc.) would work. eBooks could be offered for free (or at a price to benefit a charity or other cause) on Amazon or other eBook sellers. (Inspired by this post.)

6. Twitter writing: Twitter, by nature, can open students up to people from all walks of life AND teaches brevity in writing with its 140-character limits. Students could engage in a collaborative writing project with students (or anyone) from other places via Twitter. A story starter could be posted to a teacher-created hashtag and suggestions for continuation of the story could be taken from participants. A “crowdsourced” story would result. (Source: EdofICTJSSALC)

7. Sketchnoting: If you’ve seen an RSA Animate video, where an artist sketches visual notes based on a motivating speech, you’ve seen sketchnoting. Plenty of digital tools are available to sketchnote, and sketchnotes can (like many examples here) be shared with an audience for dialogue and shared ideas. (Source: Kathy Schrock’s SAMR model musings)

8. Bookmark annotating: Sites like Diigo that allow users to bookmark sites and annotate over them provide a place for discussing content that didn’t exist before. Students (or the teacher) can bookmark sites and then write notes and highlight important ideas. A discussion can take place right on the page. Post-It notes and writing in margins were possible before, but you couldn’t access other people’s notes from anywhere and engage in conversation with them.

9. Nearpod presentation: Nearpod makes presentations possible in a way that was previously impossible. It gives the presenter controls that they wouldn’t have with a standard PowerPoint presentation (and it’s free). Teachers send the digital presentation out to student devices and control what students see. Students interact and respond to the presentation, and the teacher can monitor student progress.

10. Google Apps paperless classroom: Instead of creating documents on paper, distributing them to students and collecting them as assignments, students and teachers can function paperlessly. Documents in Google Apps (or Evernote or other options) can be organized and edited digitally. They can be shared and edited simultaneously by any user. Users can even use chat windows and comment boxes to discuss content. They can all be accessed from anywhere.

Do you have another great use of SAMR’s redefinition? Share it in a comment below!

(For notifications of new Ditch That Textbook content and helpful links, “like” Ditch That Textbook on Facebook and follow @jmattmiller on Twitter!)

Matt is scheduled to present at the following upcoming events:

  • PowerED Up (June 2-3, Perry Central Jr/Sr High School, Leopold, Ind.)
  • Tippecanoe School Corp. technology integration workshop (June 3-4, Tippecanoe County, Ind.)
  • Infinite iPossibilities Conference (June 10, Center Grove High School, Greenwood, Ind.)
  • YCS WeLearn Conference (June 12, Yorktown High School, Yorktown, Ind.)
  • Knight Time Technology (June 13, East Noble High School, Kendallville, Ind.)
  • Making Waves with eLearning (June 17-18, West Lafayette High School, West Lafayette, Ind.)
  • Conference on a Couch (June 20, Danville Community High School, Danville, Ind.)
  • Digipalooza (June 24-25, Scottsburg Middle School, Scottsburg, Ind.)
  • trAnSfoRM (June 25-26, South Vermillion High School, Clinton, Ind.)
  • Greater Clark Connected Conference (July 21, Jeffersonville High School, Jeffersonville, Ind.)
  • Duneland School Corporation technology conference (Aug. 5-6, Chesterton High School, Chesterton, Ind.)

Interested in having Matt present at your event or school? Contact him by e-mail!

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  • […] 10 ways to reach SAMR’s redefinition level. (2014, April 3). Retrieved from https://ditchthattextbook.com/10-ways-to-reach-samrs-redefinition-level/ […]

  • […] stage, I researched different ways to implement the SAMR model in the classroom with examples. Matt Miller’s article 10 ways to reach SAMR”s redefinition stage provides 10 practical ideas to implement the redefinition stage in the classroom. I was delighted […]

  • Andoni says:

    Thanks for your hard work. I’m a fan!

  • Holly Hales says:

    Nearpod is free for teachers but not if you want you kids to be able to interface with it–that costs!

    • Shawna Polk says:

      Teachers can still launch a Nearpod lesson and have students interact with it using the free version. There are just more features available if you purchase the Gold Version. It’s a great tool! Taking it up a notch, students can create their own Nearpod Presentations and launch them to their classmates when they are presenting.

  • Kristen Eck says:

    How about using Periscope or Facebook Live in the classroom? Parents and grandparents could log on from work to watch presentations their students give. How great for parents deployed overseas!

  • SAMR Model | says:

    […] In addition to the assigned websites for this badge, I also consulted Matt Miller’s blog: https://ditchthattextbook.com/2014/04/03/10-ways-to-reach-samrs-redefinition-level/. […]

  • […] we couldn’t do before for an authentic audience “Get it out the door” (view some examples of what a teacher can do to get to redefinition – I am not sure all of these would reach this level without high level […]

  • Sally Adams says:

    I teach 5th-8th Grade and in my 7th Grade class, I am using iPads in a “writing for performance” class. Students find a topic of interest and create a multi media presentation (this includes a live speaker) on their topic that includes a “call to action” at the end. They are using a variety of apps because I have not indicated they MUST use any particular one. So far, students have introduced me to three new apps that I want to use. The point is not the apps, though, but rather the freedom and flexibility the technology (we are a 1:1 iPad school) affords them. The most important note on the unit rubric? “Surprise Me” and they do!

    • Matt Miller says:

      Sally — I love so much about this project: the call to action (so important in the real world), choice of digital tools, an especially the “Surprise Me” element. Thanks for sharing such great stuff!

  • […] and Bloom’s 10 Ways to Reach R Cybrary Man’s […]

  • […] 10 ways to reach SAMR’s redefinition level | Ditch That Textbook […]

  • Chris Loat says:

    Great ideas for using iPads at the redefinition level. Similar to #5 above,students in our district at using the app “Book Creator” to keep a digital portfolio of their work and include verbal reflections. Many times the students complete their work with another app (e.g. 30 Hands) and then embed this digital work in their ebook.

  • Jim Bologna says:

    Lots of articles and notes about the SAMR model – so glad to see a wealth of great ideas for implementation! Nice job!

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