How to use the Technology

There are so many tools, apps, and websites out there, sometimes it is hard to know which ones are the best, or which ones will improve student learning the most. Something I learned in a class I took at Iowa State University this semester, is as educators, we must challenge ourselves. Technology can be used in 4 ways: to substitute, augment, modify, or redefine (SAMR). Check out the model below for a visual.

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As teachers, it should be our goal to redefine education with technology: make something possible that used to be impossible. This is not always easy, and I catch myself merely substituting using technology all the time. It is something we must strive and work for.

Next time you think about using a tool, ask your self, am I substituting the paper/pen method with a digital method? Or am I creating a learning opportunity for my students that never existed before?