Technology Frameworks in the Classroom

In the modern classroom technology incorporation is incredibly important. While we are giving instruction in math, science, writing and so on, we are also teaching technology literacy. It is important that we are integrating as much technology as we can and when it makes sense. This allows students the ability to practice things like typing skills, navigating and creating digital documents, slide shows, videos and more. It makes me wonder, how well am I integrating technology in my own lessons?

What is SAMR?

        Before I begin the evaluation, let's talk about the SAMR framework. SAMR stands for substitution, augmentation, modification and redefinition. The SAMR framework can be described as a staircase, ladder or even a pool with a shallow and deep end, but many resources suggest thinking of it more as a spectrum. Substitution and augmentation are forms of enhancing the learning, while modification and redefinition are forms of transforming the learning. 

Image Source: PowerSchool

     

         Substitution would be replacing something traditional like pencil and paper with typing on an electronic document or using an electronic copy of a textbook instead of the physical copy. Augmentation also utilizes a substitute for a traditional tool but improves the function, such as using a Kahoot game for a review session instead of just filling out a study guide. Modification significantly redesigns the task, such as having a student create a podcast or video presentation to show what they have learned on a research project. Redefinition makes the previously “impossible” possible. Virtual field trips, digital pen pals or sharing a video presentation project with peers in a different country are all examples of redefinition. 

SAMR Evaluation

        I have worked at an elementary school for 5 years. The first 4 years I was a reading interventionist and I was only ever in the enhancement levels. My students would only be in our group for 30 minutes a day so it was mainly focused on decoding and encoding skills. We used a computer program called Read Naturally twice a week with the older students which had the students do a timed cold read, read with the audio 3 times, read on their own 3 times and then answer multiple choice and short answer questions. So they were getting that digital computer practice that is important for helping develop those skills. However, reading interventions was really going back to the basics for all grades so we did a lot of our work with pencil and paper or reading directly from a physical text. I honestly do not know if it would have made sense for my students to be doing things in the transformation side of the “pool”.

This year I am currently a 5th grade paraprofessional so I’m not actually creating any lesson plans this year, but I am substitute teaching in the building as needed. So I’ve compiled examples from different activities that I have seen teachers do throughout the building as a sort of evaluation. Overall I think that my school is consistently in the “shallow end of the pool”. I think that after the pandemic and eLearning many schools have probably naturally fallen into substitution and augmentation. Lots of the resources and materials are now digitized. It also depends on the grade level, younger grades have more traditional materials, while the older grades really use their Chromebooks consistently throughout the day. In terms of substitution, I know all of our teachers have a Google Classroom in which they have the basic weekly schedule posted as well as links to materials and resources videos for extra help at home. Many teachers also use Google Forms for zone check-ins throughout the day and digital documents for writing papers. All the things that you would expect.

A big example for augmentation in my school is using Kahoots for review instead of just a paper quiz or exit ticket. The kids LOVE Kahoot! It gets the kids more engaged in the process and they get to see if they were correct pretty much right away. Another big example of augmentation that doesn’t just apply to my school is state testing. When I was in school we had those paper state tests that you had to rip open certain sections to take the test and fill in the bubbles with a pencil. Now they take it on the computer and it even is able to adjust the test based on how the student is doing. If the student is doing really well it will start to ask harder questions to try to push the student to see how much they know. If the questions get too difficult it was adjusted in the reverse as well. This obviously wasn’t a choice with the traditional paper state testing I did growing up.

Modification I think would be one you would see in every classroom probably at least once a week. For example I know that the librarian has the 5th graders do a project in which they each pick a picture book and write a little review and print it on a little book mark to tuck into the book on the shelves. Included on the bookmark is a QR code that links a video of the student reading that picture book aloud so that any student who checks it out has the ability to follow along if they so choose. I know that all grade levels use video presentations pretty frequently throughout the school year as another great way to see what the students have learned and give them some more creative control.

Redefinition was the hardest to think of an example at the elementary level. I’m sure that there are several examples throughout the year but the biggest one that I thought of comes from the 2020-2021 school year. Every year in the spring the students have “portfolio night”. This is a way for students to show their families how their work has improved throughout the year and show off big things they have worked on. It’s also a giant showcase for their artwork. The art teacher usually hangs art work throughout the entire building from every grade level and displays their 3D projects in the library. However, in the spring of 2021 we were still doing "distanced learning", so we could only have a certain number of people in the building at a time and some students still exclusively did eLearning from home. So the art teacher did the unimaginable! She created a virtual art show. She created the layout of the building in a program and “hung” the artwork throughout the building for the families to be able to look at all the work. You could “walk” the hallways and see the work and even click on pieces to view the work individually. I would like to clarify that she did not actually hang any art work in the hallways. She took individual pictures of all the art work that they had done that year and embedded the pictures in the digital hallways. (Could you imagine how long this probably took?!) She also made sure that the students that did exclusive eLearning were not left out of creating art projects. She sent home bags of art supplies every week to follow along with their classmates that were in the building for art class. Talk about above and beyond all around!

Final Thoughts

I think that at the elementary level generally you will be in the enhancement stages mostly because they’re still learning the basics and traditional tools are an important aspect of that. However, I do think that the staff at my school are really creative with the different ways that they use the transformation stages. While learning about modification and redefinition it really reminded me of project based learning. I could easily see redefinition applying to a “real life problem” within project based learning and having the final product being more publicly available by posting it online or having another school see the digital presentation. I think project based learning, modification and redefinition would pair together very well. While I do not personally have many examples of modification and redefinition in my own personal teaching experience, I am excited to think of ways that I could use them in my future library classroom.

Works Cited

Best, Jackson. “The SAMR Model Explained (With 15 Practical Examples).” 3P Learning, 9 

Oct. 2020, www.3plearning.com/blog/connectingsamrmodel/. 

Daniel Davis, Julie. “Using the SAMR Model of Tech Integration in the Classroom.” Edutopia, 

30 Apr. 2025, www.edutopia.org/article/model-implementing-technology-classroom. 

“Practical SAMR Model Examples to Integrate Education Technology.” Nearpodblog, Nearpod 

Team, 12 Aug. 2025, nearpod.com/blog/samr/. 

Terada, Youki. “A Powerful Model for Understanding Good Tech Integration.” Edutopia, 4 May 

2020, www.edutopia.org/article/powerful-model-understanding-good-tech-integration.