African Universities’ Research Approaches (AURA) Programme: Course Pack
“Engaged excellence in teaching and research”
aura
Teaching Course 3/Day 1/Session 2 (T3_D1-S2)
Title: How to integrate technology to teaching with the SAMR Model
Session Description:
(Overall time: 80 mins) The purpose of this session is to provide learners with a model to support the
integration of technology to enhance the learning experience. Learners will reflect on the meaning of
technology enhanced learning, and they will apply the ‘Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition’
(SAMR) model to design one of their learning activities with the use of technology.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Reflect on the type of enhancement supported by the use of technology
2. Discuss the implications of technology for teaching
3. Identify the principles used to choose technology tools for specific pedagogical purposes (SAMR Model)
Recommended Modality:
 Face-to-face
Learning Activities:
1. (30 mins) A brainstorming activity that enables learners to reflect with their peers on the meaning of
technology enhanced learning and the implications of technology for teaching and learning. Learners will
first share their understanding within their group with the guidance of prompting questions, and then have
a wider discussion with their peers, during which a concept map will be drawn to visualise their
connections and thoughts on the topic. Learners’ pre-knowledge will be reinforced by a short lecture on
the topic (LOs 1-2)
2. (30 mins) Learners are asked to work with their group on the design of a technology enhanced activity
referring to the SAMR model. Each group has to identify and clearly explain the principles behind their
choice of the technology tools for specific pedagogical purposes, and clarify the type of enhancement they
would like to achieve (LO 1-3)
Formative Assessment
 Questioning
 Peer feedback
Learning Resources:
[T3-P02-S2] Power Point Presentation Session 2: How to integrate technology: the SAMR Model. This
presentation provides the session’s learning outcomes, and introduces learners to an initial reflection on the
concept of technology enhanced learning, the types of enhancement supported by technology integration, and
the use of the SAMR model to guide the sound implementation of technology in teaching.
Course Materials:
 Projector
 Computer
 One laptop per group
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African Universities’ Research Approaches (AURA) Programme: Course Pack
“Engaged excellence in teaching and research”
aura
Presentation slides
Slide 1
Points in bold are facilitation instruction - for example, they might indicate how to run a group discussion or
brainstorming session.
Points in italic indicate things you should tell the audience. You can express them in your own words.
Underlined points refer to formative assessment techniques and indicate what you can learn from learner
responses (although it is impossible to be comprehensive about all of the insights).
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African Universities’ Research Approaches (AURA) Programme: Course Pack
“Engaged excellence in teaching and research”
aura
Slide 2
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this session, you will:
1. Reflect on the type of enhancement supported by the use of
technology
2. Discuss the implications of technology for teaching
3. Identify the principles to choose technology tools for specific
pedagogical purposes (SAMR Model)
(1 min)
Facilitation: Introduce the learning outcomes of this session and make sure to address possible questions if
there are any.
Content: In this session, you will reflect on the type of enhancement supported by the use of technology. We
will discuss what ‘enhancement’ actually means when we integrate technology in terms of learning benefits;
we will reflect on the implications that the use of technology for learning purposes has for teaching. Finally, you
will be able to identify the principles to choose technology tools for specific pedagogical purposes by referring
to a model called SAMR, which is an acronym that stands for ‘Substitution, Augmentation, Modification,
Redefinition,’ and that provides a framework to support technology integration. Of course this is only one of
the many models you could refer to, and it doesn’t aim to be comprehensive or the “right” model. It is
suggested here as a straightforward and simple model to consider when you reflect on how to design your
activities with a technology component.
Formative Assessment: Setting clear expectations and outcomes is important to address possible questions at
the very beginning of the course or session and avoid confusion.
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African Universities’ Research Approaches (AURA) Programme: Course Pack
“Engaged excellence in teaching and research”
aura
Slide 3
(Total 30 mins)
Facilitation: The brainstorming activity allows learners to draw on their knowledge of the topic before being
introduced to your overview. Learners are asked to reflect in groups (10 mins) on the meaning of technology
enhanced learning and the implications of technology for teaching. They will first share their understanding
within their groups with the guidance of prompting questions, and then have a discussion with the whole
group (20 mins; 5 mins per group), during which a concept map will be drawn to visualise their connections
and thoughts on the topic. You should refer to the concept map collectively created during your short
lecture on technology enhanced learning.
Content: In this brainstorming activity you are asked to share with your team members your understanding of:
1. What does ‘technology enhanced’ mean to you? (i.e. what does learning enhancement mean in terms of
technology integration?)
2. How can technology support the enhancement of learning?
You will have 10 minutes to discuss this and to take note of the main concepts and ideas shared during your
conversation. Then, each group will share the highlights of the conversation with the rest of the class, and we
will all create a collective mind map that will visualise our thoughts and understandings of the concept
‘enhancement’ and of how technology could support the enhancement of learning.
Formative Assessment: Brainstorming activities can be a good way to elicit learners’ knowledge on a specific
topic before providing additional support with a structured overview on it. In addition, the activity would
enable the facilitator to assess learners’ understanding and use that feedback/data to address specific points
in the short lecture planned right after the activity. Finally, it would allow the facilitator to provide learners
with immediate formative feedback and address specific areas of confusion highlighted during the discussion
with them.
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aura
Slide 4
This slide provides a resource for the facilitator to show an example of a concept map created with learners
during a brainstorming activity. It doesn’t have to be shown to learners as they should be free to create it in
their own preferred way.
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African Universities’ Research Approaches (AURA) Programme: Course Pack
“Engaged excellence in teaching and research”
aura
Slide 5
The SAMR
Model
(10 mins)
Facilitation: You will provide a short presentation on the SAMR model to elicit learners’ reflection on the
different ways to implement technology and on the types of learning enhancement promoted by them.
While introducing each level/stage of the model, pose reflective questions to learners and ask them to
quickly write their response on a sticky note, and place it on the related level/stage of the model, which you
would have also drawn on a board or on a flipchart. Before moving to the next stage, make sure you go
through the post-it notes, clarify if the examples represent the stage or not, and address possible
misunderstandings by asking other learners to support you in the explanation. If needed, one example for
each level is provided below:
 Substitution level: writing an essay using basic features of Word as a substitute of an essay written using
pen and paper. The task would be exactly the same; it would only be performed using a different tool.
 Augmentation level: the task is still the same but technology can bring functional improvement. An
example would be the use of Google Docs through which learners can write their essay (as in a Word
file), but also easily share it with peers and receive feedback, for instance. This would determine a
functional improvement and additional value to the task, however, no great learning enhancement
would be promoted yet at this stage as the task would remain still the same as a similar one performed
without technology.
 Modification level: instead of a traditional essay, students could write a blog post (the assessment
strategies would change and the task could potentially support the enhancement of skills that would not
be exploited without the use of technology; e.g. choosing visuals based on specific criteria, deeper
reflection, wider audience)
 Redefinition level: technology would allow the design of a new task, e.g. digital storytelling to argue
learners’ writing through the use of multimedia (interaction with wider audience)
Content: The SAMR model can be used as a reference to reflect on technology implementation. It shows
different levels of technology implementation, and therefore, different stages of possible enhancement
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promoted by the use of technology. The steps are not necessarily sequential and many instructors are at the
initial stages when using technology in their teaching.
As you can see in the graph on the slide, the model presents four main stages. In the substitution level,
technology is used as a direct substitute to a traditional method, with no functional change. This means that
there is no learning enhancement due to the use of technology in this stage.
(1 min) Can you mention an example that comes to your mind about this type of technology implementation?
Individually write down an example and place it on the model drawn on the board (or on a flipchart)
In the augmentation level, technology is implemented as a direct substitute, with functional improvement.
However, do you think an enhancement of the learning process is defined by this type of improvement?
(1 min) Can you mention an example that comes to your mind about this type of technology implementation?
Individually write down an example and place it on the model drawn on the board (or on a flipchart)
As you may have understood by now, most learning and transformation happens in the two stages at the top of
the model. In the modification stage, technology would be implemented to allow for a significant task redesign.
As we have done for the other two levels of the model, (1 min) can you mention an example that comes to your
mind about this type of technology implementation? Individually write down an example and place it on the
model drawn on the board (or on a flipchart)
Finally in the last level, redefinition, technology can help us create a new task that would not be possible
without the use of technology. This would allow learners to achieve also a new set of skills.
(1 min) Can you mention an example that comes to your mind about this type of technology implementation?
Individually write down an example and place it on the model drawn on the board (or on a flipchart)
Looking at your post-it notes and the reflections we shared during the presentation, we can now visualise how
technology often supports a more efficient process, and helps to carry out existing processes in a more cost
effective time, sustainable or scalable manner. However, this does not necessarily enhance the learning
process. The enhancement through technology integration happens when technology improves existing
processes and the outcomes by promoting the redesign of traditional tasks.
Technology can’t do much by itself. However, technology integration, if implemented in a pedagogical relevant
way, can help in supporting radical, positive change in existing processes or introducing new processes.
Oftentimes, as well as based on research, cases in which technology is used to replicate or supplement
traditional activities are more frequent. That means that the types of enhancement as well as the challenges to
integrate technology are different, based on the level we are at.
Formative Assessment: The interactive approach of this short lecture would enable the facilitator to
continuously assess learners’ understanding, and thus provide them with immediate formative feedback and
address specific areas of confusion.
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African Universities’ Research Approaches (AURA) Programme: Course Pack
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aura
Slide 6
Types of Learning Design & Enhancement
1. Replicating existing teaching practices – Operational
improvement
2. Supplementing teaching practices - Quantitative change
3. Transforming the learning experience - Qualitative change
From: Kirkwood, Adrian and Price, Linda (2014). Technology-enhanced learning and teaching in higher education: what is ‘enhanced’
and how do we know? A critical literature review. Learning, Media and Technology, 39(1), pp. 6-36.
(5 mins)
Facilitation: To reinforce what introduced in the previous slides, clarify that, based on the different
approach adopted when implementing technology, different learning experiences are designed. The types of
courses designed are correlated with the forms of enhancement conceived and the consequently
implementation of technology. Replicating and supplementing existing teaching practices, for instance,
would correspond to the first two stages of the SAMR model, and therefore, it would mainly define an
operational improvement. The qualitative change, and with it the potential enhancement of learning, would
be possible with the third step on the slide, which would bring transformation of the learning experience.
Content: As mentioned, based on the different approach we adopt when implementing technology, we would
design a different learning experience. The types of courses designed are correlated with the forms of
enhancement conceived and the consequently implementation of technology. This is relevant as the challenges
and possible strategies we may face when implementing technology are of course different as the levels and
stages we are in are different. In addition, also the forms of evidence applied to prove the enhancement would
differ (i.e. a qualitative or quantitative change).
A clarification of the type of enhancement we want to achieve is crucial as this will inform future practices in
teaching and learning with technology. This can avoid for instance to have mainly technology led courses
rather than pedagogically driven ones.
The types of learning designs and enhancements presented on the slide are taken from a study published by the
Open University titled “Technology enhanced learning and teaching in higher education: what is enhanced and
how do we know? A critical literature review.” The study takes an evidence based approach to clarify what the
different forms of enhancement could be, the purpose of technology intervention and the approaches. A shared
understanding of what constitutes an enhancement of the student learning experience has not been developed
yet in higher education. Many studies about good practices in relation to TEL are small scale and context
specific studies so they can hardly be generalised.
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Based on the studies analysed in the research paper, the overwhelming majority of teachers employ the
technology to sustain existing patterns of teaching rather than to innovate or introduce new practices. “Only a
tiny percentage of high school and university teachers use the new technologies to accelerate student centred
and project-based teaching practices.”
Reinforcing traditional teaching practices, for instance, has proved to not bring any substantial enhancement.
Transforming learning experiences, on the contrary, is a complex activity that requires reconsideration of what
constitutes teaching and learning.
Underpinning this, there is a conflation of two distinct aims: changes in the means through which university
teaching happens; and changes in how university teachers teach and learners learn
Formative Assessment: Before moving to the next slide, it is recommended to assess learners’ understanding
by posing questions or elicit their thoughts. Based on that assessment, the facilitator might decide to provide
formative feedback and/or clarify possible areas of confusion.
Recommended reading: Kirkwood, Adrian and Price, Linda (2014). Technology-enhanced learning and teaching
in higher education: what is ‘enhanced’ and how do we know? A critical literature review. Learning, Media and
Technology, 39(1), pp. 6-36.
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African Universities’ Research Approaches (AURA) Programme: Course Pack
“Engaged excellence in teaching and research”
aura
Slide 7
Challenges in Implementing TEL
• Infrastructure
• Lack of time
• Technological Panic
• Conflicting Priorities
• Resistance to change
(5 mins)
Facilitation: Mention the challenges to implement technology in a pedagogically relevant way and elicit
learners’ thoughts about other possible challenges they have faced as academics as well as about potential
strategies that they would convince and/or support in the implementation of technology.
Content: I have mentioned some of the challenges in integrating technology in teaching, such as the lack of
infrastructure that, of course, makes it difficult to develop reliable environments for learners and instructors.
Also, one of the challenges in integrating technology, often mentioned by instructors, is the lack of time. Lack of
time to learn how to use technology tools and to redesign their task considering the transformation that
technology could bring in in terms of their pedagogical and assessment practices.
Instructors often do not feel confident in using technology (technological panic). They might be resistant to
change their pedagogical practices, and they might also feel intimidate if they sense that students know more
about them in terms of technology use. We might think about the lack of skills, but also about the poor quality
of pedagogy and technology training sessions.
At an institutional level, instructors are often asked to take time from their teaching and research practice for
professional development purposes (conflicting priorities). However, this is often not recognised and incentives
might be helpful towards that direction.
What other challenges would you think of when thinking of technology implementation? How would you be
convinced as an academic to invest time and energy in learning how to use technology and how to implement it
pedagogically?
Formative Assessment: Before moving to the next slide, it is recommended to assess learners’ understanding
by posing questions or elicit their thoughts. Based on that assessment, the facilitator might decide to provide
formative feedback and/or clarify possible areas of confusion.
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African Universities’ Research Approaches (AURA) Programme: Course Pack
“Engaged excellence in teaching and research”
aura
Slide 8
Activity: Design a TEL Activity
With your group, choose a learning activity and think of how
you would implement technology referring to the SAMR
Model and explaining what type of learning enhancement it
could support
(30 mins)
Facilitation: it is recommended that learners work on the activity they have started to design during the
teaching course one (T1). If T1 hasn’t been delivered, learners can be asked to refer to one of the activities
they used in their teaching, and choose one activity among those suggested by their team members to be
able to work on a single activity as a team.
At this stage, learners might not have an understanding of learning design. As a consequence, their
approach to design an activity may be unstructured; it might not take into consideration all the elements
needed and their alignment (e.g. learning outcomes, assessment strategies, and pedagogical approaches).
However, this can be helpful to have a sense of learners’ understanding before introducing a learning design
model in the coming sessions. Therefore, you do not have to provide a structure for them to refer to in this
activity as their understanding will be strengthened with a scaffolded approach.
Content: Now you will engage with a group activity during which you will think of how to implement
technology in an activity you taught or that you would like to teach. Each member of your team can suggest an
activity, however, you are asked to agree on one activity as you will work collaboratively. You will have to think
of how to implement technology referring to the SAMR model, and explain what type of learning enhancement
technology could support in your activity.
In the coming sessions, we will go through the learning design process in more detail to make sure you then
revise the activity you drafted in this session, and move from the design of a single activity to that of an entire
session and eventually your entire course.
Formative Assessment: Before moving to the next slide, it is recommended to assess learners’ understanding
by posing questions or elicit their thoughts. Based on that assessment, the facilitator might decide to provide
formative feedback and/or clarify possible areas of confusion. Also, during the group activity, peers will
provide feedback and support to one another.
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Slide 9
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