The SAMR model helps people understand the degrees of aid that technology provides in mobile learning (mLearning). The four levels create the term itself: S stands for substitution, A for augmentation, M for modification, and R for redefinition. In this post, I will discuss the characteristics of mobile devices, the separation among levels and the obstacles designers consider to avoid with mLearning.
Mobile devices can be used as a tool to enhance and transform children’s learning experience. mLearning relies on mobile devices and these mobile devices have three distinct characteristics: they are personal, situated, and connected. When understanding mLearning, you must understand the characteristics of mobile devices. Personal characteristics of mobile devices include the way students can change the case, screen background, sounds and software. It allows students to express their identity. Secondly, mobile devices are situated. This means that these devices are portable which allow for real world setting context. These devices also create a bridge between formal and informal learning. Lastly, these devices create quick access to information, people and practices.
Now that you understand the ways in which mobile devices affect people outside of the learning environment, we can separate the levels of the SMAR model which compose the structure of using mobile devices in a learning environment. Overall, these are broken into two main categories: learning enhancement and transformative learning. Within those two categories there are sublevels: substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition.
S- Substitution (enhances learning)
Substitution is the least changed way of learning with a mobile device. It is the level where the technology provides a substitute for other learning activities without functional change. This means that the activity could have been done without the mobile device. For example, you may ask students to record their speech on their phone and upload it to a site that you can view as opposed to the students presenting their speech in class. The speech could have been presented in class. The mobile device is used for convenience by letting the student to it on their own time and providing the teacher the preservation of the speech to possibly help with evaluating for better feedback.
A- Augmentation (enhances learning)
Augmentation is the level where technology provides a substitute for other learning activities, but includes functional improvements. For example, mobile devices can be used when teaching a lesson about fish to children. A paper booklet with images may act as a guide for students and help them identify fish; however, this experience can be enhanced with the functional improvement of giving students a mobile device with videos of the fish. This allows students to connect the fish to their context much easier.
M- Modification (transforms learning)
At this level of modification, the technology allows the learning activity to be redesigned. For example, students in a school were given text alerts and had to make decisions of how they should respond during a flood drill. It allowed students to have real response times. Increasing realism increases the educational value.
R- Redefinition (transforms learning)
Redefinition is when the technology allows for the creation of tasks that could not have been done without the use of the technology. For example, Chinese students were given an application on their phone that used GPS to see their surrounding and then translated the Chinese word for the object into English. This activity could not be done without the use of a mobile device because of the complex way it used GPS and translation.
These categories help educators understand the degree to which technology plays a role in the learning experience of their students. Below is an image of the SAMR Model to help understand these divisions more clearly.
As helpful as mobile devices can be for learning, designers analyze the obstacles that these devices can cause in order to make them practical for learning. They understand that methods using mobile devices at the enhancement level have obstacles that don’t outweigh the benefits, whereas methods using mobile devices at the transformative level do have obstacles that are outweighed by the benefits. The three obstacles they consider are technical issues, pedagogical issues, and management issues. Technical issues refer to students that may not be familiar with their device or the need for schools to hire tech support that can be available. Pedagogical issues address that teachers should model the device, teachers should not grade students based on their ability to manage the device, and that all technology does not work well on mobile devices. One management issue with mLearning may be finical difficulties for some students.
There are many ways that mLearning can help students enhance and transform their learning. This post explored the ways mobile devices are utilized, examined the different levels of the SAMR Model, and explained the challenges that may arise when using mobile devices in the classroom. Although these issues may arise, it is important to understand that mLearning activities at the highest levels of the SAMR Model need mobile devices or students will not receive the greatest benefits.
SOURCE:
The SAMR Model as a Framework for Evaluating mLearning by Danae Romrell, Lisa C. Kidder, Emma Wood. Idaho State University, 2014.