Reflection 1

Reflection-My instructional decisions changed as I described my lesson at each SAMR level by thinking through the process.  I had to be reflective as instructor and had to stress how important technology was in implementing and advancing the lesson.  The selections of different technologies changed as I described my lesson at each SAMR level helped create a more cohesive and complete lesson that insured creativity amongst the students.  My role within the classroom changes at each level as primary instructor on information to coach and person who provides feedback. The student role in learning change from passive listener to producer of a personal narrative. 

My decisions in the process have been an example of teacher creativity by working through a well thought out process that enables the instructor to incorporate pedagogy, content and technology to enhance student learning. The lesson is Novel, Effective, & Whole because it relies on student creativity, knowledge gained throughout the lesson, and the students' ability to grow personally and academically for a socially just cause.  My decisions in the process has been an example of a teacher as a designer because I have included my own educational background (pedagogy), my desire to create learners who are independent, and ability to work forward using technology to connect students to meaningful and structured lesson activities.   

Using the SAMR model was interesting.  I found it easier to think about using technology in two different ways.  In one way I used technology in a way to present topics and instruction from what I would already present.  I did not add anything new in terms of content or leaning for the first two steps (Substitution and augmentation).  I was able to present questions for performance review as well as receive student's answers by using Canvas.  This was something the students are accustomed to since everyone in the school uses Canvas.  For the next two steps, I was able to create something new and additional.  The options were to build more than just a typed response.  The students were given options to create a website through Word Press with their performance review or build even further, and provide a multimedia presentation through iMovie or PowerPoint or another chosen medium.  This allowed students more creativity.  They can share portions of the video, while providing commentary, and giving a review.  

My choices for my lesson were really based off of the use of technology I would use in my preferred classroom. As a band teacher, technology presence isn’t as prominent as it is in other subjects. I believe the changes as you move up the SAMR ladder are small because of the preferences I have for technology use but they make all the difference. In this lesson, I picture a more teacher heavy role to help students understand the assignment. The students would follow the rules and use lessons to complete assignments under teacher guidance. 

As I worked through structuring this lesson, I wanted to develop a project that would essentially be found in the "real world" but doable with the resources I currently have in my student teaching placement. Through my experience as a professional theatre director, I have collaborated with designers and other artistic staff through the use of Google Drive. I have also been involved with productions that published scenic, lighting, and costume designs on websites for cast members to view before beginning rehearsals. My goal is to knock down classroom walls so that groups can share their creations with theatre students from another school corporation or professionals working on Broadway.

The technology utilized in this lesson moves from offline (pdf, PowerPoint presentation) to global (portfolio website) as we move from "substitution" to "redefinition." In the "modification" and "redefinition" stages, students have more opportunities for collaboration even if they are not physically together in the classroom. With more opportunities for collaboration and feedback from outside sources at the "redefinition" level, I believe that my role as an instructor would transition to facilitator at the "transformative" levels. 

My choices for this lesson were based off of different levels of technology I could have in a classroom, I started with minimal and moved up to having whatever I wanted, and I think that is apparent in each level of SAMR I wrote about. I think this lesson has some repetition but changes scenery enough to allow for a good lesson. I think looking at options outside of the basic mold helped me think as a designer.

The further I got into the SAMR model, the more I focused on making the learning student centered. In the lower stages of the SAMR model, the instruction was mainly done by the teacher allowing for very little interaction with the students. In the these lower stages, the technology is barely used and only serves as a replacement to what a teacher could have done without it. 

As I worked through the SAMR part of the assignment, I wanted to make sure I was aware of how Technology was being utilized during the instructional decision making process, technology usage, and the roles of both the teacher and the student. The use of written materials such as Primary Source Quotes, Maps, and R.A.C.E. essay writing instruction demonstrated “Substitution”, since these items were merely used via technology in the same manner they would have been used without the addition of technology. I wanted to use Technology in away as direct substitute with functional improvement by allowing for student to utilize direct messenger in Zoom to request Breakout Room Assistance if they were struggling to write their chosen essays regarding Native American Boarding Schools videos, photographs, and primary written sources. The use of Technology to as a Modification is utilized during the part of the lesson in which students can select Green Light=high proficiency based on self-evaluation questions, Yellow Light=at level based up self-evaluation questions and Red Light=low proficiency with extra practice and modified essay questions that would allow for additional student support. Finally, Virtual Classroom Zoom Setting allows for students to attend the class and participate in the lesson live. It also allows for students to work in small groups, collaborate, and discuss topics related to “Indian Assimilation Practices” via Boarding Schools and also conduct Historical Analysis and write Essays Reflections with 1-1 or Small Group Teacher Support during a Live Lesson. Teacher and student roles evolve back and forth from “I do”, “You do” & “We Do” a different parts of the lesson which is proceeded by a Mini-Recording thus making is primarily “We do” aside from students who request either 1-1 direct instruction or small group review of main objectives or essay writing format instructions provided during mini-recording.

When working through the process of creating the lesson, I tried to think of ways that give the students more creative freedom in creating evidence of their learning. I did this because each level of the SAMR model wants the students to have more creative freedom and wants them to collaborate more. When thinking about the technologies that I can use, I thought about ones that I know my current class and past classes have enjoyed using because then they are going to be more engaged when creating/completing that learning task. I chose to use the Teacher Modeling (I Do/We Do/You Do) strategy for my lesson because I know that my current class responds well to it and it is also usually the strategy I go to for lessons because it works well for my students. It helps them to see me do it and to hear me think out loud so that they can start to think similarly in the We Do and You Do part. Incorporating technology into this strategy helps the students to take more ownership of what they create with each new part. I am only using the technology in the I Do, then our class is using the technology that I give them in the We Do part, but they are able to use the tools within Seesaw to complete the learning task. Then in the You Do part, the students will have options to choose from to create the final learning task demonstrating their learning. 

As I was completing the SAMR part of the assignment, I found that I was using the technology in better ways than I had imagined. Some of my original plan ended up in the substitution and modification levels. To fill in the A and R parts of the model, I really had to stretch my original assignment. I feel that the things I have added will make for a richer learning experience for my students. I think my role within the classroom moves from instructor to facilitator the deeper we go in the SAMR model. At the substitution level, the students are watching videos of me teaching the lesson. By the time we get to redefinition, the students are instructing each other. The students' roles change from just being the receivers of knowledge to them actually becoming the teachers themselves. They are able to assess their classmates' understandings of the topic through the escape room and then they can critique each other's work on the creation of the escape rooms. Going through the SAMR model really helped me expand the lesson in ways I hadn't thought!

While working through this lesson I had to consider what tools I had and what tools I could use technology wise in my classroom. Although my district is 1 to 1 it is only one to one in school buildings students do not take home their devices which can make extended projects like this one a little bit more difficult to obtain. I chose a second-grade literacy standard due to my nature as a reading interventionist I wanted to do something where I could work with the kids individually and as a whole group and maybe even passed this lesson onto the grace level. I had to really consider thinking about how technology and how the content needed to be shared and collaborated. This lesson happens to be a multi-day lesson we will work with whole group understanding the vocabulary and the vowel sounds and then move forward into creating the game through scratch and into that discussion of how we can better understand the material in the technology used. Throughout my lesson it has gradual release which is SAMR leveled. By the end of the lesson or the end of the project the students will be at our level they will be creating they will be revising together but at the beginning of the lesson it is more whole group with little technology.