Thursday, 19 July 2012

Swimming in a Technology Sea

It's hard to keep your head above water sometimes especially when the waves are overwhelmingly high. After watching the video  TPCK and SAMR: Models for Enhancing Technology Integration
by Dr. Reuben Peuntedura I was definitely swimming. My mind going over all the things that he mentioned and trying to understand how I was going to incorporate what I had watched into my teaching. I decided to look a little closer and see what the four levels break into.
The SAMR model Break down gives a clearer more precise picture of the four levels.
I even went on the web to see how other educators viewed Puentedura's SAMR model and what they were discussing. Tech Transformation is a blog by Maggie Hos-McGrane where she gives examples of how she and her teaching colleagues planned on using and implementing the SAMR model.
I even went back to the TPCK model to see if I could find more about it to help me understand how it is being used. Here's what I found (be sure to click on TPCK within the content areas on the right hand side column of the website)  Content Knowledge. Did you find anything? Neither did I. They are searching for help in the the content areas.
I guess good thing come to these who wait. Maybe they'll get some really good things from some great educators.
Now, what to do for my activity?
In order for me to incorporate the 4 levels into a class activity I had to understand the 4 levels.
My class activity is going be The Techniques of Volleyball as a part of the Physical Education curriculum.
After being taught the proper and improper techniques involved in playing the sport of volleyball the students will see the techniques demonstrated in the 4 SAMR levels
Redefinition students will:
Demonstrate the various aspects involved in playing volleyball through a media source like creating a demo video of them using improper techniques, then a second video demonstrating the correct techniques. Then they will post their video in a blog with the embedded video for their classmates to view. Their classmates will observe and critique the videos.

Modification students will:
Do a power point with the techniques listed.(pictures and internet videos imported)
All resources and sources cited.(links to the websites and videos as well)
They might want to include some of the footage they took of their video game play. 



Augmentation students will:
Take some of the techniques they use in playing the video games and review the video footage.
Watch web footage of volleyball games being played as well as videos on proper technique.


Substitution students will:
Play the game of volleyball with a number of technological resources.
Using the Wii(volleyball game), XBOX Kinect and Sony Playstation 3 Move.
While they are doing this their classmates can record their technique in playing a virtual volleyball game to see how it will translate later on in real life game play.


To look at something as simple as the sport of volleyball but reinvent it to fit the 21st century is so amazing. To think that a child could learn to play a sport virtually. A sport that they might not have been good at are even interested in. Adding the technological component helps to solidify the basics of teaching the sport which appeals to the athletic but also, adds a whole new dynamic. Which I believe will benefit a broader range of students.