Wes Fryer: Chapter 1

I found the first chapter of Wes Fryer’s book, Playing with Media, gives a very interesting look at the use of media in the classroom. One of my favorite points, that I found really interesting, was the part about cell phones and how they can be used in the classroom. I never really thought about how cell phones can be useful devices in the classroom. One of the points that I agree with, is the point that Fryer made about teachers using technology doesn’t necessary mean that they’re good teachers. I had teachers in high school that used many different kinds of technology and incorporated it into many different lessons that it wasn’t as effective as it could have been. Another major point that I agreed with was the last point that Fryer makes in the chapter is that as educators we must, “seek to empower students to become fully literate, and this requires us to all become medida CREATORS rather than mere consumers.” I liked a lot of the points that Fryer made in this chapter about how as teachers we must successfully use technology in the classroom and use it ourselves to become successful teachers and users of technology.

SAMR Model

1. TPCK is the the model used to specify the knowledge that teachers should have before going into the teacher field. Technology, Pedagogy (the method of teaching) and Content are the three areas that Puentedura identifies as the knowledge (the K part of the acronym TPCK) that teachers should have. It’s also the combination of all the different skill sets that are required of teachers.
2. The SAMR model is the classification of technology that is used to classify how much of an effect technology would have on student learned. Each letter of the SAMR model stands for a different kind of technology that might help enhance student success or replace technology already in place to increase student learning.

• S - substitution. The technology is a direct substitution of previous technology.
• A - augmentation. Technology is a direct substitution with some modifications and improvements.
• M - modification. Technology offers a vast improvement of technology that directly relates to student success.
• R - redefinition. Technology offers tasks and improvements that were previously completely unavailable and is key in student success and learning.

5 Examples of SAMR Model.

1. English Class - using an iBook copy of Hamlet and a poetry book, this would be under augmentation level. Using an iBook copy on an iPad instead of just a regular book copy allows students to highlight (as in high school the books belonged to the school not the student, so writing in them wasn’t allowed), bookmark important statements and pages, look up phrases or see alternative words that students need a further understanding of, have the technology read back to students for further understanding and changing the font size to fit the students need.
2. Science Class - using a dissection app alongside a regular dissection. This would fall under the redefinition level. Using a dissection app offers a completely different look at dissection that a real world dissection does. With the app, students can look things up within the app, redo things that that they messed up on (which you obviously cannot do with a regular dissection) and gives them the option to zoom in on things and see different angles within the animal, which are very hard with a real world dissection.
3. History Class - in a history class I had, we used an app that allowed the entire class to take a quiz at the same time and see the class results in real time and receive questions at the same time. This falls under the augmentation level. Doing quizzes at the same time and getting results in real time, doesn’t necessary make things easier, but allows you to get a quick result and see how your grade falls among the rest of the class, while remaining completely anonymous.
4. Dictionary Computer App - having a dictionary on the computer falls under the augmentation level. A dictionary app on a computer, while coming with a dictionary, it also comes with a thesaurus and the Apple computer dictionary app, also comes with a feature that allows you to look up a word on wikipedia, straight from the dictionary app instead of using a internet browser.
5. Quizlet - using this flashcard website instead of using actual flashcards and using it to study. Quizlet can be seen on the modification level. Quizlet not only has a function that allows you to make flash cards online, which saves time from making them in person. Quizlet also offers teachers to upload different study things online that students can use, like study guides, and students can submit answers online, directly replacing paper study guides.

Citation:

"TPCK and SAMR: Models for Enhancing Technology Integration"

by Ruben Puentedura

Apps for a Personal Passion

For my passion apps, I chose to download apps that were relating to jigsaw puzzles.  I downloaded five different apps that were jigsaw puzzle apps, that I felt passionate about. 

The five apps that I downloaded were: 

• Jigsaw Puzzles - I rated this app a 3.5/5. There were only a few variety of puzzles and only a few options for number of pieces that you were able to use. The app looked nice and moved well when you were doing a puzzle, but there were a small amount of options, in general. 
• Jigty Puzzless - I also rated this app a 3.5/5. Like the last one, there weren't as many options for number of pieces and puzzle images, but the app looked nice and the mechanics of the app were really nice. But, their just weren't a large variety of options.  
• Jigsaw - I rated this app a 4/5. There were more options for images, but there were only three different options for number of pieces, so that made the app a little less fun. Like the other apps, the app working well and had a nice interface, just lacked options. 
• 1000 Jigsaw Puzzles - I rated this app a 4.5/5. This app had the most option for number of pieces and images, and even allowed you to make a puzzle out of your own images. This made this app by far my favorite of the five. 
• Magic Puzzles - This app also got rated 3.5/5. Like the other ones, this app lacked options. 

For each app, I rated them on quality of the interface, the amount of options for for number of pieces you can use when doing a puzzle and the amount of options for actual puzzle images. While many of these apps have thousand of images available, they require in app purchases to get them on your device, even though all these apps are free. 

Overall, my favorite app was 1000 Jigsaw Puzzles, because it had plenty of options and even had the option to turn your own picture into a puzzle. None of these other apps are awful, 1000 Jigsaw Puzzles was the only one that I really, really loved.