in Skype-a-Thon 2018. The classes expe-
rienced virtual field trips, one to a volcano
crater in El Salvador and another to Crystal
Cove State Park in California.
Ms. Orth’s IB Spanish Class got to Skype,
along with 20 other classrooms from around
the globe, with a scientist from El Salvador
from the volcano crater of El Boquerón Na-
tional Park. Orth, the participating Spanish
Teacher commented: "IB is about exposing
kids to the world. What a wonderful oppor-
tunity for students to experience learning
through technology. Microsoft has given
the opportunity for students to travel in "vir-
tual miles" and at the same time engage stu-
dents with issues of global importance such
as environmental issues pressing our world
today. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity
for my students!"
At HLPUSD, Mr. Pilar’s 5th grade class at
Baldwin Academy learned about the Tide Pool
Ecology Program at Crystal Cove State Park
with Park Ranger Francesca. This is an authen-
tic learning experience that demonstrates the
tandem nature of teachers working with tech-
nology to create high leverage learning.
of 21st century learning with teachers and
students will require commitments from
all stakeholders. These cases show that the
technology for learning is here, it is just not
used ubiquitously through districts. There
are many needs and steps required to make
these high leverage practices a system of
learning tools.
References
“Solve for Tomorrow Students Rely on
Samsung Tech to Complete STEM Projects”,
https://news.samsung.com/us/samsung-
solve-for-tomorrow-sft-students-tech-stem-
projects/
Over Drive Online Digital Library Ser-
vice, Hacienda La Puente Unified School
District: https://www.hlpschools.org/Over-
Drive
The Apple II Desktop Computer, https://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_II
SAMR and the EdTech Quintet: A
CAL LUTHERAN 1/2 PAGE ISLAND
Moving forward
In each of these cases, technology was
used to create learning experiences. The
SAMR model serves as a guide to how well
technology is used to foster authentic, novel
and high leverage learning. The duty of a
teacher is to encourage, develop, and mo-
tivate their students to learn. Through the
progression of society, technology improves.
These changes will inevitably impact schools
and therefore learning. The obligation now
is to foster learning in teachers to adopt, em-
brace, and welcome the existing technology
that foster high leverage learning. To get the
most learning, teachers need to develop high
leverage practices in their classrooms. Tech-
nology and digital tools enable teachers to
create authentic and novel learning experi-
ences, where students work to develop their
own learning. This type of learning used
to be called a “Constructivist” approach to
learning. To adopt the SAMR model, this
type of learning would occur through the
“redefinition” of technology for student
learning and redefine the measurement of
their learning. The bridge to allow this type
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