SAMR in the Classroom
SAMR application examples
- Homework: From emailing a document (S) to building a public digital portfolio (R).
- Presentations: From standard PowerPoint slides (S) to interactive virtual museum exhibits (R).
- Assessment: From a digital multiple-choice quiz (S) to a live video portfolio defense (R).
- Research: From searching Wikipedia (S) to collecting and publishing original data via digital sensors (R).
SAMR measures how technology changes a task. Here are four tasks that happen in almost every classroom. Each one is shown at all four SAMR levels, from Substitution to Redefinition.
Homework submission
Substitution: Students type their homework in a Word document and email it to the teacher instead of handing in a paper copy. Same task, digital format.
Augmentation: Students submit homework through an LMS (like Google Classroom). The system timestamps submissions, flags late work automatically, and lets the teacher leave inline comments. Same submission process, but with built-in tracking and feedback tools.
Modification: Students work on a shared document in groups. The teacher sets up a Google Doc where each group writes their answers collaboratively. The teacher watches progress in real time and can comment before the deadline. The homework becomes a collaborative exercise instead of an individual task.
Redefinition: Students build a project website or digital portfolio where they publish their work for a real audience. Classmates, parents, and community members can view and comment. The homework is no longer a private exchange between student and teacher. It is a public artifact.
Class presentations
Substitution: The teacher displays PowerPoint slides on a projector instead of writing notes on a chalkboard. Same content delivery, different surface.
Augmentation: The presentation includes embedded videos, audio clips, and clickable links. Students can interact with the material in ways a static chalkboard cannot support. Same lecture format, but multimedia makes it richer.
Modification: Students create their own presentations using tools like Canva or Google Slides. They embed media, design layouts, and present to the class. The task shifts from passively watching the teacher’s slides to actively creating and defending their own content.
Redefinition: Students build a virtual museum exhibit or interactive website on a topic. Visitors (from other classes or other schools) navigate the exhibit online, click through rooms, and leave feedback. The “presentation” becomes a published, interactive experience with a real audience.
Substitution: The teacher shows PowerPoint slides instead of writing on a chalkboard. Same content, different screen.
Redefinition: Students build an interactive virtual exhibit for an audience outside the classroom. The task changes from “display information” to “create an experience for real visitors.”
Assessment
Substitution: Students take a multiple-choice quiz on a digital form instead of a paper sheet. Same questions, same format, different medium.
Augmentation: Students take the quiz on a platform like Google Forms or Quizizz. The system auto-grades, gives instant scores, and shows which questions most students got wrong. The teacher gets data immediately instead of grading by hand.
Modification: Students complete an adaptive assessment. The software adjusts question difficulty based on each student’s answers. A student who answers correctly gets a harder question. A student who struggles gets scaffolding. Every student gets a different path through the test.
Redefinition: Students defend a digital portfolio over a video call. They present their best work, explain their learning process, and answer questions from a panel (which could include teachers, parents, or professionals from outside the school). Assessment moves from “answer questions” to “demonstrate and defend your learning.”
Research projects
Substitution: Students search Wikipedia instead of flipping through a printed encyclopedia. Same task (look up information), different source.
Augmentation: Students use a school database or curated digital library. The platform provides citation tools, reading-level filters, and related-source suggestions. Same research task, but the tools help them find better sources faster.
Modification: Students use digital survey tools (like Google Forms) to collect original data from classmates or community members. They analyze the data in a spreadsheet and present findings. The research task shifts from “find existing information” to “generate new information.”
Redefinition: Students collect real-world data (water quality, air temperature, traffic patterns) using digital sensors. They publish their findings on a public platform and present the results to a local government body or community group. The research project has a real-world impact that exists because the technology exists.
By making the assessment adaptive.
Instead of just auto-grading (Augmentation), the software adjusts question difficulty in real time based on the student’s answers. Every student gets a different path through the test. The task is redesigned, not just improved.
The final example tests whether you can identify a Redefinition-level task.