Two New Models of Teaching TPACK and SAMR

I want to mention two new model that can be helpful to language learning. First one is Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, TPACK. It ‘’attempts to identify the nature of knowledge required by teachers for technology integration in their teaching, while addressing the complex, multifaceted and situated nature of teacher knowledge’’. It is a model that enables teachers to use their knowledge of content, pedagogy, and technology to use in a way that enhances students learning. The TPACK framework was introduced by Punya Mishra and Matthew J. Koehler. It was their concern that while trying to teach with the technology of 21st century, which is a whole other expertise, teachers tend to concentrate on one of the knowledge more than others. TPACK is a combination of what teacher know, how they teach and how teacher uses the role of technology to enable better learning. For example while learning about global warning, students can explore the three dimension charts of the causes and then create their own solutions, and then they could share their solution with a field expert. This has all three components and gives more than one perspective to acquire knowledge. 

The other model is SAMR, introduced by Ruben Puentedura. ’’SAMR’' stand for Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition. SAMR provides a framework to show the impact of technology on teaching and learning, it is like a guide for teachers to use of technology to create activities for classroom content. This activities advice to be design in a way that will uncover students’ creativity and also enable students to interact with each other’s discoveries. In Puentedura’s own words ‘’ …where you are using technology as a gateway for social practice of explanation. ‘’ It is designed as a peer mentoring like evaluation. Students are taking the lead of their own learning, they are the ones who create and not the ones who sit down and watch. These two models are designed for using the technology in a way that enhance the students’ learning. They can be useful for language learning and also for other areas of the education.

You can visit Ruben Puentedura's blog here; http://hippasus.com/blog/