This week was a very fun and interesting one. I have personally always been nervous to use AI, and I have also been somewhat displeased with its impacts on the art world. However, this week I gained some insight into the benefits of AI, especially within the academic and learning setting.

Not only was I able to quickly create resources I was able to use with my current students, I was also able to play around and have quite a bit of fun with different AI resources. I especially enjoyed using ChatGPT and was able to create a number of math questions (and answer keys) for my students to practice certain skills that we have been working on in class.

When I plugged in the prompt for this weeks blog post into ChatGPT it was interesting to read the different ways I could get it to explain the SAMR and TPACK models. I was able to ask it to write it for me in an elaborate way, a concise way, and even for it to put the information for me into a flow chat. I found its responses to be accurate, and I found it interesting to read the answers after the AI was prompted in different ways. I found asking for the information to be placed into a flow chart to be the most simple way for ChatGPT to explain those two models, I think this is because this was the most concise response.

Overall I really enjoyed not only learning more about AI but also getting the opportunity to explore various uses for different formats of AI that currently exist. And as an educator I am really grateful for having been introduced more to this, as there are truly so many ways that this is beneficial. I am really excited to explore the use of AI in teaching, learning, and creating resources.

And here is the full answer that I was given by Chat GPT from the prompt. I found it to be accurate and helpful the way the information was broken down.

Can you explain the TPACK and SAMR models to me in a easy to understand and concise manner?
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Sure! Here’s a simple breakdown of both models:

  1. TPACK Model (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge)
    TPACK is a framework for integrating technology into teaching. It highlights the need for teachers to blend three types of knowledge:
    Content Knowledge (CK): Understanding the subject matter.
    Pedagogical Knowledge (PK): Knowing how to teach effectively.
    Technological Knowledge (TK): Understanding how to use technology.
    The model suggests that effective teaching happens when teachers can integrate all three areas—using technology in ways that support both the content being taught and the best methods for teaching it.
  2. SAMR Model (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition)
    SAMR is a model that helps teachers assess how they are using technology in the classroom. It has four levels, from basic to transformative:
    Substitution: Technology acts as a direct replacement for traditional tools, with no change in teaching (e.g., using a word processor instead of writing by hand).
    Augmentation: Technology still replaces traditional tools, but it adds some functional improvements (e.g., using a spell checker in a word processor).
    Modification: Technology allows for significant redesign of tasks and activities (e.g., students collaborate on a shared document online).
    Redefinition: Technology enables entirely new tasks that were previously unimaginable (e.g., students creating a global project with peers from other countries).