This week we discussed several models for the integration of technology into learning processes. The SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition) model was especially appealing for me, providing a firm framework for being intentional about technology use, and considering what exactly technology enables me to do in the classroom.

To reflect further on SAMR, I will think of it in the context of Yousician, the application I have been using to complete my free inquiry project. Yousician is a free* application for learning guitar, and has been the primary source of my learning thus far.

Now Yousician can be used as a Substitution, in that, it can directly replace some learning processes, without changing how that learning occurs. While I have never had a guitar teacher, I imagine they, like the videos within the app, must demonstrate how to hold the guitar, read the strings and frets, and place your fingers to play different notes or chords. Yousician is a substitue for these aspects of learning because nothing really changes–using Yousician has instilled me with the same basic skills and knowledge that a guitar teacher would have. In the premium version, a user would have access to hundreds or thousands of songs, replacing the need for sheet music or other playing materials.

Yet in some cases, Yousician actually Augments my learning. That is to say, it can be a functional improvement over standard guitar lessons. First and foremost, I can access it anywhere, at anytime (provided I have cell service). If I want to practice something, or if I want certain questions answered, I don’t have to wait until my next lesson, or wait for a reply from my instructor. I can access the app when convenient to continue my learning. Of course, this augmentation would be significantly greater if I were subscribed to the premium version, granting me unlimited daily access. The premium version’s extensive library of songs also means it can tell/show you exactly when to play what note and at what rhythm, further augmenting the user’s experience compared to lessons. So while Yousician can augment my learning, it truly depends on how it is employed by the user.

I believe Yousician primarily occupies and is best used for Modification, actually redesigning the tasks involved in learning guitar (for better or for worse). The most major modification is the practice feature. Not only is there real-time feedback on each note/chord played (though whether the app is more accurate than a well-trained human ear is anybody’s guess), but the speed of the song can be adjusted on the fly to suit the user’s comfort level. Furthermore, the scoring system and real-time feedback on playing notes right or wrong can give you a more exact sense of how well you can play a song, and how close you are to “perfecting” it. The scoring in particular is a large modification from standard lessons, though this certainly doesn’t appeal to all students equally.

What I don’t believe Yousician does is truly Redefine what it means to learn guitar. That said, I also don’t know what redefining it would even begin to look like. Not everybody has the creative ability to look at something and completely reimagine how it can be accomplished, let alone how technology can be used to do that, and that’s a part of why creativity is at such a premium these days. We can create technology to accomplish pretty well anything, but we need creative thinkers to determine where it is needed and why. If Yousician were to move into the redefining category, it could perhaps do so by offering a “perfection” feature, one that is far more stringent about notes/chords being played at the right volume and duration. I have personally experienced that, as long as Yousician “hears” every string in a chord, it will mark the chord as correct, even if one or two strings were played much quieter than the others. The app also doesn’t penalize you for letting notes go longer than it shows on the screen, so a feature that really encourages users (once they’ve made their way decently far into the app) would be terrific. Or maybe redefining would look like connecting users to tutors in a live, Uber-like system; tutors make themselves available for whatever times they want to be available, and supply and demand determine the prices for connecting with whatever tutor is available. I don’t even want to begin considering the logistics of that, but who knows? Maybe that’s the future.

Truly, what I value most about SAMR is the focus on intentionality. My friend Robert told me about one of his peers in engineering who was kickstarting these “study glasses” that, when worn, would alert students anytime they looked away from their homework (at a TV screen, for example) and urge them to get back on track. Maybe there’s a use for that, but we both agreed it seemed like innovation for innovation’s sake, and that those creative efforts perhaps would have been better served designing something that actually makes life easier, or happier, or whatever. I don’t want to incorporate technology for technology’s sake, I want to incorporate technology because it offers a tangible benefit that I wouldn’t have without it. It’s a line I’ll have to walk for as long as I teach, and this model will certainly help me do it.

Photo by Ashkan Forouzani on Unsplash