Blog Post 4: The RAT Model with Tablets

 

The purpose of using technology in the classroom should be to enhance the learning experience for students. As Dr. Green states in the module 4 introduction video, the thought should not be “oh, I have to use technology in this lesson.” Instead educators should think “I need to teach my students this content. How can technology support my instruction” (Dr. Lucy Green via personal communication, September, 21 2020). Essentially, technology use should not be the “goal” of the lesson. Instead, it should be viewed as a tool in the learning process to that supports higher thinking.

 

    To help educators find ways to use technology properly, many technology-enabled learning models have been created. One of the most popular models is the RAT model. The RAT model has three areas: replacement, amplification, and transformation. Replacement is essentially when educators only use technology as a way to replace practices that were being used without technology. For example, if a teacher asks students to read the textbook chapter and complete the worksheet online rather than using a printed copy, the teacher has merely “replaced” the printed copy with online version. No new skills are needed when replacement occurs (Hughes, 2010). Amplification is the next stage. Amplification is when technology use “amplifies” or increases learning through productivity and engagement because students are challenged more than they would have been with the absence of technology use (Hughes, 2010). For example, YouTube videos within lessons or having students conduct polls may break up the monotony of note taking and have students engage with the material in a way they would not have had the opportunity to do so before. The last stage in the RAT model is transformation. In the RAT model, transformation essentially means that the outcome of the learning process has been “transformed” because technology has been added to the lesson. Essentially, technology made the learning process more challenging, more engaging, and more fruitful because technology played a major role in the learning process. Though it is easy for educators to find ways to replace pieces of their lessons with technology, it is imperative that the goal should moving towards the transformative side of technology integration.

To explain how the RAT model can be used in the classroom, I will give examples of how a tablet can be used in all three levels. A tablet is almost like a cross between a laptop and a smart phone. It has many of the same functions as a computer device, yet it is more sleek and portable like a cellphone. Though there are many different tablet sizes, they usually range between 7.5 to 12 inches in length, with the most common length being 9 inches. Tablets are often used to replace the need for laptops. Because it has many of the same functions as a laptop or smart phone, tablets can use internet access, house apps, take pictures, take videos, and do voice recordings. Tablets do not come with external keyboards, but they are available for purchase.

 

     

         This exercise will specifically gives examples of how tablets can be used in the various stages of the RAT model for an American literature unit on The Crucible. In the first phase of the technology model, “replacement”, the tablet would essentially just be used to replace functions that can normally happen without. For example, students will use their tablets to write down notes from the beginning lecture as the teacher goes over a PowerPoint about the Salem Witch Trials. If the tablets were not in the room, students could easily use paper and pencil to write the same notes. Learning is not altered by the addition of the tablets in this scenario.   

In the second phase of the technology model, “amplification”, the tablet would be used to make the lesson more productive and engaging.  To do this, the teacher could use the app Pear Deck to present the material, rather than using a PowerPoint. Pear Deck is a presentation tool that makes lessons more engaging and interactive. There slogan is “The fastest way to transform presentations into classroom conversations” (Pear Deck, 2020, par. 1). Essentially, teachers can upload their traditional PowerPoints to Pear Deck and add interactive polls, ask for drawings, or typed answers throughout the presentation. Teachers can use these functions to ask opinions, ask for correct answers, or utilize it as a checking for understanding to see which students are still struggling with new material. Additionally, students are able to stay anonymous to the class, but teachers can see who is participating. This way, students can ask for help in the middle of class without worrying about what their peers may think. Because the teacher can tell who responds, they can also use it as a way to gauge participation points for the day. By adding in random questions throughout a lecture, students can have interactive discussions and engage with the topics of the material at appropriate times to break up the monotony of note taking. While teaching The Crucible, Pear Deck can be used to ask opinion questions to start discussions throughout the lecture and questions to recall information from previous notes may be asked. The teacher can start off the lesson by asking for student opinions on general statements that connect to the unit. For example, the teacher could ask students to rank how they feel about the statement “withholding the truth is the same thing as telling a lie” on a scale of 1-5 and then discuss their answers. Questions like this could appear throughout the notes as it connects to the material to keep discussion alive and students engaged.

In the third and final phase of the technology model, “transformation”, the tablet would be used to make the lesson transform into something that could not have possible without technology being present.   To transform the learning experience for students in The Crucible unit, students could use the free app Anchor to create podcasts about the background information or selected parts of the play. For example, the teacher could break students up into groups and give each group a specific topic to research. Then, students could create a podcasts to share with rest of the class about their specific topic. By doing this, students are able to move from the “remember” stage of Bloom’s Taxonomy to the “evaluate” and “create” stages (Armstrong, n.d.). Students would have to think critically and evaluate sources to ensure that they are finding the best information on their topic. Additionally, this project would have students collaborate. At the end of the unit, students could share their podcasts with each other, and this could take the place of copying notes from the board. To ensure that students present the class with correct information, the teacher should be a facilitator that checks in with groups and shows students how to access credible sources. This project makes students in charge of the learning process, and reinforces many of the AASL standards as well (AASL, 2017). By having students create podcasts on their tablets instead of merely taking notes, the level of learning that is taking place would be impossible without the use of technology.

              Overall, the RAT model is meant to help educators use technology in their lessons to maximize the support that can happen in the learning process. Tablets are a great tool that can really “transform” the way learning takes place. If you are interested in learning about more ways that tablets can rejuvenate the learning experience, please check out some of the following resources.

1.        “15 Ways to Use a Tablet in the Classroom”

2.        “How to Implement 1:1 Technology using Tablets in the Classroom”

3.       “The best apps for teachers and educators”

 

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