3.4 Enhancing existing tools and materials

You may already be used to creating Word documents and PowerPoint presentations, or be familiar with similar word processing and presentation software. Materials in both formats can be repurposed for the online environment. They are a classic example of the ‘substitution category’ of the SAMR model (Puentedura, 2017) where methods used in a face-to-face environment are moved directly online.

With a little more work, static documents featuring text and images can be turned into online exploration tools, linking to websites, animations, videos, blogs and so on to enrich the learning experience. These improved files can then be integrated with other materials using content creation tools, or mounted within an LMS, for example. The next session will cover the practicalities of doing this.