Using the SECTIONS Model to Evaluate a Tool

This Activity was created February 5, 2018 by Ontario Extend (@extend)

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Difficulty: 4 (rated by author; 1=easy <--> 5=difficult)
Views: 1780
Module: Technologist

Now that you have selected the technology that you will integrate into your teaching and learning, it is good practice to assess its fit beyond your learner challenge definition, to include other factors around support requirements.

A helpful framework to guide this assessment is the SECTIONS model, developed by Tony Bates and shown here. It is one of many frameworks that can help you make effective decisions about the choice and use of technology (and media) for teaching and learning.

It is important to note that while the design thinking around technology integration is learner-focused, it is also important to ensure that the tool you’ve selected is a good fit for your students, course, program and institution and the SECTIONS model can help with this.

Chapter 8 of the open textbook Teaching in a Digital Age, by the SECTIONS developer and author Dr. Tony Bates, provides a full description of the model.

The SECTIONS Model by Anthony William Bates is licensed under CC BY-NC

See also a SECTIONS planning framework out of UBC which may help provide additional details and guidance on its use.

Map your chosen technology to the SECTIONS model through thus“Map your technology to the SECTIONS model” exercise.

Once you have completed all of the steps, choose the “Export Text” button to save your work as a Microsoft Word file.

In your response to this activity, upload your exported text from the SECTIONS Model tool or provide a URL to your work’s location.

This activity is part of the Ideate section of the Technologist Module.

Image credit "Trivial Pursuit" flickr photo by jameelwinter https://flickr.com/photos/jameelwinter/5362054632 shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license

Example for "Using the SECTIONS Model to Evaluate a Tool":
http://extending.hjdewaard.ca/2018/05/which-tool-to-use/

Which Tool To Use?

Complete This Activity

After you complete this activity please share a link to it and a description so it can be added to the responses below. You can add it directly to this site.

You must sign in to this site to add a response to this Activity. Sign In

Add A Response

Resources for this Activity

Have you created a helpful guide or do you know one that might help others complete this activity? You can share a resource if it is available at a public URL. .

You must sign in to this site to add a response to this Activity. Sign In

Add a Resource

75 Responses for this Activity

SECTIONS Model – Padlet
by Gary Danner (@gdanner)

Please refer to the attached SECTIONS Model to support my choice of Padlet.
Sections Model – Padlet
by amy taylor (@amytaylor)

Using the Sections Model, I was able to critically evaluate the Padlet tool. This model allowed to me to consider multiple factors in determining whether this tool was a good choice and whether I had enough supports to use it to its potential as well as make things more pedagogically successful.
Social Annotation SECTION Model
by Christopher Rowe (@ChristopherRowe)

Please find attached my description using the SECTION model on why I chose Perusall as my tool of choice.
Sections model for evaluating a tool activity
by Brittany Murphy (@TaxBM)

Please see attached my sections model analysis for evaluating a tool activity. The tool is a simple solution to help support students in their understanding of course requirements, deadlines, and content by allowing them access to frequently asked questions using the function on FOL I recently became aware of. I think this will add to more… »
Peer feedback H5P tool SECTIONS
by Elan Paulson (@Elan Paulson)

Here is the SECTIONS analysis of H5P for the peer feedback tool
SECTIONS Model-Google docs & slides
by Anahita Khazaei (@Ana)

Please see attached the assessment of google docs and slides using SECTIONS model. The purpose of using these technologies is to facilitate team work and enhancing student engagement.
SECTIONS Model
by Tracey Chase (@traceychase)

SECTIONS model to evaluate using H5P studio to create interactive activities for foundation of mathematics course.
Tania Killian
by Tania Killian (@tkillian)

https://h5p.org/node/100161 Enter your “Students” response: 1) yes 2) IT and professor in course 3)yes 4) computer, editing software if using videos 5)yes-course dependant Enter your “Ease of Use” response 1) good once you start to use it 2) very 3)yes 4)yes Enter your “Cost” response 1) yes, depends on project 2) yes, but it is more… »
Technology assessment
by Matt Koller (@koller)

Evaluation of student using technology (Screencast-o-matic) to view physiology information.
Using the SECTIONS Model to Evaluate a Tool Activity – Mindomo
by Anthony Tilotta (@ATilotta)

Responses are based on the use of Mindomo to create a digital mind map.

3 Resources for this Activity

Assessing Technology Using the Sections Model (UBC Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology)
shared by Alan Levine (@cogdogblog)

An illustrated framework and guide for using the SECTIONS model
Chapter 8: Choosing and using media in education: the SECTIONS model (Teaching and Learning in a Digital Age)
shared by Alan Levine (@cogdogblog)

Chapter 8 of Dr Tony Bates’s book describes the SECTIONS model
SECTIONS model
shared by Carrie Barrett (@Carrie)

Responses to SECTION questions as part of Ideate module.