Successive Approximation Model (SAM)

Overview of the SAM model

Divided into three iterative phases, preparation, iterative design and iterative development, the Successive Approximation Model (SAM) is an agile approach that prioritizes rapid development and deployment for projects and trainings that need to be adaptable and created quickly.

SAM's three stages

preparation phase- Instructional designers, subject matter experts, and stakeholders closely collaborate and gather information about the project's goals, target audience, learning objectives, and existing resources.
iterative design phase- rough prototype of the content organization, instructional strategies, and the overall structure of the learning experience.
iterative development phase- designers collaborate and testing is ongoing based on continous feedback to meet the desired level of quality and effectiveness.

Implications in Instructional Design

Tight deadlines or Lengthy process?

Empowering teachers in the digital age is important because everyone, teachers and students together, engages with new technologies for communication, work and leisure has become parts of our daily lives (Suppiah et at, 2018). The SAM in instructional design implies that professional development for teachers that can rapidly prototype training, gather ongoing feedback from teachers throughout the development process and iteratively refine the instruction using real-time data leads to teachers more prepared on how to use and implement technology tools and AI in the classroom and students gaining a better knowledge on digital literacy and how to use technology in both in-class and out-of-class settings.

Strengths and Limitations in Teacher Training

Strengths in SAM

Stakeholder Collaboration: Involving subject matter experts such as teachers early in the design process ensures alignment with the training outcomes and teachers' learning needs. Teachers are the best at providing the most relevant information and incorporating a small sample of their feedback gives instructional designers the opportunities to make necessary changes where needed.

Limitations in SAM

Resource-Intensive: The iterative cycles, frequent feedback, and collaborative nature of the model may require substantial effort and resources, which may not be feasible for all projects. K-12 teacher buy-in can be difficult regarding the time and obligations they are already contracted to, unless the training is part of an ongoing training.

References

Suppiah, Gunavathy a/p, Yin, Ong Chuin, Othman, Moomala, Ismail, Lilliati, & Aralas, Dalia. (2018). Empowering ESL Teachers’ Professional Development through Digital Literacy. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(12). https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v8-i12/5002

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