The Many Benefits of Using Nearpod
- Teaching More Than Math
- Jul 28, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 22, 2020
I teach 6th grade math. I used Nearpod everyday in my brick and mortar classroom and a bit more limited virtually because of our district plan. Our math department uses an online curriculum which has some tools for presenting to the class. However these tools are very limited.
During my first year I struggled to get students to work in the assigned paper workbooks. I tried all of the accountability measures, from calling on students randomly to share work, to timers. It was frustrating. I needed to do something different, something better. I did, I found Nearpod.
Nearpod brought the workbooks to life with vibrant colors, easy transitions, and the lure of using a computer.
It also brought my class to life. Nearpod has helped my class become an engagement powerhouse. Students burst to life wanting to participate and share. Learning is deepened and accelerated.
What is Nearpod
Nearpod is an online presentation tool that incorporates assessment activities with built in accountability tools. Nearpod allows teachers to make teaching slides that are followed by “check your understanding” slides. The activity slides include options for open ended questions, multiple choice quiz questions, polls, and DrawIt slides (there are many more options). I prefer DrawIt slides because students can type, draw, highlight, insert photos, and take photos.
Nearpod has many features that provide teachers with the ability to provide various supports to students who may need it, while students who do not can ignore them.
Benefits of Nearpod
There are so many benefits to using Nearpod. Here are some of my Favorites:
All in One Lesson
Teachers can plan an entire class on the Nearpod Platform. When students enter my class they get their Chromebooks and go to their seats. The Nearpod code is ready on the presenter screen. When students enter the code it brings them to the first slide which is their Do Now activity. After attendance and reviewing the Do Now the transition to the rest of the lesson is as easy as clicking to the next slide. When we do switch to a task on another platform I add a slide that provides instructions and a link if needed. Students can easily transition back to the Nearpod tab if we need to continue the lesson.
Optimized Planning
I plan and post all of my directions, collaborative structures, and supports on the slides. This allows me to focus on the student needs while ensuring I accomplish what I planned. My class is very structured which allows me to have a greater focus. I do not have to look for my notes or recall what I was intending to do. This includes the ability to attach supports to activities and plan timers ahead of time so you do not have to fumble with devices in class.
Accountability Built in
Nearpod has a few teacher tools that add accountability to any lesson. The first is that teachers can see in real time who has submitted work and who has not. Teachers can then address students who may need assistance or motivation.
After students submit their work teachers can share any student’s work with the class. Teachers can share it on a main presenter screen and/or to each students Nearpod screen. When sharing work is a part of the class norm students tend not to want to get caught without their work completed. Teachers can quickly assess with Nearpod tools who has not participated and address it as needed. Teachers can also use reports to pull a student's past work for conferences with the student and parents.
Timers! Nearpod has added timers to activities. When I add a timer students feel a sense of urgency and get straight to work. Something about the count down to begin and the visible timer on the students’ screens makes them more focused than if I use any other timer.
Assessments
I love the ability to provide a lesson with immediate assessment data interwoven within a lesson. This is especially important for live sessions. As a teacher you can assess the students as a whole and individually, so that you can make on-the-spot changes or revisit certain skills. Nearpod allows for every lesson to be data driven.
Intuitive and Easy to Use
Nearpod is very intuitive and easy to use as a teacher and student. Nearpod works tirelessly to make improvements based on teacher feedback. In the little over a year I have used it, I have seen so many improvements it is difficult to believe. Nearpod is open to feedback. They have set up feedback sessions with teachers to learn how teachers use the tool and what they can do to make it better. Their response to the shift to online teaching was admirable and appreciated.
Nearpod makes normal class activities flow more seamlessly. For example sharing students’ work. Some non-Nearpod options are for students to come up to the front, rewrite information on the board, or to display work under a document camera. Those are all fine options, but with Nearpod a teacher can show a student’s work with a click of a button. It doesn’t get easier or quicker than that. A student can state what they did from the comfort of his/her seat.
Practical Student Practice
In my math class while using Nearpod my students get reading, writing, typing, and general computer skills practice all in one. This is important for their development and academic growth, but has the added benefit of preparing them for state testing. State testing requires students to respond to math questions by typing written responses. In addition, students are asked to show their work by typing it out. Students need to practice both of those skills - how to type a response to an open-ended math questions and how to type your math work. When I introduce students to these types of questions I have to teach many students how to do the task, not solve the problem. Students will say they do not know how to do it - type out the work. Imagine the students getting to a state test and feeling “I don’t know how to do this on a computer.” I also integrate lessons on how to model work on screen and use scrap paper for calculations to help them learn how to be effective with their time.
Kids Love Nearpod
Kids love Nearpod. Kids are always asking why my 90 minute class goes by. The answer is Nearpod (plus I am funny). When we start with an assignment other than Nearpod the students will ask when they get to do their partner work on Nearpod. They also tell me they love using Nearpod. Happy kids, happy class, happy teacher.
Nearpod can be Funded Through DonorsChoose
Teachers can gain a lot of benefits from the free version of Nearpod. A savvy teacher can create lessons through Google Slides and rotate them into Nearpod to avoid having to upgrade for storage. If that does not sound appealing and a district membership is not an option don't worry. The remaining options are to pay the membership fee or create a DonorsChoose project to fundraise for a Nearpod subscription. That's what I did. Don't miss out, between August 23rd and 29th get a $50 bonus for your first project.
I feel this list is limited and the possibilities with Nearpod are endless. The more I use it, the more I learn. Online or in the building, Nearpod offers valuable benefits to teachers and students.
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