Nearpod

Vorteile: Nearpod is a high-quality, user-friendly, reliable presentation program that could be a valuable asset in every teachers classroom. There is a fee, but it's definitely worth the investment individually or at the school-wide level. For starters, it's easy to create slide decks, but what's amazing is that these presentations can be pushed to student devices or phones instantly and with ease. Students can then follow along and interact with the instructor. Other types of presentations can easily be converted and used within NearPod, too, so you don't have to reinvent good material. Just upload and begin pushing to students with ease. Next, audio and video files can be dropped in to decks which enables students to interact with the multimedia individually or in groups. Beyond that, and perhaps my favorite feature is the ability to collect real-time feedback from students through a wide variety of question types/formats. This enables the presenter to pace the lesson appropriately, follow-up with anyone who may be struggling, or engage students in conversation or clarifications based on the feedback. Next, NearPod has a database of phenomenal content available to educators. Large amounts are free. Some of the content even offers VR360 opportunities for students who are using capable devices. Last, I just appreciate that they are committed to improving their product - always taking steps forward, listening to user concerns, offering loudly support, and advancing.

Nachteile: It would be great if they could add on some sort of homework feature for students who may not have access to WiFi. I know they are exploring several potentials here, and I think they'll figure out a solution, but this would be helpful for flipping the classroom in Title One environments.

Kommentare: All in all, I'm a big fan. I recommend it in the classroom and strongly suggest teachers explore using it. You must be in one-to-one setting.

Vorteile: I'm a big fan of Nearpod when giving presentations. Here are the pros I see:
- Allows students to become active participants in their education. Presenting instructional content is engaging with Nearpod, not just a one-way conversation.
- You have the ability to check for understanding with built-in questions.
- They have a ton of free resources that are great.
- Real-time assessment/feedback.
- They've even offered VR field trips that you can take your students on.
- It's easy to learn how to use it, navigate, and build presentations.
- You can also easily upload presentations from other platforms.

Nachteile: While I feel that the pros outweigh the cons, here are some problems I see:
- It is completely based on your wifi. If you have a weak internet, then Nearpod will be slow and lagging. If you add a lot of students to a presentation, it can also significantly slow down. (Although I realize that this is not necessarily Nearpod's fault - it is worth noting.)
- Even though you can check for understanding in real-time, you cannot do so anonymously. It would be nice if you can anonymously assess students from time-to-time.
- The subscription is steep - some may think it's worth it and the features are great, but it comes with a price that is a bit much.
- The coolness factor will eventually wear off with students.

Kommentare: The product is so unique and fun that the students enjoy learning. There are so many academic benefits that I don't think I have enough room to list them all. It can be used in every classroom for all ages and subjects. I even got the school counselors using it with the middle school kids. Like any product, it takes time to make it your own, but it is time well spent.

Vorteile: I am able to take control of the student's computer screen so they are unable to move ahead or fall behind. I am able to see each student's answer as they submit it. If I want to I can share all responses or select the responses that work for the lesson. I see what each person is doing on their desktop or laptop computer. It saves the data and I can use it to triangulate future data. The students LOVE it and always ask if we can "do a nearpod" today.

Nachteile: It took me days to purchase a subscription and they tried to "upsell" me and I hate that. I just want to be able to order a subscription online. Instead, I had to call and get transferred, then their system was down and they could not process my credit card. They asked me to call back so I did and it still did not work. I only had the school credit card for a few hours and I was trying to teach. It should not have been so difficult. I almost quit trying but I really really wanted to use the product because it is amazing.

Kommentare: Turns normal "sit and get" lessons into interactive and engaging activities for students. It has been very easy to use and easy to show others how to use it.

Vorteile: Nearpod has a library of pre-made lessons that teachers may use. Some are free, but others have a minimal cost. Nearpod is free to use, but the free version does have limited capabilities. The great thing about Nearpod is they offer you a 6 month trial if you complete a few steps and become a Nearpod Certified Educator. This process is extremely easy and it helps you to get to know the product. One of the best features is that you can use PowerPoints that you already have. You simply upload them, and then insert your activities. It is very intuitive and easy to use.
Another great feature is that they are constantly adding features. This company listens to it's customers and they are always making their product better.

Nachteile: The only complaint is that it is hard to find what you are looking for in their store. Sometime you have to try multiple searches to get a "hit".

Vorteile: I love how you can use just about any type of media with a Nearpod presentation. You are able to design directly in Nearpod with the slides or you can upload presentations from Microsoft or Google files.

Nachteile: I do experiencing some issues with saving from time to time. Nearpod does not seem to function well if you have more than 1 presentation in edit mode. Sometimes I like to work side by side to double check both presentations follow the same format. Unfortunately this means that Nearpod does not always save my work.