Experimental Technology Project: Nearpod 

URL: https://nearpod.com/  

Explanation: Description & Most Significant Features

Nearpod provides students with interactive lessons that include activities, such as collaborative discussion boards, virtual field trips, videos, drawing features, matching pairs, quizzes, etc. 

 

Pros and Cons of Tool 

A pro of Nearpod is self-paced learning, which is great when students are independently working and/or have a substitute. Also, collaboration activities make student participation easier and more accessible for students with 504s and IEPs for anxiety related disabilities, a variety of activities makes learning more interesting and keeps student’s attention. Many teachers use Nearpod and create lessons that other teachers can use. Plus, Nearpod offers lessons as well. Any topic can be searched in the search bar to find specific lessons. Nearpod lessons can be used in person, in a hybrid setting, or online. Also, all the lessons, whether self-paced or collaborative, can be tracked in real-time and have reports from each student’s work.  

 

 A con of some school systems blocks the use of video sites, such as YouTube, so interactive videos cannot be used. Also, students fill out their own name, so this can be an issue if students misuse this feature. Also, there is a risk of students misusing the collaborative activities if the teacher does not set the Nearpod on the “accept the comment” feature. 

One recommendation I have for using Nearpod is creating rules and expectations with your students, so that they are reminded that Nearpod is an interactive online class environment that still follows similar class expectations as an in-person classroom. Also, continue to check the standards and unit expectations to ensure that the lessons are connected and are helping students achieve their goals. 

After exploring Nearpod, I would recommend teachers take the online Nearpod given trainings, so that they can learn more about how they can incorporate Nearpod in their classroom. Also, I recommend that teachers include a necessary expectation about logging in on the Nearpod with the student’s full name and following the student code of conduct when contributing to collaborative boards.  

Technology Integration Matrix (TIMS) 

Five Levels of Technology Integration: 

Entry: 

Traditional instructional practices, mentioned in entry level of technology integration, include presentations and online activities. Nearpod can present both.  

Adoption: 

Nearpod includes the activity options interactive quizzes, polls, and multimedia content, so students are more likely to actively engage in the learning process. Fellow teachers may see this and integrate Nearpod into their own practices. 

Adaptation: 

Nearpod takes seemingly traditional active learning activities, such as discussions and collaborations, and makes them interactive online. 

Infusion: 

Nearpod can be used for any school subject and grade level. 

Transformation: 

Nearpod provides new learning experiences, such as virtual field trips and 3D simulations that schools would not have the resource to access otherwise. 

Five Characteristics of Learning Environments: 

Active: 

Nearpod provides students with experiences that are interactive, so more students participate who would have not participated, most likely, otherwise. For example, students with 504s for anxiety may be less likely to engage in discussions, but Nearpod breaks that barrier.  

Collaborative: 

Students can use Nearpods as an assignment that includes collaboration boards, group activities, and interactive discussions. 

Constructive: 

Students can construct and create content, such as drawings representing the answer to the question. 

Authentic: 

Nearpod offers real-life examples that are relevant and, therefore, most likely interesting to students. 

Goal-directed: 

Nearpod incorporates goals at the beginning of each lesson, so students know what they are expected to understand by the end of the lesson. Also, a student’s progress in learning is tracked. 

Future Student Use of Tool 

Poetry in English class tends to be a difficult unit for middle school students. Therefore, Nearpod can make poetry more interesting for students. For example, a goal for a poetry Nearpod could be to understand and apply their understanding of theme and imagery by the end of the lesson. Some of the activities may include introduction of poetry analysis, a poem example with theme and imagery annotated, students read a poem with a partner and find the theme and imagery, the students individually draw a picture representing the poem’s imagery, and students write a short response using evidence from the poem to explain their drawing and the imagery it represents. 

Future Personal Use of Tool 

Nearpod can be used for a variety of personal uses, such as to learn a language, to remotely discuss a book with your book club, to tell a story from your life or an experience, virtual meetings, personal goal projects, etc. 

 

 

References 

(2024). Arizona technology integration matrix. Arizona K12 Center. https://www.azk12.org/arizona-technology-integration-matrix

Stephens, Darri. (2023). 5 benefits of technology in the classroom. Nearpodblog. https://nearpod.com/blog/tech-applications-careers/