Online Presentation Tool

From Olga:

"I've recently come across Nearpod - an online presentation tool that allows the instructor to integrate activities (such as multiple choice gamified quizzes, interactive videos, and 3D models) with content delivery. It can run asynchronously as “student-paced” or as a synchronous session (in-person or remotely) where the instructor controls the pace. Once the lesson is complete, Nearpod generates a class report of each student’s participation which can be used as a formative assessment or simply as diagnostic information. Nearpod can be used as an application on phones or tablets or through the web and integrates into Zoom, Google Classroom, and Microsoft Teams.

While ostensibly geared to K-12, Nearpod also has applicability in adult education, particularly during when shifting to remote delivery. For asynchronous delivery, students can progress through Nearpod lessons and complete activities at their own pace and in whatever sequence they prefer. This definitely offers some agency and autonomy to students. When delivering in-person, the "student-paced" option frees instructors up to assist students who need extra attention or clarification. Similarly, the reports generated after a lesson free instructors up to focus on learning during a session rather than on collecting formative assessment data; that data is being collected by Nearpod for later review by the instructor. All of these tools reside in one platform, allowing students to stay on one page as opposed to accessing multiple sites or applications."