Above is a Nearpod slideshow I made based around a 6th grade English Language Arts (ELA) standard! Feel free to flip through it and check it out above! Then, click the button above to go directly to the site!
Nearpod is a tech tool in which teachers can create more interactive presentations to engage their students in learning the concepts they are trying to teach. They can include various activities along with regular slides in a slideshow. Some activities you can include in a Nearpod presentation are quizzes, matching games, drawing prompts, short answers, virtual field trips, fill-in-the-blanks and memory! It is a great tool to ensure every student is paying attention to your teaching and learning. Interacting with the content will also help them remember what they have learned!
Nearpod fits into the Danielson Framework in domains 1, which is Planning & Prep, and 3, which is Instruction. Specifically, within domain 1, Nearpod fits into setting instructional outcomes, demonstrating knowledge of resources, designing coherent instruction, and designing student assessments. Using Nearpod means you can set instructional outcomes and design student assessments by creating activities in between slides of instruction to check for students' understanding of the content. You are setting big goals for them within smaller tasks (activities). Interweaving activities and instruction material show that you know how to design coherent instruction in which students can immediately practice the content they have just learned. Also, utilizing Nearpod shows that you know how to utilize online resources to teach rather than just the chalkboard/whiteboard. For domain 3, Nearpod fits into engaging students in learning and using assessment in instruction because of the interweaving of instruction and assessment. The assessments that are sprinkled in engage the students in learning.
I can see myself using Nearpod in the classroom!! It is so cool! I like that you can add in various activities for your students. I think it is very important to make sure your students are actively engaged while you are teaching, which Nearpod can help with because it is so interactive. I also love the variety of activities you can include. Diversity in activity helps students not get bored as you teach. Interspersing activities in your presentation can stop them from spacing out since they know an activity can pop up at any time. I think I could utilize this a lot more than just Slides/Powerpoint.
Nearpod relates to the 4Cs of creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication in many ways. When students are using Nearpod during your presentation, they can be creative and communicate their knowledge to you through short answer prompts, collaborate and communicate with the collaborate activity to brainstorm for an idea you set forth, and think critically during all the activities (short answer prompts, collaborate, matching, quizzes, etc.). It also relates to the ISTE standards for students because they can be empowered learners and creative communicators using Nearpod. They can use Nearpod to show and test their knowledge of the presentation's content through practice, showing they can be empowered learners. They can also express themselves in short answer questions and in drawing prompts, making them creative communicators.