My Nearpod
First, let's explore Nearpod by experiencing my Nearpod!
Introduction
This post aims at English educators of students of all levels. It consists of six parts:
1.What is Nearpod?
2.Create your own presentation
3.Links between English teaching and Nearpod
4.Ideas on using Nearpod in English teaching
5.Advantages and limitations
6. Sources of information
What is Nearpod?
I am sure you have had a general idea of what Nearpod is after going through my lesson. Nearpod is a tool for interactive presentations and assessments. Teachers can create a lesson or utilise others' class plans on Nearpod website and share the session code with students in order to let them access it. By this description, you may think that this is very similar to the Blendspace that I introduced a few weeks ago (At least, that was how I felt at first). Therefore, I would like to introduce Nearpod by making a brief comparison between Nearpod and Blendspace.
What devices?
Nearpod: Students can access a session through a laptop or other mobile devices. On mobile phones or tablet, students can download Nearpod app.Blendspace: People can go into the lesson on a laptop or other mobile devices. However, the lack of specific app may result in the disproportion of images or layouts as the lesson wasn't designed for mobile phones.
Live?
Nearpod: Students can access a live session or Homework session on PC or other mobile devices. In a live session, teachers are able to see what is in the lesson and control the screen of the devices of the participants on teachers' devices. On a homework mode, students can go through the activity at their own pace. What's more, the answers to tasks will be sent back to teachers instantly on condition that the network is good.Blendspace: it doesn't provide live mode. Students might go through the ppt at home on their own while teachers are not informed of the feedbacks from students.
The number of activities?
Nearpod: It includes open-ended questions, poll, multiple choices, drawing pad, fill in the blank and memory card. What worth mentioning is that in all the activities above, teachers can involve images in the question.Blendspace: As I have mentioned in my post of blendspace, the lack of quizzes is a big drawback of it. The only quiz it has is multiple choices.
Using others' resources?
Nearpod: When using others' material, teachers can only use the whole nearpod lesson created by others. Even though teachers can insert material like ppt and words in their lesson, they can't search for these materials on Nearpod, instead, they should find them elsewhere.Blendspace: The accessibility of materials is one of the greatest charms of Blendspace. A simply click on the dashboard can draw out a lot of relevant materials ppt, words and videos.
Creating your own presentation (Live/ Homework)
I am just going to demonstrate how you can try out some functions. To kick off, go to Nearpod website and sign up. After signing up, you will find yourself in "My library" as shown in the picture below. Click on "+ New presentation".
Now we are in a new but very empty page as shown. On this page, we can see "Untitled Presentation" on the top left. You can name your presentation by clicking on the pen "setting" or clicking on the "Untitled Presentation" directly. ( I named mine "Me First!", which is a children book that I will use here.)
I like doing things in a clear order. So let's go for content first! Click on "add content", and do you see more than 5 options shown below it. So what is the difference between a slide and a slideshow? A slideshow includes a slide. If you add a slide show, that means you add a "ppt". For me, I will start with a slide.
After saving it, you can see that the slide you added would be shown on the main presentation dashboard next to "add slide"
Next, let's try to add a video as a slide! Again click on "add slide", but this time, click on video. This click will bring you to this page where you can choose from your own files, dropbox, box, youtube or google Drive.
For me, I used youtube and typed in "three pigs" and chose the first video. Now let's try out "activity". I think students may find "draw it" very intriguing, so I am demonstrating it first. Click on "add slide" then " add activity", and at last "draw it". Following these steps, you will see that you can give out instruction and insert pdf or image. To encourage students to use their imagination, I am only giving instruction "What is the main character of our story? it is pink, plump and pushy, with pointy ears and curly tails." Can you answer it?
Click on "add slide", "add web content" and input a URL. I, of course, will put in the link of my blog =).
There are a lot more activities that you can try out. Due to the limited time, I will let you explore by yourself. But I have faith in you that you can get the hang of this tool easily. Finally, let's add a web link to this class.
Links between English teaching and Nearpod
It can use in the classroom as well as outside the classroom. Inside the classroom, It saves time and energy for both teachers and students. It can be used to present report, assess students' English skills (grammar, reading etc.), distribute e-material.
Outside the classroom, it polishes learners' learning and speaking skills in activities. The English-related interactive task distributed to students outside the classroom ensures students polish the speaking and listening skills and put these skills into practice.
Ideas on using Nearpod in English Teaching
Here I would like to give out ideas in using Nearpod to enhance English output outside the classroom. These activities are designed for middle school students in Hong Kong. Educators can adjust them according to their need.
1.Students are asked to follow the instructions given in Nearpod to borrow some English learning books and make a video of them talking about it with another student in English. After they make the video, they have to upload the videos to teachers.
2.Students are given some descriptions of technical problems in laptops or cell phones of Samsung and Apple. They need to call the English hotline of both companies and ask for solutions in English. After this part, students are asked to write a short text on how to solve the problems.
1.Students are asked to follow the instructions given in Nearpod to borrow some English learning books and make a video of them talking about it with another student in English. After they make the video, they have to upload the videos to teachers.
2.Students are given some descriptions of technical problems in laptops or cell phones of Samsung and Apple. They need to call the English hotline of both companies and ask for solutions in English. After this part, students are asked to write a short text on how to solve the problems.
Advantages and limitations
Advantages
1. Ensure students' use of Nearpod. As students need to input their names before going into the class, teachers will have a clear picture of who is in the lesson. Due to the control of the students' screen, participants will only be able to use the phone for the lesson, which can ensure students aren't using phones for other purposes.
2. More possibilities for classroom and increases the mobility of students. As Nearpod can be used on mobile devices. Teachers can create a lot of activities that can be achieved through phones, for example, treasure hunt with GPS. Besides, students can go outside the classroom while still connecting with the classroom.
Limitations
1.The network is a big problem when it comes to a live session.
2.There are glitches when I am trying to insert images in slide or activities. Actually, I haven't succeeded in inserting any image (the page is shown below).
3. Video can't be shown together with captions.
4. Lack of materials provided. If you want to use other people's materials, you have to find out of Nearpod, which is a drawback when compared with Blendspace.
5. It reduces eye-contact between students as well as that between students and instructors.Sources of information
Website of Nearpod is http://www.nearpod.com/index.php
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