Learn whenever and wherever students want via a Mobile learning tool: Nearpod

In China, the newest generation has almost given up toys or dolls, instead of playing games and watching videos through mobile technologies, like smart phones, laptops and tablets. I used to see my nephew play his iPad even in the noisy restaurants, very concentrated.
Some people say it is a side effect caused by new technologies. However, if we, especially teachers, can make use of these, what is the possible result?
Maybe the screen of my nephew's iPad was not the game. The screen is likely to show a lovely panda who was reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland for him, or an interesting real-life task that was given by the teacher as a homework. Whenever and wherever he wants to learn, his mobile devices can help him make it.

This imagination has already become true. It is called Mobile learning, also known as M-learning, which is an educational system, with the help of mobile devices, for continuous access to the learning process.
Today, I want to recommend one awesome app for teachers and educators: Nearpod. It is a tool allows teachers to create engaging, interactive presentations and display them directly on students’ mobile devices, with many tools in interactive activities. What students should do is go to the Nearpod website, and then enter the code given by teachers, very easy and convenient.

picture resource: Google images

Features of Nearpod

Except the feature that teachers can display content on students’ mobile devices remotely, there are some other attractive features.
1. Control of teachers
Teachers can control the flow of the presentations, and students will only do activities when teachers set the parts, such as vote, multiple-choices, and collaboration games.
2. Expanded but more concentrated class
Large groups of students are able to be taught online, not worrying the size of classrooms and everyone should also keep concentrated because every activity part will be captured.
3. Different kinds of content
Nearpod supports different kinds of content, like slides, videos, audios and even Nearpod 3D. The VR part creates more possibility for students if they can be equipped with right facilities.

screenshot of Nearpod website

4. Interesting activities

Many interesting activities can be added in the class to create one collaborative learning environment, in which students feel highly engaged with their learning. 

screenshot of Nearpod website

For example, in 'Poll', teachers can see every student's participation and the proportion of what their response. Of course, this page can also be shown to students in their devices.

picture resource: Google images

Personally, I will like one activity 'Draw it'. It is like a small 'Padlet' (my blog link of introducing Padlet) that students can draw, text, and put pictures on their windows. However, in teachers' screens, they can get all submitted images from students and may choose some of them to show.

screenshot of students' windows of 'Draw it'

screenshot of teachers' windows of 'Draw it'

screenshot of final show of 'Draw it'

5. Setting Nearpod presentations as homework

Except teachers make presentations, students can also engage with their presentations independently. Teachers provide a ‘Homework’ code to the children via email and students can access a pre-made presentation at home on their home computers or even any smart phones. When they finish, teachers can receive all homework and access each student's performance.

picture resource: Google images

screenshot of the feedback in teachers screens

How to use Nearpod

Here I will give one youtube video tutorial in 2016 about how to use Nearpod to push great educational lessons and other content onto student devices. It is a little bit long, but very useful and detailed.

Disadvantages

1. Technologies always cause technology problems, like no internet, slow loading, different systems (OSX or Win) and no appropriate devices for some Nearpod functions. Sometimes these small things can delay quite long time, which kills students' patience.
2. Students can avoid showing up because Nearpod doesn't need students to turn on their cameras and speakers of their equipments. It may decrease students' speaking ability and some people may even ask others to replace him enter the class.

Conclusion

Nearpod is one great M-learning tool, supported by laptops, tablets and phones. Although teachers should put efforts to design the presentation content before each lesson, Nearpod easily reflects students' performance and saves time after the lesson through its strong report generator. I think for Chinese teachers, if the class has the ability to try Nearpods, it is a nice way of both motivating students and easing the stress of teachers.
Hope this blog is useful to you!