Middle School Science Teacher Nolan Clarke has been using Nearpod, an instructional platform that supplements our Zoom classroom sessions. We asked his students to explain, in their own words, what this resource is, how we’re using it to enhance distance learning, and their thoughts on this tool. Nearpod is being used in both the Middle and Upper School distance learning programs, in classes from science to history. Today’s report comes from seventh grade scientists.
Aniket Joshi ’25
Nearpod is an online student engagement platform that is a great resource that teachers can use in class to help students learn because it allows the teacher to give students questions like open-ended ones where you type the response, or the answers can be published in drawings where the students can actually draw on Nearpod to show their work in writing or drawings if they need to. Nearpod allows all the students to come together in one classroom, and each one is in their own personal space where the teacher can give them feedback on their answers. It also allows students to see others‘ responses on these online boards where each student writes a response and can review their peers‘ responses on that online board as well. Nearpod can also show how many people are good at things and need work on another thing in polls, where the teacher can ask questions like „How well do you understand these topics?“ Nearpod also has fun games like „Time to Climb“ where the student chooses an animal and each question that they get right, they climb a mountain higher and higher. It is always fun! Nearpod has been a great experience as the teacher can share videos, questions and polls with the whole class so everyone is interacting and focused. I like the online board where we can see everyone’s responses and can give feedback on them. The teacher can also see our responses, so he can also give feedback on them as well. It also allows us to show where we are good in one subject and what we need to work on in another subject. Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, Nearpod has been very useful for us as we can all see what the teacher is teaching us today. Overall, Nearpod has been a great and fun resource for my science class and I suggest that we keep using it in the future!
Hattie Sloane ’25
Nearpod is a great interactive learning tool for online and in classroom learning. It starts with all the members of the class joining the lesson, and then it begins. Nearpod is an involved way to let everyone learn. It allows the teacher to instruct, and virtually ask questions along the way. This keeps us accountable and makes sure we know what we are doing. The questions are asked in a way that once people start to answer, their answers come up on the teacher’s screen. This allows for the teacher to analyze the answers with the class so we all understand what we are doing right and wrong, but the best part is there are no names! Nearpod is a very stimulating way that I find is much easier to learn with. There are many features that keep us kids engaged and learning rather than the standard lecture. Nearpod has us learning and using our thinking to better understand. Nearpod is a way of teaching that I really enjoy and flourish with (and with no surprise science is my best class) because it is understandable and keeps you learning and focused. Nearpod is also an amazing way to learn for online school because it is incredibly easy to understand what we are doing and still stay an active participant in the class.
GT Cozad ’25
Nearpod is a really fun, and engaging learning platform that encourages kids to ask questions, and participate in all activities. It has the ability to hide names, so if a student is shy, they can answer freely. Overall, it’s a great learning platform.
Grant LaMartina ’25
Nearpod is a great way to get students engaged in the lesson. Nearpod is somewhat like a slide show that the students can interact with. It has informational slides and slides that the students can interact with. The interactive slides are slides where you answer questions in your own words about what we have been learning, and slides where you can draw/annotate images about the lesson. There is a feature where the teacher can take a poll to see how comfortable the students are with what they are learning. Finally, there is also a fun game you can play at the end of the lesson called “Time to Climb.” This reviews all of the topics you learned that day, and this game makes the students want to pay more attention during the lesson so they have a higher chance of winning!
Amisha Poojari ’25
Nearpod is a really cool student engagement platform that can be so helpful during classes. Instead of just a normal PowerPoint presentation, there are many interactive ways to help students learn. Teachers have the option to add questions (which could be short answers, multiple-choice, or even a drawing one!), videos, and normal slides. What makes Nearpod special is that it allows children to answer without fear! When teachers hide the names, all responses are anonymous. We are able to give feedback and help each other learn without having to be embarrassed or put on the spot because our answer was wrong. Nearpod also displays whatever is on the teacher’s screen onto each student’s computer. This helps us engage ourselves (it’s hard to not pay attention). Most of all, Nearpod is such a fun way to learn!
Alyssa Harris ’25
Nearpod is a learning database that is used in order to not only present slideshows for students, but is a helpful learning tool in the classroom when it comes to note-taking, and making sure that information is understood by students. Nearpod is really cool because questions can be asked to everyone anonymously so that no student has to be afraid to share their answer with the class. There are also features on Nearpod that allow you to save the presentation as a future study tool for quizzes, homework and tests. There are also fun review games that can be played like „Time To Climb.” Overall, Nearpod is a great learning tool for students in any classroom and makes learning experiences fun.
Thanks, student reporters! It sounds like you’re having a blast learning with Nearpod!