Nearpod

 In my previous blog post, we discussed the program Nearpod, this blog post will shift its focus from Nearpod's VR capabilities to Nearpods overall qualities as a teaching tool. 

Nearpod has an abundance of different tools that have the goal of aiding teachers of all abilities and all grades, providing a fusion between the tools of the past and the tools of the future. This fusion becomes one of the most important features, as it allows veteran teachers to thoroughly enjoy this program without being pushed out of their comfort zones. On the other hand, the program offers a sleek, user-friendly interface that allows new teachers to feel like they are using a modern tool, and also prevents from children feeling like the program they're using is heavily outdated. Additionally, the program offers many capabilities and different tools that benefit any and every student, from English to science, Nearpod allows students to fully explore their interests in a proactive and educational way. Nearpod's VR capabilities, connections to other Learning Management Systems, and capabilities to assure student interaction at all times make Nearpod one of the most influential and beneficial tools for educators at this moment.

Nearpod shares a number of amazing qualities; however, the platform lacks in various areas. Although its accessibility is one of the most promoted tools, the platform requires payment to maximize its features, starting at $159 a year for just the silver tier, the highest tier can run up to nearly $400 in order to gain access to all of its features. Additionally, if you choose to implement your LMS', your district would have to be the one purchasing the program, dragging out the process. These two became a huge factor in its accessibility as not every district and especially every teacher has the resources for this platform. The platform of Nearpod can also be repetitive, despite its luxurious VR capabilities and teacher communities, platforms like PearDeck that are free are competitors for this platform as they offer almost the same features but are even more user-friendly and accessible. 

Despite its limitations, Nearpod still has a number of qualities that make it a wonderful tool for educators. Nearpod offers a number of already-made lessons that are up to curriculum and standard par, building connections with some of the most known educative resources, Nearpod functions as an amazing tool for a teacher who is in a bit of a time crunch. Moreover, Nearpod also offers a library of interactive videos and games for teachers to teach a lesson, this becomes highly important as it switches up things from the traditional lesson, allowing students to directly interact with the content and have it relate to them. Overall, these features make Nearpod one of the most sought-after and valuable teaching tools of our time, with even its more basic package opening hundreds of doors for educators.

Whats your favorite teaching tool?

VR Tools

    I chose a program called Nearpod as my VR tool, although this isn't a strictly VR program, it also features a range of other helpful tools that educators can use across the board. Nearpod is a free/paid program that districts can purchase for their schools or teachers can sign up for, allowing them to create almost a virtual classroom, merging the traditional classroom of today with the tools of tomorrow. The VR component of Nearpod is one of the most promoted components of this program, working on tablets, ipads, computers, and phones, the VR feature is accessible on every platform. This platform allows kids to directly learn about something as if they were there, allowing them to take what is known as "Virtual Field Trips" and visit historical sites, natural wonders, and even virtual college trips. The program has over 450 ready-to-launch VR programs, and teachers are raving about it.

    I specially chose this program due to its user-friendly nature, combining the traditional classroom with technology, and being able to upload personalized lessons, videos, and activities that allow you to keep a relationship with students while also learning about the technology. The VR program is helpful to every teacher and every subject, history teachers are able to take students to the beaches of Normandy, science teachers taking their kids to a volcano, English teachers starting up a program on expression, and more. This accessibility and the user-friendly platform allow for vast numbers of educators and students to have a good experience with technology.

This VR tool is extremely helpful for students who lack the resources to go on expensive trips and learn world culture, a friendly and united community, especially low-income students who don't have the ability to go on college visits or have access to the same learning tools that many other students may have. Additionally, this tool can help impact students as it allows for creativity and exploration to flow, allowing them to open their minds to a number of places and experiences face-to-face that they traditionally wouldn't have. VR is an amazing tool that can help students, educators, and communities as a whole as they explore this vast world through a screen.

Want to learn more? Check out their site: https://nearpod.com/nearpod-vr

My Bitmoji Classroom

 

here is my bitmoji classroom!