James Coleman
Future
Future Forecasts
What does it take for a program or app to be used internationally by educators K-12? Now that it is common to see laptops and tablets in every classroom, what will provoke the change in function from utilizing it in a traditional classroom and the device becoming a part of the learning? With BYOD programs becoming a way to share the financial burden of technology as well as provide access to more students, how do we change the teacher’s perspective of a mobile device from distraction to a valuable resource?
In my professional and educational experiences I have recognized a few trends within Educational Technology. Successful educational apps need to consider the STUDENT, TEACHER, and PARENT. Nearpod fully engages student attention and guiding content connections to create deeper understanding and learning. By being interactive, students are no longer passive learners, being fed material by a teacher. Nearpod allows a traditionally teacher directed learning engagement more actively retained, “where learners actively engage in building knowledge by interpreting facts, by understanding ideas and by utilizing skills through participation on instructor directed activities” (Fuad, 2018, p.495).
Refer to the RATIONALE PAGE to see a list of activities that Nearpod has incorporated. |
The most futuristic component recently added to Nearpod’s array of activities is the ability to add virtual reality and 360 videos to the presentation. Augmented reality and VR are a new method of exploring material which is just starting to be incorporated into education, and Nearpod is at the forefront of this learning engagement. It is transforming the facilitation of knowledge and how it is passed onto the learner, becoming more inquiry based and student centered “satisfy[ing] different learning styles and to address class dynamics” (Fuad, 2018, p.495). In addition to increasing student engagement, Nearpod has also captured the attention of teachers. The accessibility of the program through different devices and simplicity of the platform allows teachers of all technology abilities to navigate the program. Nearpod is appealing because it also allows teachers to upload already created presentations and import the activities. Teachers also have access to presentations already created by other teachers or educational corporations such as Common Sense Media, utilizing a library of resources that can be customized to the class. Lastly, Nearpod creates individual and class reports through the participation of the activities. This helps the teacher identify trends and challenges in the class. It also allows an opportunity to share results with parents. Having a transparent relationship with parents increases support for the student at home, allowing everyone to be on the same page and help the growth of the child.
With access to technology becoming a norm in traditional classrooms, some teachers are excited for the change in classroom dynamics. Mobile technology has the potential to allow access to an infinite amount of possibilities for the students. However, there is a real concern about the pros and cons to access of technology in the classroom and if the risk is worth the reward. As an elementary teacher, students are dependent on teachers to direct their usage of technology. However, it has been expressed that students in high school experience an addiction and helplessness to technology. Students do not have the self discipline to put their mobile devices down and focus in class. Most students rush through their work just to have access to their devices and scroll through social media and stay connected to their peers.
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Nearpod does a great job of keeping the activities simple and concise, maintaining the attention of students of all ages. Visually stimulating and mentally demanding, Nearpod engages students through the variety of simple and complex activities. As mentioned above, Nearpod has continued to stay at the forefront of learning engagements such as VR/AR. To combat teacher’s concerns about student’s use of devices, I foresee Nearpod incorporating social media such as Instagram or Facebook, further engaging young users to interact with the learner content. Maybe by sharing scores, responses, pictures in Draw It, or posting videos as responses. Since collaboration and social networking face to face is such a large factor to finding success in education, I believe it is my job to find a balance to motivate students to use devices in a meaningful way to meet the same purpose of collaboration and social networking. When there is a blend between social media and educational apps there will be an authentic connection to inquiry learning motivating everyone to be active learners. If students are drawn to social media, teachers and technology need to adapt and find a way to connect it to the classroom. Allow student to use whatever medium they want to explore and express their learning in a meaningful way.
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While doing further research into Nearpod, I have come across the ability to utilize Nearpod to support guided reading. Using the table below as a guide, Nearpod has the potential to redesign a subject area or task that can be boring for students to participate in. It creates an opportunity to the quiet students to have input in the discussion, share their ideas, and provides the teacher with a better understanding of the student’s comprehension level. I am excited to implement this mobile technology in the future.
Delacruz, S. (2014). Using Nearpod in Elementary Guided Reading Groups. Techtrends: Linking Research And Practice To Improve Learning, 58(5), 62-69.