Written by Jamie Giarraputo, TLC Coach at South Thames Colleges Group
When the pandemic hit and we were thrust into a world of online learning, I dusted off my digital hat, placed it firmly on my head and frantically researched new and innovative tools that we could use alongside Microsoft Teams to deliver fun and engaging lessons.
We trialled numerous applications, each one lacking a certain something, but then I remembered using an online learning tool whilst I on site, which (with some adjustments) would be perfect! That tool was Nearpod! I initially used and started trialling Nearpod in 2019, I even got to deliver some sessions on how engaging this tool was for students whilst they were in the classroom, but like most things, it fell to the bottom of the pile as we geared up for the impending Ofsted inspection.
Well, thank goodness that I remembered how great this tool was! It is AWESOME! "But Jamie, stop the waffle and tell us what Nearpod is!" I hear you say.
Well, as the people at Nearpod helpfully summarised;
"Nearpod helps educators make any lesson interactive whether in the classroom or virtual. The concept is simple. A teacher can create interactive presentations that can contain Quiz's, Polls, Videos, Collaborate Boards, and more."
How cool does that sound? REALLY COOL! To see it in action, will really show you how powerful this tool can be. I put together a little video during the pandemic, showing how it can be used and integrated in Microsoft Teams, why not give it a watch and try it out for yourself?