Nearpod is a cross-platform, device-agnostic, and user-friendly way to engage your students with interactive activities, connect with them through collaborative discussions, and gain real-time insight into student learning through formative assessments.
Nearpod allows interactive polls, quizzes, missing word tasks, drawing and labelling tasks, collaboration boards and much more.
Nearpod runs as an app, so students will require a suitable device, such as an Apple or Android mobile phone. There is also a web interface, so a desktop or laptop computer can also be used.
If used in a live lesson, the lecturer will also require a device (we recommend that a lectern computer is not used to manage Nearpod in the classroom).
Nearpod can be run asynchronously or synchronously.
We recommend that lecturers are not too ambitious until more familiar with the technology; for your first lecture using Nearpod, try running a simple poll or a quiz at the end of a lecture.
It is possible to run interactive, live Nearpod lessons over Zoom; we do not recommend this approach for general use because of its complexity, but we are available to discuss specialised set ups.
Training
Sign up for a free account at Nearpod.com using your Manchester email address. Free accounts have some limitations, but you should be able to get a feel of how to set up simple Nearpod lessons.
Take a look at the online training resources provided by Nearpod and our own page on Using Nearpod as a Discussion Board.
Experiment, and have some fun (try setting up a “pub quiz” for your friends)!
Following training (see below), we can upgrade licenses where necessary.
1:1 (or small group) Training
Once you have finished the online learning content, you may wish to have some 1:1 training, or training for you and your team. To arrange an appropriate time for your training, please contact Austin Lockwood or Helen Davies.
We also schedule training sessions throughout the year, according to demand, so check our Training page for further details.
Please note that you are expected to have completed the online training component before booking a live training session.
More information
Visit the Accessibility with Nearpod page for helpful tips on how to make Nearpod lessons more accessible.