What is Nearpod and How Does it Work?

By Luke Edwards published April 23, 2021

Nearpod offers rich hybrid learning by making it easy to combine media, and also provides assessments tools

Nearpod is an online tool that allows teachers to use slide-based teaching both in the classroom and remotely thanks
to a hybrid layout.

Teachers can create lots of different interactive learning resources that allow students to engage and learn via their
device or a single screen in the room. It's also possible to add in question points along the way and have the
students take part as you go. Nearpod is also useful as a formative assessment tool and can output student efforts in
easy-to-analyze graphs and charts for a clear snapshot of progress.

What is Nearpod?

Nearpod (opens in new tab) is a website and app-based digital tool that lets teachers create slide-based learning
resources that are interactive for students to engage with and learn from Nearpod can also use gamification of
information to make learning more engaging and fun. It is also built to work well with lots of pre-existing tools, such as
Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint, and YouTube. Teachers can easily import media to make a lesson quickly and
simply using already existing resources.

Nearpod allows teachers to create lessons from scratch or use the existing library of more than 15,000 lessons and
videos, across grades, to get up and running quickly. The system also allows you to pull in videos from the likes of
YouTube for easy integration with a quiz, for example. More on that below. Cleverly, Nearpod works in a number of
ways to support a teacher-led classroom, student-led remote learning, or a single screen-led presentation teaching
mode. Crucially, whichever style is used, it can easily be integrated with Zoom to include all students, regardless of
their location
How does Nearpod work?

Nearpod allows teachers to create original interactive presentations with extensive standards-aligned content
available. From creating a quiz using a 3D model of a molecule that students can explore to making a click-based
game that teaches words and spelling, the options are abundant. Lessons can be created within Nearpod or in
Google Slides. Within Nearpod, build and add a name, then add content using the Add Slide button. Use the Content
tab to engage students and the Activities tab to find assessment tools to add in.

You can also upload PowerPoint decks and more by selecting and uploading each directly from within Nearpod.
These will appear within the library, allowing you to add in Nearpod features and activities to enhance the lesson you
already have. Add images, color themes, and more, then save a project and it will appear in the library proper, ready
for students. If you want to use Slides, select lesson in Google Slide and you'll then be taken through, step-by-step,
on creating a slide, much as you would in Nearpod. In short, it's super simple.

What are the best Nearpod features?

Nearpod is great for making YouTube videos interactive. Simply select the one you want and then you can add
assessment questions at certain points along the way. So, all students need to do is watch and select the correct
answer as they watch – ensuring they pay attention and allowing you to see how much they know, or areas that need
attention. The use of virtual reality is also a nice addition as Nearpod works with VR headsets to allow students to
explore an area, much like a school trip, only without a limit on distance. The ability to draw directly on slides is a
useful way to give students freedom to interact, either adding their own images or perhaps drawing on a map or
annotating a diagram. Collaboration boards allow students to contribute multiple perspectives that can be useful both
in the classroom and remotely. In student-led mode they can go at their own pace, while in teacher-paced mode you
can take time to pause and reflect or expand on points made, live. As a differentiation tool this is useful as students
could be assigned varying levels of tasks at which they all work at their own pace. Poll questions and multiple-choice
quizzes are also useful parts of the assessment tools that allow teachers to get a fix on how students are learning.

How much does Nearpod cost?

Nearpod is free in its most basic package, called Silver. This includes the ability to create lessons and deliver these
digitally. There are more than 20 media and formative assessment features. You also get access to the massive
Nearpod library of content and the three teaching modes. Go for the Gold package, at $120 per year, and you get all
the above plus ten times more storage