The One With Pear Deck
Another blog. Another chance to talk about.. WEB 2.0 TECHNOLOGIES IN OUR CLASSROOMS! This won't be my last blog about this topic as there are so many innovative applications and programs we can use in our classrooms. Web 2.0 technologies are changing the education field as many know it. All the time teachers learn about new applications which can make our day to day work easier. Applications to help grade papers, create worksheets, enhance our presentations. You name it and I am sure someone out there has created a tool for us to use that will make our classrooms more fun, engaging and interactive for students.
One ed-tech company I came across this year was Pear Deck. Probably unknown to many, but boy, is it fun! Pear Deck is a Chrome extension that lets you take a traditional slideshow and make it interactive. Students can join the slideshow from their own device by entering a code and follow along. You can imbed all different types of questions, videos, audio, links to outside articles, and even allow students to draw right onto the slide. You can then anonymously view the answers to the questions or see the drawings to lead a class discussion. This program takes lectures to a whole new level!
Pear Deck allowed me to ensure all students were focused on the lesson. I used follow-up questions after a few slides, links articles for them to read and respond to. It made "lecture day" fun again! When thinking of Web 2.0 technologies, we think of user-generated content. That is exactly what this is. Yes other slideshow software is technically a Web 2.0 technology as it allows the user to generate the content others see but it doesn't let the student contribute to what they are viewing. What is so important in education is letting students be apart of their learning. They feel more connected to the material when their answers show up on screen and prompt a discussion. They love taking a sense of ownership in their learning and not just being told what to learn. With a simple code, the students are immersed right into my slideshow and can actively contribute and participate.
Do you think an application such as this benefits students learning? Or do you think a traditional lecture and discuss is better? I know many argue that students should learn to focus and take notes and that all the bells and whistles may not be the best thing for them. As a society, have we moved past that standard of education and made it so students only enjoy learning when there is technology involved?
I debate this in my mind sometimes. But, I always come back to how the technology can improve learning, not just make it more fun. If the students are engaged with the material (doing something with it, not just listening) that improves learning. Technology isn't the only thing that can make that happen, but it is one of them.
ReplyDeleteI think that application sounds awesome. I'm definitely going to give it a try. I'd rather implement technology as a method of motivation, rather than using bells and whistles as if I'm teaching Pavlov's dogs. I think it's because students are confident when they use technology, which makes them participate more.
ReplyDeleteI've heard about Pear Deck before but I was not familiar how it can be integrated into learning processes. I enjoyed reading your experiences with it and it sounds like not only you but also the students are making something not just for the sake of using technology but also benefit from it to improve some skills. They not only contribute and create, but also learn how to collaborate and communicate with each other. If you feel like the students are learning and you're the person who will have a sense of it more than anyone else, then that's what we intend to do, right? About your last question. I think there's not one way of teaching and learning, just imagine how it would be so monotonous to have lectures and discussions all the time or just Pear Deck activity all the time! Ugh.. Plus, what about the learning objectives, what learning activities are more conducive to establishing learning objectives! And this doesn't have to be either/or! I liked the way you used it!
ReplyDeleteI think it sounds like a good way to keep people engaged! It's so easy to zone out during a traditional lecture. Thanks for sharing this tool - I look forward to checking it out!
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