Comparing Presentation Tools

1. Nearpod

1.1. Major Features

1.1.1. The creation of interactive lessons that includes a variety of activities like drawing, multiple choice, collaboration, polls, etc

1.1.2. Access to premade lessons from a variety of subjects, grade levels, and activity type

1.2. Pros

1.2.1. Allows teachers to upload and enhance lessons made on platforms like PowerPoint and Google Slides

1.2.2. Access to premade instructional content from a variety of subjects

1.3. Cons

1.3.1. The free account limits the user to 40 students, which for teachers with multiple classes will not be enough.

1.3.2. The free account has limited storage for lessons that depending on use, may limit the teachers ability to use it effectively.

1.4. What Grade is this Tool Best For?

1.4.1. Usable for all grades, but the free account's 40 student limit makes it best for elementary, with a single teacher per class.

1.4.2. The variety of interactivity, from drawing, image-based assessment, to more written-focused activities, provides engagement opportunities for all grade levels.

2. Slido

2.1. Major Features

2.1.1. Create lessons with multiple assessment and interactive resources including: Question and Answers, Multiple Choice, Word Cloud, Open Text, Ranking, Rating, and Quiz

2.1.2. Access to pre-made templates that are organized by the event they are created for

2.1.3. Integrations with multiple tools including PowerPoint, Google Slides, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Zoom

2.2. Pros

2.2.1. Clear section to add students to a class, and manage their participation.

2.2.2. The integration feature is very helpful for refining previously created lessons and/or allowing teachers to work with a tool they are more familar with alongside Slido's tools.

2.3. Cons

2.3.1. Certain features are locked behind a premium account.

2.3.1.1. Includes Surveys, and usage is limited to 3 polls per Slido project.

2.3.2. Functionality somewhat limited to assessment of students' learning and opinion.

2.4. What Grade is this Tool Best For?

2.4.1. This tool is more suited to 5th-12th grades because of its focus on students' written assessment and opinions.

2.4.2. The limited function means it is better used as a supplementary resource rather than as the basis of a lesson.

3. My Take

3.1. Preferred Tool: Slido

3.1.1. As an art education major, I prefer Slido for its integration with other tools like PowerPoint.

3.1.2. In the art classroom, there is room for technology, but the focus is on the technique, history, and application of art.

3.1.3. With Slido, I can assess students understanding and interest during lessons about art history and technique application.

3.1.4. This ability to get individual feedback on students understanding and interest will allow me to improve lessons based on the needs of my students.

3.1.5. Additionally, the lack of student or storage limit makes it appealing for art teachers who may have many classes within one year, which would require more presentations.

3.1.6. Overall, I prefer Slido as it can supplement the resources I already understand well to ensure students are interested and understanding the material.

4. Wayground

4.1. Major Features

4.1.1. The creation of resources like an Assessment, Presentation, Video, Passage-Based Questions, and Flashcards

4.1.2. Access to premade lessons from a variety of subjects and grade levels.

4.2. Pros

4.2.1. Allows teachers to upload and enhance lessons made on platforms like PowerPoint and Google Slides.

4.2.2. Provides accomodation settings that can be applied to specific students as needed

4.2.2.1. Includes: Dyslexia font, Extra question time, etc

4.2.3. Clear section to add students to a class, and manage their participation.

4.3. Cons

4.3.1. Certain features are locked behind a premium account

4.3.1.1. Matching, Categorizing, Labeling, and similar assessment features

4.3.1.2. Presentations with audio or video

4.3.2. Free account only provides storage for 20 resources.

4.4. What Grade is this Tool Best For?

4.4.1. Suitable for all ages, but with the storage limit it is likely best for classes that can reuse presentations for multiple classes.

4.4.2. The variety of features, written and visual, provide engagement for students of all ages