There are some Ed Tech resources that go together so well that you wonder how you ever did your job without them. Buncee and Nearpod are two of those tools that allow me to do so much as an educator. I could not do my job without them. Especially in virtual and hybrid environments, they have become my go-to combination. The perfect appsmash is Buncee and Nearpod!
I’ve been using Nearpod since 2013 when I went 1:1 with iPads in my 6th grade ELA classroom. It’s actually the very first app I ever used. I didn’t even own a smartphone yet, so I was learning how to use technology with my students in real-time. I loved how Nearpod allowed every student in my classroom a voice. It allowed me to gather real time data on how my students were doing.
A few years later, I discovered Buncee. This discovery allowed me to let my creativity shine!
Buncee is the ultimate creation tool! In Buncee, I can create robust images, slides, presentations, and templates.
It’s my go-to for any digital posters, interactive calendars, and agendas. I’ve used it to create newsletters, presentations, and images for Twitter. But one of my favorite ways to use Buncee is to create templates and backgrounds for my Nearpod lessons. The ease with which you can create on Buncee saves me time. Buncee keeps my presentations looking professional and fun.
Buncee and Nearpod have brought my lessons to a whole new level.
My professional learning sessions are more interactive. I can create beautiful backgrounds and templates in Buncee. I upload them to Nearpod and then add in the engagement activities. These include “draw-its”, polls, and “collaborate boards.” I find the level of engagement always increases. I can pivot if needed based on the needs at the moment and add in new slides, new activities, and ask questions. This can be done in real-time, or in student-paced, depending on the needs of my participants.
How do I make this happen? I start in Buncee. I use Buncee to create my backgrounds, images, templates. Then I download my Buncee pages, and I upload the images one at a time to Nearpod, or a PDF if I want to send them all at once. Once in Nearpod, I add in the interactive activities to the images I uploaded. I add back any links to Buncee for students to create. I then run my session either synchronously or asynchronously.
Both Nearpod and Buncee have Immersive Reader built into the platform. Both allow me to add my own voice to the slides, and both allow my students to be creative.
In my Nearpod report, I get a copy of all the work done in the lesson. In Buncee, I can assign work through the classes tab and view all the Buncees made by the participants. This will work for any subject and any grade level. I use these for formative assessments, but it can be for summative assessments as well.
My favorite way to appsmash Buncee and Nearpod is by using Buncee templates as the background for “draw-it” slides in Nearpod. The Buncee Ideas Lab and the already made templates within the platform saves me time. I can often find something that I’m looking for, or that I can adjust to meet my needs. But, I love to create my own when I can. Buncee makes creation simple.
Once I create the templates, I save them all in a Buncee Board so I can have them all in one place, and I can share them quickly. This board has templates for “draw-its”, informational slides, and activities. Some of the Buncees are from the Ideas lab or from the Buncee Templates Library. While I love to create my own, sometimes what another has created is perfect for my needs!
Buncee and Nearpod are a dynamic duo that I love to use in my professional learning sessions. It allows me to be creative and keep everyone engaged. Here is a self paced Nearpod showcasing the ideas and the appsmash. The possibilities are endless when you combine these two tools together.
Meet the Author
Laurie Guyon is a Model Schools coordinator from WSWHE Boces. She is from Gansevoort NY. You can find her on Twitter at @smilelearning
