Technology Project Block 4

Emily Martinez

For my technology project this block I used Pear Deck, an interactive add-on to Google

Slides, which we already use routinely in class. I decided to feature this piece of technology

because it is user-friendly, fun, interactive, and useful for virtual class. If I teach virtually in the

future I wholeheartedly plan on using this service to keep my classes entertained and involved.

Pear Deck is a paid service that adds directly to Google Slides. Harrisonburg City

Schools already use Google for all of their services so it worked out great as an add-on. Although

the city purchased Pear Deck for all city schools to use, there is also a free version with less

features. This is good to know in case I end up somewhere in which there isn’t extra money to be

purchasing things. In order to start using Pear Deck, you don’t even have to go to a specific

website or log in. Once it’s connected to your Google account it will simply pop up in the “add-

in” drop down menu.

Once in the Pear Deck extension, there are a number of features. In our classes we present our

Google Slides on our Google Meet so students can follow along. Using Pear Deck myself and

my cooperating teachers can add questions directly on a slide already made. There are several

different types of interfaces for asking a question, as can be seen below.

The first option is text, where a student can type an answer to any question the teacher chooses

and types onto the slide. We often implement this in class by having an “ice-breaker” question at

the beginning of every class. This helps us facilitate some friendly conversation with the

students; something virtual classes have been noticeably lacking. The teacher can control

whether the student answers are public to the class or only seen by the teacher and co-teachers

(the ability to use co-teachers has also

been especially useful during this time

since I am with another student teacher

in this placement). As seen in the

image, multiple choice and number

entry are also available. The website

option allows you to embed a website

for students to browse or complete an

activity on. The draw tool is a fun way

for students to show knowledge. We

use this option a lot in Concert Band as

we have students label the counts in a

sight reading exercise. I also enjoy

asking students to draw me a picture

after they finish while I check others’ work; it’s fun for them and enjoyable to me too! The most

unique tool is the Draggable tool. This allows students to take a shape/number/picture and drag it

to a specific spot on the slide. I utilize this a lot in piano as we are working on note identification

and intervals.

The slide above is an example of one we used in our piano class recently. I can use this in

a number of different ways. I may simply ask students to show me a C, or where their pinky goes

in C position, or ask them to move from F up a whole step. Since our students have been

struggling with following along in class this is a great way to ensure participation and make real

progress. We use this in Concert Band as well where the students grade their sight reading by

dragging an icon on a scale. I like to make this more fun by changing up the icon. Sometimes it

might be a cat, or a fish, or a taco. The little things like these help make school fun and positive

for students.
 Although I love Pear Deck it does have its downsides as well. It is sometimes clunky to

use as it requires a link for students and a separate link for co-teachers as well. Set-up at the start

of class is sometimes slow and uses a few minutes of class time. Because I have only a short time

to travel and get ready between classes there is no avoiding the usage of class time. Students will

often lose the link and I will need to re-send several times, and I also need to email a link to any

co-teachers which takes more time. In addition, Pear Deck operates in a separate window from

the Google Slides so there has to be a lot of back and forth. I have to change the slide on the

Google Slides as well as the Pear Deck simultaneously. These are challenges but well worth the

positives from working with this program.

 The final feature of Pear Deck that I really enjoy is that at the start of class students’

information is all in the Pear Deck as soon as they click the link. Since it is synced with their

Google account they can click on and immediately begin working without logging in or setting

their name. This is great and helps offset some of the slower features mentioned above. In

addition, when students begin a Pear Deck it asks them how they’re feeling today. Below is the

image a student sees when they first click a Pear Deck link. Students may elect to skip this step

but if they choose an option the

teacher sees the image they

chose next to their name in the

teacher dashboard. This is

helpful information because you

know which students may be

struggling and need extra

patience or a check-in. This,

again, helps combat the lack of

interaction in a virtual classroom. While I can’t see students’ emotions this gives me somewhat

of an insight to how they are doing. I really appreciate this feature as a teacher and if I were a

student I would as well.

Overall using Pear Deck in this placement has been a great experience. Despite its

drawbacks the technology is very useful in helping a virtual class feel more comfortable.

Students enjoy using the software and teachers enjoy the many things they can do with it. If I am

teaching virtually again I will highly consider using this technology to make my classroom a

better learning environment.