I have been using Nearpod consistently in my classroom for years, and one of the features I have always appreciated is the ability to advance my lessons using a presentation clicker. This allows me to move around my classroom, monitor students, provide support, and continue teaching without having to return to my computer every time I need to advance a slide. After the recent Nearpod update, my presentation clicker suddenly stopped advancing my lessons. Because I had no idea this functionality had changed, I spent hours troubleshooting the issue and trying to determine whether I needed to update my computer, browser, accessibility settings, or even replace my presentation clicker. I tested the clicker on two different computers, including one running the most updated version of Chrome, and confirmed that it still works perfectly with Google Slides. However, it no longer advances slides in Nearpod. I also contacted Nearpod Support and was informed that the recent update may have changed some of the accessibility/navigation features. This change has had a significant impact on how I use Nearpod during instruction. One of the main reasons I use Nearpod is that I can control the pacing of the lesson while students follow along on their own devices, while still being able to circulate throughout the classroom. Having to return to my computer and manually click the navigation arrows every time I want to advance a slide interrupts the flow of instruction and limits my ability to actively monitor and support my students. Please consider restoring the ability to navigate Nearpod lessons using keyboard arrow keys and presentation clickers. This may seem like a small feature, but for teachers who rely on Nearpod for daily whole-class instruction, it makes a tremendous difference in classroom mobility, student monitoring, and the overall flow of a lesson. I hope this functionality can be restored soon, as it was one of the features that made Nearpod so practical and effective for everyday classroom instruction.
