Ponder

Browser add-on that measures reading activity

Overview

Ponder is a digital “micro-reading response” tool that facilitates analysis of a text and collaboration with other students and teachers while readingPonder’s engagement analytics tracks student activity day-to-day, allowing teachers to identify students who are not completing work and falling behind. The service is free to try and subscription based for teachers and schools.

GOALS

Ponder is a digital “micro-reading response” tool that facilitates analysis of a text and collaboration with other students and teachers while reading. The product was created with the goal of encouraging students to think deeply about their reading assignments and research.

APPROACH

Students can use Ponder to extract key pieces of information from their reading by “flagging” excerpts. Using the tags developed by their teacher, students tie these excerpts and reflections to the concepts they are studying or discussing in class. Students can see what their classmates are reading and what they are saying about those articles. When watching video, students can attach their micro-responses to points along the video timeline.

In addition to its literacy content offerings, Ponder also provides teachers and students with constant and concise data reports covering rate of completion, depth and breadth of reading across topic areas, etc. The platform presents this data to students in visual chunks based on the amount of reading activity of each student. Ponder presents teachers with a “class feed” that aggregates all of their students’ activity and responses. Ponder also tracks student activity day-to-day, allowing teachers to identify students who are not completing work and falling behind.

IMPLEMENTATION
Ponder can be accessed at schools by teachers and students alike through whatever browser they use. Students can also use Ponder on their own at home, tagging excerpts and reflecting on any articles or videos on the internet.

PRICING

Ponder is available with all of its core features for free. For additional features, teachers can purchase a subscription for $195/year, with a free trial for their first semester. District or site licenses are also available for $2/student/year. More information is available on the company’s website.

WHO IS USING IT

As of June 2015, Ponder was used by over 5,000 students and teachers in dozens of schools.