Last Peartember we released the very first version of Pear Deck for Google Slides™. Since then teachers around the world have used Pear Deck for Google Slides to engage millions of students. The result of combining the power of Pear Deck with the design tools was instant love story, and we’ve heard that it made using Pear Deck faster, easier, and more fun — especially for teachers new to Pear Deck.
Today we’re making this perfect pair even better. We’re excited to introduce the Pear Deck Power-up! The Power-up is a free Google Chrome extension. Installing it ensures that your videos, animations, and GIFs are embedded on your slides and play at full resolution on the projector and student devices — exactly the way they should!
Want to show a video about the Mars Rover? Do it. Need to carefully layer in information on a slide to reduce information overload? Now you can. Found a perfect GIF of a plant emerging from its seed? Now’s the time to power-up!
Get Ready to Power Up
Install the Power-up from the Chrome Web Store from the device you use in class. After you authorize and install, it automagically works! Now when you present with Pear Deck the Power-up your videos, animations, and gifs will display on the projector and student devices.
Here are three fun ways to use the Power-up in class.
Add a video followed by a slide with a reflection or discussion question.
Use animations to reveal or emphasize specific information.
Have fun with GIFs! Try adding a GIF and having students interact using a Draggable slide.
A WORD TO THE WISE
Powering up is pretty cool, but rest assured that your Pear Deck for Google Slides presentations will work exactly the way they always have even if you don’t install it. That means the interactivity and student engagement you know and love will work just as it always has; no animations needed.
There’s a strong case to be made about avoiding information overload. As our own Slide Doctor advises us, visual content should be a delightful and helpful counterpart to your valuable lesson! So keep it simple and easy to scan, and keep those cat GIFs to a minimum!
