A fork of Rural Dictionary
a small group of students who learn together (like peas in a pod), either for academic convenience or due to special circumstances (such pandemic, specialized programs, or homeschooling)
From Merriam-Webster blog:
The origin of pod, referring to a group of marine mammals, isn't known, but in the 20th century it was adopted to refer to small groups of students as well. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this usage has seen an uptick, as educators consider new models for educating students remotely or in small groups referred to as "pods."
Learning pods—also called "pandemic pods," micro-schools or nano-schools—are small groups of students (typically three to 10 children) who learn together outside the classroom but still in person. Some pods are hiring tutors to teach a child's school curriculum; some pods are sharing teaching duties among parents. Other families are opting out of their kids' schools entirely and treating a pod like a home-schooling co-op with an agreed-upon curriculum.
— Dani Blum and Farah Miller, The New York Times, 18 Aug. 2020
and individual who, due to lack of common social apprehensions or anxieties, rarely feels awkward during embarrasing social situations.
JERRY: Let me explain something to you.. You see, you're not normal. You're a great guy, I love you, but you're a pod. I, on the other hand, am a human being. I sometimes feel awkward, uncomfortable, even inhibited in certain situations with the other human beings. You wouldn't understand.
KRAMER: Because I'm a pod?
an amputee person who has had both legs removed but still has arms so has to use a wheelchair.
Hey, who's that guy with no legs in a wheelchair? That's patrick the pod, he had both his legs amputated because of excessive smoking!