Padlet: Teach your students to contribute online

Padlet

Post your notes, ideas on Padlet

Padlet is a web based canvas for constructing and collating ideas or information creatively. It is colourful and simple; students will be very enthusiastic to explore such a tool in class. To put it is easier words, it is more like sticking notes on a virtual wall. Padlet gives you an open canvas - the onus is on the users (You, the teacher or your students) on how they add content, materials, multimedia elements to it. 

The padlet homepage usually looks like this. The number of padlets you will create or join will show on this page.

Padlet offers some great options for you to organize your ideas on the canvas. It can be a grid, a stream (like facebook news feed!) or like a shelf. You can check the preview and choose the style your prefer. You can also ask your students about their preferences. After all, they are the ones who will lead the activities on Padlet.

Why  would you want to use Padlet?

Padlet allows you to -

• brainstorm and share ideas in class about any topic 
• make to students work collaboratively on a single project, for example, writing a story together online (interactive story-telling)
• give students the control of their knowledge extension
• gauge students' understanding about a given topic
• assess students' contributions online
• share links, videos, pictures with the class
• embed link on classroom website or any social media group
• create poster presentations 
• teach vocabulary, registers (for example the padlet I have created on reported verbs) etc.

Pedagogical Basis

This canvas tool has some sound pedagogical principles behind its use. It reminds me of Vygotsky's theory of Social Constructivism where learning is constructed through interaction. This platform places high emphasis on co-construction of knowledge and that too, by utilizing multimedia and support from peers. Integrating technological tool like padlet in every teaching practice can benefit student learning in creative ways. Teachers can check their understanding at the end of the class through polling or by just posting their thoughts on the canvas.

Sample Activity on Padlet

Use of Reporting Verbs in Business English is a Padlet activity that I have designed for my students of English for Professional Purposes course at the department of English, University of Dhaka.

Padlet of Business English

Students would be learning reporting verbs using this padlet. At first, they will watch a video, get introduced to the definition of reporting verbs. In step two, they will be asked to brainstorm and post a few reasons why English language users need to know about reporting verbs. The following posts on this Padlet will involve examples of reporting verbs coming from students and introduction to different contexts where users need reporting verbs. The teacher can facilitate and monitor students' learning through their contribution.

This is a sample task, however, teachers can always invite their students to brainstorm ideas about any interesting topic in class. I am determined that I will use Padlet in my writing classes too!

More Ideas on Using Padlet

• Padlet can be used as Exit tickets in class. It can be a good way to check students' understanding. Some thought-provoking questions might be added on Padlet and students can be asked to leave comments on those. For example, the questions can be like, "What did you learn today in this class?", "Do you still have any questions in mind?", "What was the most interesting part of today's class? why?" or "what were the main points we covered today?". While students will be posting their comments, each of them will learn something new from one another before they leave the class. Also, teachers will get immediate feedback on his/her lesson.
• Padlet can be used for students to mind-map their ideas and share it with class. This can be done either in groups or pairs. Any stimulating  question can be placed before learners even in the middle of the lesson and ask them to come up with some relevant and interesting ideas and share it on Padlet. They can always back up their comments using images and videos from online. This would sharpen their creativity skills too.  This task can generate further discussions ulin class under teacher guidance.
• Teachers can start the class with a warm up activity using Padlet to activate learners' schema before they are introduced to the actual lesson of the day.

Padlet in Bangladeshi Teaching Context

Affordances

• Padlet can be a useful digital tool for teachers to promote student-centeredness in their classrooms
• Bangladeshi students get less chance to play with their own imagination  and creativity due to high stakes exams all through the academic year. But if digital tools like Padlet is used in class can help enhance their confidence.
• Padlet promises classroom interaction both in oral and written forms. In EFL contexts like Bangladesh, classroom input in very much crucial because learners rarely speak in English from the moment they leave the classroom. Using Padlet in class or even as home task to brainstorm ideas or produce any written work can help students use English in a more creative and authentic way, with peers and of course, their the teacher.
• Padlet is free, easy to use and can be made student-led. Therefore, teachers do not need to worry about time if they want to use Padlet in class. And sometimes, teachers also need to think of how their lectures can be made interesting by eliciting responses from learners. Well, Padlet can help you find out what your students think about the topic you are teaching. This can lead you to a form of reflection!
• Teachers can encourage students to create and design presentations using Padlet. This could be a great way to assess their academic progress.

Disadvantages of Padlet

• Internet access is required to play with Padlet. This can be a challenge in some teaching contexts of Bangladesh.
• Students need to have either smartphones or laptops, tablets with them in class in order to join Padlet. Some students can feel frustrated if they don't have one. Therefore, teachers should be mindful before they decide to use Padlet in class. They can always have a plan B!

Padlet can be a successful 21st century classroom tool if teachers sincerely use it in classrooms to facilitate meaningful collaboration among their students. However, it is wise to use Padlet with young and adult learners. Interestingly, there are many options for setting privacy on Padlet tasks; teachers can pay extra attention to this fact before attempting to introduce this tool to students.

Courtesy: Image from pixabay.com; screenshots from my Padlet account