Padlet

What is Padlet?

Padlet is a virtual wall, or online bulletin board, that allows multiple users to collaborate, express their thoughts and share ideas on a common topic or theme at the same time. Faculty and students can post text, hyperlinks, audio or video content. Padlet is a great way to engage with students and promote constructive engagement with each other in an activity simultaneously.

Why Should I Use Padlet In My Course?

Padlet has many uses in education, such as mind mapping, brainstorming on a topic, statement or idea, generating a question bank, creating an alternative to a discussion group, etc.

  1. Collaboration: Padlet allows students and faculty to collaborate whether they’re across the classroom or at home, they can work together to discuss and engage in activities.
  2. Visual: Padlet can be used organize student thinking and highlight the relationships between concepts, such as compare and contrast, grouping common thoughts, creating a sequence, etc. Posts can be dragged around the board with the click of a mouse, colour coded, or directional arrows can be added to support student thinking.
  3. Media: Padlet allows a variety of multimedia to be posted to a board that makes it easy for students to express their thoughts. Media includes text, hyperlinks, video, and imagery. To make Padlet a one-stop-shop, students can use the audio, video, and screen recorder directly from within the board; no additional software required!
  4. Additional options for voting: Settings can be edited to allow for reactions to each post such as a grade, star, upvote, or a like. This is useful for activities where faculty are looking to focus attention (I.e. upvoting an area of confusion for test review, providing feedback on a presentation, etc.)
  5. DC Connect: Easy for faculty to use and embed in their course in DC Connect. When embedded, students do not leave DC Connect to participate in the activity; keeping students focused.
  6. Flexibility: There are different types of boards (Wall, Stream, Grid, Shelf, Map, Canvas, Timeline) to use based on the learning activity outcome.

Padlet learning activity board options used to assist in reaching learning activity outcomes

Active Learning Ideas For Teaching With Padlet

Icebreakers Using Wall, Stream, or Grid boards, students can introduce themselves and write comments to others. Students can be encouraged to record a video of themselves directly from within Padlet.

Using Map students can drop a pin showing where they are from, their favourite place to travel or where their favourite foods are from. Students can share images, videos or a few words about the location. Students can be encouraged to comment on or add to pins/posts they can connect with.
Exit ticket

Using Wall, Stream, Grid, or Shelf boards, students can answer a prompt before leaving class. A prompt could be “After this class, I understand...”, or “Describe one important thing that was covered in today's class”.
Muddiest point

Using Wall, Stream, Grid, or Shelf boards, students post a question about the class (something they found difficult to understand), this can be used by faculty to inform what should be reviewed in the next class (This is an example of Just in time teaching!). A prompt could be “Something I still need help understanding...” or “I would like to know more about...”
Brainstorming/Mind mapping Using a Canvas board allows ideas to be grouped and connected to each other. Students can respond to different questions, vote for responses, colour code ideas, or group concepts.

Using Shelf students can add ideas for topics or concepts that will remain clustered under a specific column heading.
Quick sentence summary

Using Wall, Stream, Grid, or Shelf boards, students can convey what they’ve learned about a topic in one, two or three sentence(s). This is another opportunity for faculty to identify student understanding or connections that may be missing or weak.
Group discussion Using a Shelf board to keep discussion organized, columns (sections) can be created for each group to discuss a topic. In real time, everyone can see each other’s posts. For example, Group 1, Group 2, or Topic 1, Topic 2

Note: This can be used in synchronous breakout rooms (with columns for Breakout room 1, Breakout room 2, etc.) for students to report back on their discussions.
Poster walk

Using the Wall or Grid board students can upload PDFs, video presentations or documents, such as PowerPoint, to allow their peers to “walk” around the room to view presentations. Students can comment, vote, or grade each other's posts. This is an example of flipping the student to the teacher.
Process or sequence

Using the Timeline or Wall board students can collaborate to create, organize or illustrate a process, sequence, or activity/event timeline.

NOTE: Long posts on a Grid board may displace subsequent posts beyond the visible screen, and a Wall board may result in posts scattered in various locations throughout the board or accidentally (or purposefully) stacked on top of others. Encourage students to scroll down to ensure they are not missing seeing posts and remind them to be mindful that their post is not layered on top of another one.

Join the Online Community of Practice to connect with other faculty, ask questions, share practices and resources. There is a channel specifically for EdTech at DC! This community is open to all DC faculty – full-time, part-time or sessional.

Many active learning techniques and learning strategies can be used with Padlet. Do you have ideas on how Padlet could be used in the college classroom? Add them to our Padlet:

Made with Padlet

How Do Faculty Access Padlet?

To create an account:

Screen Recording GIF - Create a DC Padlet account and import existing Padlets

  1. Join the Durham College instance at: https://durhamcollege.padlet.org/auth/signup/teacher/Ridp08SEAmtlheSl6zltKeYPxCXk3OJrfq2sZuF8RgKhll2g
  2. Select "Sign up with Microsoft” (Do not enter your email address)
    Microsoft sign up page to create a Padlet account

  3. Then you will be prompted via Microsoft to enter your email address, enter your firstname.lastname@durhamcollege.ca (I.e. firstname.lastname@durhamcollege.ca)
    Microsoft prompt to enter your email address

  4. This will bring you to our organization login page and you can enter your current network password.

If you have any existing Padlets with your Durham College email address, the system will ask if you want to import over any existing Padlets and collaborators. You can decide to import them at this time to take advantage of additional features.
NOTE: Faculty must create an account following these steps to have access to all faculty features.

FAQ: Can I import existing Padlets after I have created to my new DC Padlet account?

Yes! If you decide to import Padlets at another time, detailed instructions are available at: https://padlet.help/l/en/backpack-for-schools/how-can-i-import-my-padlets-from-to-backpack-account-from-an-existing-account

IMPORTANT: Importing padlets will change the URLs of your walls. If you're using a Padlet link in your current or upcoming courses, re-share the link after the transfer.

To access Padlet after you’ve created an account:

  1. Ensure you've created an account using the instructions above
  2. Go to durhamcollege.padlet.org
  3. Select “Continue with Microsoft”
    Microsoft Padlet log in page

  4. Enter your firstname.lastname@durhamcollege.ca (I.e. firstname.lastname@durhamcollege.ca), this will direct you to our login page where you will enter and your email password.
  5. If you are already logged into DC Connect or your email, you may be automatically logged into Padlet.

NOTE: Students do not require an account to use Padlet.

How Do Students Login?

Students do not require an account to use Padlet. They can post in a Padlet anonymously.

If faculty want students to have their name attached to their posts, students can login to Padlet by:

  1. Access durhamcollege.padlet.org
  2. Press “Continue with Microsoft”
    Microsoft Padlet log in page

  3. Login with students @dcmail.ca account login information.

Creating a Padlet

How do I create a Padlet: https://padlet.help/l/en/get-started/how-do-i-create-a-padlet

Remember to consider what type of Padlet is most appropriate for your intended outcome.

Sharing a Padlet

There are two ways students can access a faculty’s Padlet:
Note: Students do not need a Padlet account to use Padlet, they can post anonymously or sign their names to their posts.

Professional Development on Padlet

Check out the CTL Professional Development Calendar for monthly Padlet PD sessions!

Resources