This post has asked us to discuss a new strategy that we have started using in the classroom, and the impact it is having with our students. I have chosen to talk about one of the simplest and easiest resources that has honestly amazed me at allowing my students to collaborate and share information. If you aren’t using Padlet in your classroom – You Should Be!!

Padlet is a resource that simply stated, allows students to post material to a digital bulletin board. I had used these application in the class for things such as warm ups and exit tickets – but this year I have taken it to a whole new level and it has been a beautiful thing to watch. Now don’t get me wrong – we had a few glitches along the way. Our students switched from laptops to iPads this year, and I didn’t foresee all of the tiny differences that would cause my students and I to have to regroup on how we used ‘old’ applications. After doing a few basic tasks with Padlet in class, and learning how our iPads posted (and sometimes erased) our material – we were off to bigger and better things. Students love to share and look at other students work. We are naturally somewhat nosey as humans, so we like to take a look around when our peers are sharing what they are working on. I saw this as an opportunity for students to “SHARE” with a purpose. I no longer solely use Padlet as a type of formative assessment, but I use it as a way for my students to share information for research.

We have two main purposes for research in my particular class. We research for studies on careers and colleges, and we research for our design challenges. Students are now finding those resources, citing where they are finding their quality information, weeding out sources that don’t seem creditable, and working with each other in the class to complete tasks and find solutions. These are all things that I have had students struggle with in the past – but by working these mundane tasks into a simple and easy to use application that is digital – they all of a sudden are willing to work at it. Students are now willing to look for multiple sources so that they can have multiple posts on their Padlet wall. I think they are excited to be able to contribute and are learning the value of ‘doing your part’. I never expected to use Padlet for research and collaboration between students, it was never really shown to me as a tool for that task. However, after using it for Kenan Fellows PD and seeing some of the presenters organize material and resources using the tool, it has completely changed how I can use it in my classroom – and the change has been great! Students are now using Padlets that are set up for their classes, and making their own to share information within groups. They are finding sources, information, and images and citing them with ease. They are finding ideas, sharing them, and brainstorming on what they like or ideas to improve what they have found. It has truly been a great way to get them started on projects, doing some research, and collaborating with each other without having to be huddle around a single table in the classroom.