Padlet logo of a paper crane on a black background.

Padlet

Create and collaborate via interactive, multimedia bulletin boards

Learning rating

Community rating

Based on 123 reviews

Privacy rating

Expert evaluation by Common Sense

Grades

3–12

Subjects & Skills

Communication & Collaboration, Creativity

Great for

Differentiation, Presentation

Price: Free to try
Platforms: Web

Pros: It's beyond easy to use, the customizable interface is intuitive, and help is available around every corner.

Cons: Accessibility features are somewhat lacking, and though it's possible to include almost any media, options to add nuance to a Padlet's appearance are limited.

Bottom Line: Flexible interface gives kids opportunities to share content and knowledge in ways most comfortable for them.

Because it's device-neutral, teachers can easily use Padlet in a 1:1 or virtual classroom. At the start of the year, get to know your students by having them post a selfie or video discussing what makes them unique. In math, use the draw feature to show work: Ask students to solve an equation, and allow kids to comment with the different ways they approached the same problem. For fine arts, create a Padlet and have students post reactions to content they find on a tool like Google Arts and Culture, or have students upload a video of themselves singing or practicing an instrument for music class. Padlet is also great for reflection; ask students to respond to an open-ended question, and encourage then to up-vote, favorite, or respond to their peers' responses. To keep things school-friendly, you might want to turn on content appoval and the profanity censor in the settings menu.

As a tool for group projects, Padlet really shines. Divide the class into small groups, and have students work together at home to research a particular subject -- for example, key leaders in the civil rights movement. Each student could devote research to a type of supported media (video, audio, photo, or text), add it to the group's shared wall, and then present the findings in class. Alternatively, let students pool notes together in class for a virtual group study session. Looking for more inspiration? The site's blog and social media pages showcase many examples of how teachers are using Padlet to enhance learning.

Padlet is a website and app that allows students to curate information onto virtual boards called Padlets. The free version only allows for three Padlets, but upgrading won't break the bank if it's a tool you want to use consistently. Teachers can share boards via links or QR codes, or students can create their own, but either way, blank pages quickly fill up with videos, text, links, documents, GIFs, images -- basically anything -- for other users to see. Kids can add as many notes to a wall as they like, but unless they add their names to each one, teachers won't know who's posting what. Teachers can add moderators and turn on comments and voting features for more collaboration. As added checks against inappropriate content, moderators can turn on profanity filters, screen all posts before making them visible, or require that students display their names on the board.

Students can also upload documents they've created, such as class notes or completed assignments. More than one person can contribute to a Padlet wall, opening the door to teamwork and group projects. Once kids create a wall, there are tons of ways to share it: socially, via Google Classroom, by exporting it to a file, embedding it in a blog or website, or turning it into a QR code. There's also the option to keep walls private, of course. Padlet offers lots of places to get support, including social media pages, an entertaining blog, a FAQ section, and plenty of use cases. A paid upgrade offers features specific to educators' needs, including unlimited Padlets, more upload space, folders, and priority support.

There are plenty of online collaboration sites out there, but Padlet is one of the more intuitive options that allows for tons of media types. Customization options let kids express themselves and really take ownership of their projects. It's an excellent tool for reflection, too. Kids can share written responses, recordings, images, and more, offering easy opportunities to respond in a way that matches their comfort level. The depth of interactions depends on how you set up the walls, but the developer's website and social media pages share lots of helpful examples.

Teachers can choose how they set up their Padlet walls with respect to privacy so that they can catch inappropriate or error-riddled posts and edit them before sharing with the class. This takes a bit of extra time, but it's time well-spent to encourage continued student participation. The walls provide the chance to see student learning at a glance and offer opportunities to solicit appropriate feedback from peers. On the flip side, students who create and share walls will be able to go into more depth, perhaps writing longer pieces, showing connections between concepts, or even creating multimedia presentations that combine videos, images, drawings, and text. A few more accessibility features would allow for more kids to use it easily. And older kids and teens might want even more flexibility around their Padlet's appearance. But, overall, it's a tool that gives students -- and teachers -- tons to work with.

Learning Rating

Overall Rating
Engagement

As far as online bulletin boards go, fun backgrounds and opportunities to create multimedia make Padlet a cut above the rest. Most students will like the social aspect and can create personal boards outside of school.

Pedagogy

Teachers who take advantage of Padlet's many opportunities for creative interactive activities have a chance to guide student learning and communication in almost any subject area.

Support

While additional accessibility features would benefit more students, most will find the tool intuitive. Help is available in several places, including a cool Padlet-inspired blog. 

Common Sense reviewer
Marianne Rogowski
Marianne Rogowski Instructional Technology Facilitator

Community Rating

Content Neutral service for pooling class thoughts

Rather simplistic layout that could benefit from increased formatting options or interactive tools. As a whole the program does what it promises to do, pooling student thoughts together to create a "jamboard" able to be observed and instructed on by the whole class.

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Privacy Rating

Data Safety How safe is this product?

  • Users can interact with trusted users.
  • Users can interact with untrusted users, including strangers and/or adults.
  • Profile information must be shared for social interactions.

Data Rights What rights do I have to the data?

  • Users can create or upload content.
  • Users retain ownership of their data.
  • Processes to access or review user data are available.

Ads & Tracking Are there advertisements or tracking?

  • Personal information is not shared for third-party marketing.
  • Traditional or contextual advertisements are not displayed.
  • Personalised advertising is not displayed.

Continue reading about this tool's privacy practices, including data collection, sharing, and security.

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