Website review by Marianne Rogowski, Common Sense Education | Updated April 2021
Padlet
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Padlet

Create and collaborate via interactive, multimedia bulletin boards

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Learning rating
See full review
Community rating
Based on 122 reviews
Privacy rating
65%| Warning Expert evaluation by Common Sense
Grades
3–12
Subjects & Skills
Communication & Collaboration, Creativity
Great for
Differentiation, Presentation
Price:  Free to try
Platforms:  Website
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Take a look inside

1 video | 6 images
How to Promote Student Collaboration with Padlet
Educator Video
1:59
Customize your own board from scratch, or work from a template.
Collaborate with other users via text, video recordings, drawings, and more.
The creative options for using the tool are endless, and the gallery provides lots of ideas.
Settings allow teachers to set privacy and allow or block different interactive features.
You can modify existing Padlets even after students have started posting.
Help and tutorials are available, as are blogs and a community for support.

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.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

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. 

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.

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Put this tool into practice:
Standards:

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.

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 Instructional Technology Facilitator
See how we rate and review

Key Standards Supported

Reading History/Social Studies

  • RH.6-8.7

    Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

  • RH.9-10.7

    Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g., charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital text.

  • RH.11-12.7

    Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

Speaking & Listening

  • SL.6.1b

    Follow rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.

  • SL.7.1b

    Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.

  • SL.8.1b

    Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.

  • SL.9-10.1b

    Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g., informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views), clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.

  • SL.11-12.1b

    Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.

Writing

  • W.6.6

    Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.

  • W.7.6

    Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.

  • W.8.6

    Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

  • W.9-10.6

    Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.

  • W.11-12.6

    Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

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Community Rating

(See all 122 reviews) (122 reviews) Write a review
Featured review by
Paul R. , Classroom teacher
Classroom teacher
Sterling Middle School
Sterling, United States
Visually appealing display of brief discussions, brainstorming, and even final products.
Padlet in itself serves its purpose well, and can be an effective and visually engaging tool for student discussion and content submission. The free response nature requires that students have a good understanding of the quality and purpose behind the posts they are about to make, which can help create a very interactive technology experience.
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Data Safety
How safe is this product?
Users can interact with trusted users and/or students.
Users can interact with untrusted users, including strangers and/or adults.
Profile information is shared for social interactions.
Data Rights
What rights do I have to the data?
Opt-in consent is requested from users at the time personal information is collected.
Users can control their information through privacy settings.
Users can create or upload content.
Ads & Tracking
Are there advertisements or tracking?
Data are not shared for third-party advertising and/or marketing.
Unclear whether this product displays traditional or contextual advertisements.
Unclear whether this product displays behavioral or targeted advertising.

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

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