Padlet Lets you Collaborate…

In our last post, we talked about the tool for visual illustration and today in this post we will look into a tool which is phenomenally significant for collaboration. This tool is as easy as Canva, a tool for design and illustration in terms of usability. It doesn’t have drag and drop feature whereas a few clicks during setting will help you make it. We will describe it in the process section below.

If any tasks demands learners’ collaboration, for instance, they need to comment and re-comment to consolidate ideas for the issue they are discussing then the Padlet can be of a big help. Similarly, if you plan to make them see the process of writing, Padlet can be the good option to let them observe. It also makes them learn to value others’ opinion and come to consensus. So they will also be subtly gaining the negotiating strategy through the task in Padlet.

How to Create?

Learners’ don’t require to sign in; however, if they do, their names are seen and it’s for you to track down their involvement. So it’s always a good idea to ask them to write their names beneath every posting. For you to post the task, you need to sign up as usual. You may use your Google or Facebook account as well for a quick signup and now you are directed to a main page. In the main page, click on ‘Create a Padlet’, and give a task name and description on the right hand side Padlet’s dashboard (or it’s kind of dialogue box). You can also select wallpaper and layout. Now the Padlet is ready. Give the link to your students which will direct them to your Padlet. The students need to simply hover a cursor around the ‘plus’ sign at the bottom which will turn out to be a pencil icon. Once they double click it, they will get their writing pane ready in which they can write.

For the details, you may visit this tutorial video.

If you want to see the Padlet I have created, you may click here.

Now let’s examine its advantages and disadvantages. I have listed them into points.

Advantages:

1.             It is a good tool for developing any collaborative task.

2.             It is free and easy to use.

3.             Students can develop their negotiation skill and collaborative strategy through the task given in Padlet.

4.             They can also develop a loop of their writing on the same issue.

5.             It also has an option to attach videos, photos and other documents.

Limitations:

1.             At times, students may happen to delete the entire writings or other attachments if they click on delete button unknowingly while editing.

2.             Some students lacking collaborative skill may bring some kind of provocative remarks.

  

I hope you have got a brief overview of this tool. Enjoy designing your collaborative task for your learners.