Tech Tool Review: Padlet

Hello everyone! The first tech tool to be reviewed is Padlet, a digital bulletin board tool. This tech tool allows students and teachers to post just about anything (text, images, videos, links, drawings) on a virtual bulletin board and allows others to respond or add their own content in real time. 

Padlet is a tool that works across all devices and is user friendly, you don’t need to be tech savvy to get started and students can pick it up rather quickly. There are different layout options, like timelines, maps, columns, and grids, which means you can adjust the look and flow depending on your goals. You could use the column format to make a pros and cons chart, or the timeline layout for a history project.

The free version of Padlet allows you to create three boards, which is fine for occasional use or smaller projects. However, if you plan to use it frequently or for multiple classes, the free option may not be enough to cover what you need. There are paid plans available that expand your number of boards and storage space, but not all schools may have the budget for that. But even with just the three boards you can do quite a bit.

For classroom and library use, Padlet is incredibly flexible. In a school library, I can imagine using Padlet as a space for book reviews; where students post their favorite reads with a short summary and a star rating. You could also use it to display student work digitally or create a community bulletin board highlighting library events or reading challenges. In classrooms, Padlet is useful for brainstorming activities, collecting questions during a unit, organizing research sources, or creating a visual gallery of student responses. I like that it encourages participation from everyone, especially students who might be shy about speaking up in class. It gives them a space to contribute in a low pressure environment.

Overall, Padlet is a tool that feels simple but offers a lot of possibilities. It encourages collaboration, creativity, gives student a voice, and it can be a tool used by grades 3-12. While the free version has limits, it’s a great way to experiment with collaborative digital learning.