An open love letter to Padlet

  Dear Padlet,

I hope this is not to forward of me, but: I love you.

I did not expect to love you. It was not love at first sight. Not even close. When I first met you, I was introduced by a few enthusiasts over the course of a year. You reminded me of the stickies feature on my computer, which I used at the time, but I didn’t feel a strong need for yet another tool just to facilitate public sticky notes. I was okay with just defaulting back to fairly linear/hierarchical discussion board posts for sharing. And I really love comments and threading, which wasn’t really your thing at all.

And then you grew, and I grew and here we are.

I dabbled here and there, but when the pandemic came around I spent more time playing with a variety of tools and there was a spark. I got some ideas. I kept putting you to the test in different contexts, and as long as I could beckon others to contribute, things were great.

Shall I share some of what I love? Some of what you have helped me accomplish?

I love the ability to organize content. To share content. And to have other people share and comment on content. 

Take a look at this! It’s the “base” Padlet I created for a class! I used a shelf format, with a week by week layout. Each week I was able to link in resources that we would use in class and interaction spaces for class activities and homework (including other Padlets). I controlled the base Padlet structure, but set it so students could add resources to a given week as well. Everyone could comment and like, too. The sub-Padlets, set up for activities, could be set up in a variety of formats and ways. I remember doing a timeline activity, for example. Oh, and if I planned something for one week and we didn’t get to it? I could just cascade it to the next week’s shelf with a simple click and drag.

I also love the ability to share so many different media types and sources in one spot, along with a title and annotated commentary. Text! Images! Videos! Web sites, including other interactive tools — anything with a URL works! Even VoiceThreads! I mean, you can even embed from Spotify or record quick videos on your webcam. 

Padlet, you have encouraged me and my students to create and share in a variety of ways. You may not be the best tool for carrying on in-depth discussion, but that’s okay! We have threaded discussion boards for that, and I can even link them directly to you! 

You are my center. You are my hub. You keep developing in new ways. Just this summer I found your new nested templates (sections and subsections!) and greater ability to control the order of posts. You let me copy and move items between Padlets. You have become so flexible and user friendly.

So, it’s me and you … and my students! You welcome them in and make it so simple for them to share, curate, create. After years of frustration with trying to get students to find and post resources on discussion boards (students will share, but as sharing interfaces go, d-boards get clunky and make it difficult to order and re-order and save and like), I finally have an option that feels more organic and visual than a series of threaded text-boxes. 

Sigh. I love you, Padlet.

Sincerely,

Vanessa

PS: I see you -- you've added AI this year! I'm not sure where we're headed with that just yet, but I'm coming along for the ride right now.