One of my favorite activities as an instructional designer is seeking out and experimenting with new applications. Some of these are web-based and work best on laptops or desktops, others are designed for mobile devices, some are platform specific (Mac, Windows, Android, iOS) and some work well regardless of your hardware and software. Finding apps that have potential for classroom use is always rewarding, especially if the app is free and easy to use. Enter Padlet, a web-based application that gives you a “wall” (think of it as a multimedia bulletin board) that you can drag and drop content onto in service of any number of pedagogical objectives.

A Padlet wall can be adapted for many uses. The first thought I had was to create an exhibit using photographs I had taken at a cemetery in Asheville, North Carolina that had been originally used for slave burials. It was easy to drag images and a text document onto the wall (which can be customized using a number of different backgrounds), and to use the built-in text boxes for annotation. Audio and video clips can also be inserted, as well links to web materials. In less than 10 minutes, I had a photo exhibition. I’ve recommended other applications for faculty who want students to create online exhibits including Google Sites, WordPress, and Omeka. These offer more features and flexibility, but for being easy to use, Padlet takes the prize.

Other uses include creating timelines, assembling evidence to support an argument, building a visual data set (the world map background might be particularly useful for such an exercise), or to create an online poster presentation. See the Padlet gallery for more ideas.

Padlet’s website lists the application’s features. It can be used as a collaborative tool with team members’ additions appearing instantaneously, making it great for groups that aren’t co-located. The privacy settings are flexible. I set my wall to public so that you could see it, but it’s also possible to keep it completely private or to give others access and set permissions as to their use. Moreover, it works on your laptop, desktop, phone, or tablet.

Take a few minutes and check out Padlet. How would you use it as an instructor?

Macie Hall, Senior Instructional Designer
Center for Educational Resources

Padlet App Logo Images

Image Source: Screenshot of Padlet Wall by Macie Hall

Padlet is a web-based program that allows you to organize content for viewing in multiple layouts, including website, bulletin board, blog, or portfolio. The program is available in three different pricing plans for individuals, schools, and companies. Padlet's general features include: Colorful and flexible layouts. The Padlet Pro plan, designed for individuals, can be used by teachers and costs from $8 per month. This gives you unlimited padlets, 250MB file uploads (25 times more than the free plan), domain mapping, priority support, and folders. Padlet Backpack is designed specifically for schools and starts at $2,000 but does include a 30-day free trial.

Last week the online ed tech community was buzzing about the recent changes to Padlet‘s pricing structure. Padlet is a robust service with millions of visitors so it was only a matter of time until they had to start charging more for their premium offerings and offer less in their free plans. For many teachers these changes have meant that they’re now looking for alternatives to Padlet. While none of the following tools have as many features as Padlet, they all provide the core element of a digital wall to which you apply digital notes. Here are six alternatives to Padlet to consider trying.

Dotstorming
Dotstorming was built for people to share ideas in the form of digital sticky notes and then vote for their favorite ideas. It works well for that purpose. Students do not need to have email addresses in order to vote on notes posted on Dotstorming. A free account allows you to have three topic boards at a time. The paid account ($5/month) gives you unlimited access. There is also a school-wide pricing plan. Watch my video embedded below to learn how to use Dotstorming.

Lino
Lino, sometime referred to as Lino.It, provides digital walls or corkboards to which you can add sticky notes that contain text, images, videos, or document attachments. Notes containing video links will play the video within your Lino wall. Images can be uploaded to your notes. And you can attach document files to your notes for other people to view. Like Padlet, Lino lets you change the background color scheme for your walls.

The best feature of Lino is the option to create private groups. You can invite people to join your group via email. Once they have joined you can create private Lino walls to which all members can make contributions.

Wakelet
Wakelet is the newest entry into this market. It offers a clean and easy-to-use user interface. On Wakelet you can create what they call collections. A collection is a set notes that you create. Your notes can include text, videos, links, and pictures. The options for adding pictures are linking to an online image, uploading an image, or by using Wakelet’s Unsplash integration. Like Lino, Wakelet requires you to email invitations to your potential collaborators.

Scrumblr
Scrumblr is a site that provides an online space to create and share sticky notes with a group. Scrumblr can be used by anyone to quickly create an online space for sharing stickies. To get started just enter a name for your space. The name you choose will be a part of the URL for your sticky note space. To add notes just click the “+” symbol in the bottom left corner of the screen. Double click to edit your existing notes.

Pinside
Pinside is a free online sticky note service. Pinside can be used to create boards of notes for yourself or boards to share with others. You can create a mix of private and shared notes within one account. Sticky notes on shared Pinside boards are designed for creating to-do lists. As each item on the the notes is completed you and or your collaborators can delete completed items.

Padlet App

Flipgrid
If you have been using Padlet’s video recording feature and you haven’t tried Fligrid, try it. The basic idea behind Flipgrid is that it enables you to post a video prompt and then have your students respond through video by using the webcams in their laptops or through the cameras on their smartphones or tablets. All responses are collected and displayed in a grid format. Watch my video about Flipgrid right here.

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Ditch TPT & Keep More of Your Money!
This Thursday at 4pm ET I am hosting a webinar titled How to Ditch TPT and Sell Your Digital Products. This webinar is for folks who have used Teachers Pay Teachers and were not happy with giving 20-45% of their sales revenue away. It’s also for those who have ever thought about trying to sell their digital products. I’ll show you three ways that you can sell your digital products without using TPT and keep more of the sales revenue in your pocket.

Padlet App For Teachers

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