Collaborative Learning with Padlet

What is it? 

Padlet is a kind of online noticeboard for you and your students. The posts look like post-it notes, so students individually or in groups can post their ideas, homework, or projects as one part of a wider collage. Each post has a comment feature below so that many threads can be visible at one time. The layout is clear and inviting, so I would definitely use this as a message board for the class.

How would I use it?

Other uses include student presentations. I have often had students send me their PPPs so I could have them on hand in case their computers had problems, or to avoid plagiarism via extra windows on their computers and/or endless Wikipedia text, but it was often a bit of a hassle to download and organise them on my computer. I think Padlet would be very useful in that regard.
My colleague Betty mentioned they might also be useful for anonymous feedback! Unless the author of the Padlet adjusts the settings, all posts appear as "Anonymous". Therefore, it could be an interesting platform for hearing your students genuine thoughts. Of course, the teacher who allows students to publicly critique her class should be donning a thick skin. Still, there are advantages, in my view, to cutting out the paycheck and promotion wielding middlemen. Students might be more inclined to respond as learners rather than as customers.

Speedbumps?

Many of my concerns about posting and privacy were alleviated by this FAQ page . It seems that Padlet is a well-established trend, complete with its own apps, merchandise, and formatting key; thus it's not surprising that most foreseeable kinks and drawbacks have at this point been addressed. However, I am still wary of clutter. Students, especially young ones, are easily overwhelmed by scattered information, and I'm not too pleased with the way it automatically shifts posts about when you add a new one. Have you had similar concerns or used Padlet in different ways?

Classroom Games on Triptico Plus

What is it? 

There is an excellent resource online for teachers wanting to play games in the classroom called Triptico Plus . I have seen the benefits of games in the classroom time and time again, not just as ice-breakers or routine-breakers, but as educational tools.
Actually, it's not just about games. There are a multitude of resources for the classroom, such as Seating Plan, Hourglass (timer), Slow Writing (group activity), and Word Magnets (for categorizing). You can find these and 33 others by selecting 'Resources' from the horizontal menu bar. [Do not select 'Activity' as this will only take you to a thread about the website.]
Under Resources, you will see 5 subheadings under the central image of the page: Quizzes, Selectors, Timers, Tools, and Legacy Resources. The final category mysteriously refers to resources currently being updated.

How would I use it? 

Since I use games for quizzes and especially for exam reviews, I immediately went for Quizzes, which includes Bingo, Find Ten, Find the Answer, and What's the Question? among others. On the other hand, there are many adaptable resources for games to be found under the other Selectors and Tools headings. For example, the Spinners under Selectors could easily be used for Wheel of Fortune (American game show reference).

Also, Cardboard can be used for matching images and text in a competitive context. I have seen the enormous benefits of cultivating and encouraging a competitive spirit in class, especially in groups. This technology collected in one place is an excellent idea. The features of the site are relatively clear and there are intros and demos every step of the way.

Speedbumps? 

I've tried to enter multiple questions for one answer because sometimes, the answer is the same, for example: "Where are you going?" and "I'm feeling a bit tired" are both uses of the Present Continuous. Unfortunately, you can't have more than one question per answer and vice versa. Everything should be 1:1 or the system gets confused and doesn't award points properly.
However, I am still exploring this site. If you get the chance, my GETs, please post your impressions as comments here!

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