Padlet is a versatile online collaborative platform that functions like a digital bulletin board, allowing users to post "sticky notes" containing text, images, links, and videos . It's widely used in educational settings to foster interactive learning, idea sharing, and content organization . Recent updates to Padlet include AI integration, a comprehensive template gallery, translated templates, and the ability to "freeze" Padlets to preserve content . Key Features and Updates of Padlet Padlet has evolved significantly, offering features that streamline workflows and enhance the user experience for both educators and students . Magic Padlet (AI Integration): This new AI-powered tool can generate content directly within Padlet. It can craft lesson plans based on subject and grade level, create interactive timelines and maps, and generate diverse learning resources like reading lists or brainstorming activities . This feature aims to save time and provide a strong starting point for various educational creations . Template Gallery: With over 250 new templates, the gallery offers pre-designed layouts for a wide range of classroom activities, from brainstorming boards to research organizers and interactive presentations . These categorized templates help users quickly find the perfect fit, save time, and boost student engagement with visually appealing structures . Translated Templates: All 254 templates are translated into the 42 languages supported by Padlet . This ensures multilingual access, a seamless experience for students using their preferred language, and promotes an inclusive learning environment . Freeze Padlets: This feature allows users to lock the content of a Padlet, making it a permanent record . It's ideal for capturing brainstorming sessions, collaborative projects, or completed assignments, while still allowing viewers to access the content . Padlets can be unfrozen if edits are needed later . Practical Applications of Padlet in Education Padlet's flexibility makes it suitable for numerous classroom activities, promoting collaboration and engagement . Bell Ringer Activities: Teachers can use Padlet to ask students what they remember from previous lessons, using templates like "3-2-1" to summarize learning, areas for further exploration, and remaining questions . Collaborative Notetaking: During presentations or lectures, students can collectively add notes to a Padlet, creating a shared resource for later review . The "Research Notes" template is useful for compiling and organizing findings . Event Planning: For class parties or field trips, Padlet can centralize all relevant information, including photos, lists of contributions, and links to websites . The "Event Planner" template helps organize tasks, supplies, and deadlines . Exit Tickets: Students can use Padlet to reflect on lessons, share what they learned, what didn't make sense, and any lingering questions . The "Exit Ticket" template is specifically designed for this purpose . QR Code Padlet Gallery: Students can create Padlets on specific topics, generate QR codes for them, and display these codes around the classroom for peers to view each other's work . A "Personal Portfolio" template can showcase student projects . Class Document Hub: Important class files can be uploaded to a Padlet, providing students with a central location to download resources at any time . The "File Manager" template is suitable for organizing documents and links . Whiteboard Answers: Students can write answers on whiteboards or paper, take a picture, and post it to a Padlet, offering a personal and engaging way to respond to questions . A "Photo Gallery" template can be used for this . Field Trip Documentation: During field trips, photos can be uploaded to a Padlet in real-time, allowing parents or absent students to see updates instantly . The "Virtual Field Trip" template helps explore distant locations . Poster Presentations: Padlet can replace traditional poster boards, allowing students to create digital posters with images, information, and links, which can then be embedded on class websites . Research Resource Gathering: Students can create individual Padlets to collect ideas, sources, and research materials, ensuring easy access and organization . The "Resource Board" template is ideal for storing various types of content . Class/Club Updates: Padlet can serve as a message board for announcements, photos, and important information for classes or clubs . The "Announcements" template keeps everyone informed . Collecting Videos: Teachers can gather YouTube videos in one Padlet, making them easily accessible and viewable for students, including those who are absent . A "Video Playlist" template helps organize videos . Substitute Lesson Plans: Teachers can create a Padlet with links, photos, and videos to guide substitute teachers, ensuring continuity in lessons . The "Substitute Teacher Guide" template outlines routines and essential information . Interactive Storytelling: Teachers can start a story and have students contribute ideas for its continuation on a Padlet, fostering collaborative creativity . The "Collaborative Storytelling" template is designed for this . Image Tagging: Students can upload a background image and add notes to highlight and explain specific parts of it . The "Canvas" template provides a freeform surface for this . Introductions: At the beginning of the school year, students can create introductory Padlets about themselves, which they can revisit later to see how they've changed . The "About Us" template is a digital introduction space . Global Response Gathering: Teachers can post a question on a Padlet and share it on social media to gather responses from around the world, promoting diverse perspectives . The "Where I'm From" template helps share locations on an interactive map . ESL Learning: Padlet is particularly useful for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners . Map Padlet: Students can use a map template to practice comparative phrases by selecting cities and making comparisons (e.g., "Murcia isn't as popular as Madrid") . It can also be used for introductions, with students sharing information about their hometowns or recent travels . Timeline Padlet: This can be used to test grammar tenses by having students post sentences about themselves in past, present, and future categories . It can also help students describe a sequence of events, like their perfect weekend . Backchannel Padlet: This encourages shy students to participate in conversations by requiring them to include specific words in their responses, fostering interactive dialogue . Shelf Padlet: Useful for collaborative planning, such as an end-of-year trip, where students can add details like cost, transportation, and photos under different categories . It can also be used for organizing vocabulary or concepts . Stream Padlet: Ideal for creating digital folding stories, where students contribute to a narrative one by one, answering a question or continuing a story . Enhancing Forum Discussions: Padlet can revitalize online course discussions by providing a collaborative space for brainstorming topics, creating live question banks, conducting icebreaker activities (like "Two Truths and One Lie"), and celebrating achievements . It also supports the creation of bubble maps or thinking maps for organizing ideas .

Class Routines Example As mine, I can share a routine that works well in my teaching context. 

Title: Aim of routine: Daily Check-in and Goal Setting

Details:

Context: I use this routine in my health specialist training sessions at Arrowmeds, where I work with individuals focusing on ED solutions . It's also applicable in a classroom setting for various subjects.

Age of learners: Adults (20-50 years old) in a professional development setting, but adaptable for younger students (e.g., high school or university).

What happens: At the beginning of each session, I dedicate 5-10 minutes for a "Daily Check-in" using a Padlet. I create a simple Padlet with two columns: "How I'm Feeling Today (Emoji/Short Phrase)" and "One Goal for Today's Session." Participants post anonymously or with their names, depending on the group's comfort level. They quickly add an emoji or a short phrase to describe their current mood or energy level, and then state one specific learning goal or question they hope to address during the session.

Why it works: This routine benefits both the learners and me. For learners, it provides a moment for self-reflection and helps them articulate their learning objectives, making them more engaged and intentional about the session . For me, as the instructor, it offers immediate insight into the group's emotional state and their specific needs or interests for the day . This allows me to subtly adjust my delivery, emphasize certain points, or address common questions proactively. The anonymity option encourages honest responses, and seeing others' goals can also spark new ideas or connections among participants. It creates a predictable start to our sessions, fostering a sense of community and purpose .

Ideas from Class Routines Resource or Padlet From the Class Routines resource and the broader Padlet applications, I find several ideas that I could integrate or adapt into my teaching: Bell Ringer Activity (3-2-1 Template): I could adapt the "3-2-1" template to start my training sessions. Instead of asking about the previous day's lesson, I could ask: "3 things you already know about today's topic," "2 things you want to learn," and "1 question you have." This would be excellent for gauging prior knowledge and setting expectations. Suggestion Box Padlet: For continuous improvement in my training programs, I could implement a "Suggestion Box" Padlet . This would allow participants to anonymously or openly share ideas for improving the training content, delivery, or overall experience. Moderating posts would be crucial to ensure constructive feedback . Resource Board Padlet: Creating a "Resource Board" Padlet to compile and share relevant articles, research papers, and external links related to ED solutions would be incredibly beneficial. This would serve as a living library for participants, accessible anytime, and could be updated regularly. These adaptations would further enhance the interactive and collaborative nature of my training sessions, aligning with the benefits of using Padlet for efficient classroom management and engaging learning environments .