Versatile Padlet: A Useful Tool for Communicative Teaching

Literature Review

Almost overnight, programs, schools, and universities were forced to embrace the transition of on-ground instruction to either completely or partially virtual environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Teräs et al., 2020). Teaching and learning, especially in this advanced technological era, have driven educators to search for tools that could enhance the delivery of their instruction. Web tools that encourage student engagement, improve student collaboration, and even support peer feedback are a necessity in the current field of education.

Learning is a social process, and student participation and involvement in the process is essential. Student engagement has proven to be on the forefront of successful active learning; therefore, a selection of an appropriate educational tool can encourage increased student interactions (Mehta et al., 2021). When students collaborate, they build relationships, feel in control, and therefore, are more invested in their learning (Cotterill, 2015). A use of a digital tool such as Padlet can encourage student engagement because students nowadays feel more confident by using technology and participating anonymously. Fuchs (2014) asserted that especially if students participate in a learning process anonymously, they feel more open to engagement because they are not as afraid of failure or judgement. In large classes, where students are not very active participants in discussion, their engagement increased significantly with the introduction of Padlet because even shy students could comment as the anonymity potentially reduced the fear of being judged or rejected by their peers (Rødland, 2020). In some cases, if it is not required, students may not be as active at posting on Padlet but still they feel that using the platform improves their learning (Sætra, 2021). Padlet as a tool to facilitate student engagement is very valuable, but it also can be used to boost collaboration.