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My team of 8 undergraduate peer facilitators and I used Padlet, an online tool, to help foster community during Autumn 2020 in an upper level Biology course with 71 undergraduates. Instruction was entirely online, with asynchronous pre-recorded lectures and optional synchronous Zoom discussions.

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Each Zoom session started with a few minutes of reflection as students anonymously completed an entry ticket on Padlet, focusing on what they remembered and were confused about from that day’s lecture or reading.

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Student reception was overwhelmingly positive and based on course evaluations, the students overwhelmingly ranked their experience with Padlet as positive (median =4/5). More importantly, 100% of students felt supported and part of a learning community (median=4.7/5) and encouraged to be thinking of new questions (median =4.6/5).

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We introduced students to Padlet by creating a wall for introductions, where students could share a meaningful photo. In the first Zoom meeting, the students posted funny gifs to a new padlet in real time, which made everyone laugh and feel comfortable and engaged. These first two experiences with Padlet quickly helped us achieve a feeling of community right from the start.

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students have a voice

easily adapted to any course

versatile (text, images, gifs, drawing)

used synchronously and asynchronously

see posts in real time

free for students

visually appealing

many formats (wall, columns, maps, timeline)

personalized (anonymous, liking, comments)

fun to use!

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Students used weekly self-reflection to self-report on their own contribution to discussion. They also provided feedback on Padlet in these reflections and anonymous course evaluations.

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We succeeded in creating a welcoming online learning environment where students happily joined optional Zoom meetings and spent time teaching each other. Based on our feedback, we have helped Padlet be implemented in 6 courses in UW Biology.

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Special thanks to Todd Conaway at UW Bothell for introducing us to Padlet and the Biology Education Research Group for support.

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