The hardest part of teaching—or leading meetings—is sparking engagement. Getting people to engage enthusiastically with something new can be tough. It’s especially challenging if people are overwhelmed, super busy, or just tired.
As we aim to stretch people’s thinking in a new direction, tools are just one part of the overall picture. But they can help. Last week I shared five tools for creating learning paths, interactive lessons, and new kinds of digital notebooks. Today’s follow-up recommendations focus on creative engagement.
You don’t have to be a teacher to find these resources for opening up participation useful. If you lead a team, run meetings, or collaborate with colleagues, you can benefit from these tools.
Padlet: Inspire Creative Collaboration
Padlets are digital bulletin boards where people can post comments, links, voice recordings, or short videos.
How it works: Set up a board with a topic or a template. Start with a blank grid, map, timeline, discussion thread, or image gallery. Participants can use their own devices to add notes, documents, images, or comments. Or they can use Padlet’s built-in recorder to add audio or video.
How you can use it: Build a board to accompany a live, collaborative lesson, event, or meeting. Or have people contribute to it asynchronously. You can also use it as a showcase for exceptional work or as a space for peer collaboration.
How I use it: I find Padlet useful for group brainstorming, icebreakers, and online learning activities. For remote classes, I’ve used Padlet to collect questions before class and for team-building collections—gathering people’s favorite songs, books, and snacks—to help us get to know one another better. I’ve also used Padlet as a more visual, welcoming version of an online discussion board.
