How do you have a meaningful discussion with no forums or threads? Padlet is an interactive digital tool we are using for online group discussion in a professional doctorate program. Use it for fun or serious classroom discussion assignments. Come join Padlet and participate in an interactive demonstration.

Asynchronous online group discussion is common in distance education, with many documented benefits. They encourage student connections and peer learning, provide an opportunity to apply concepts, strengthen retention and deepen the understanding of a topic (Aloni, 2018). The asynchronous design can provide a time to pause and improve on critical thinking skills as well as improve on writing skills. For these reasons, a non-traditional doctorate pathway for professional adult learners incorporates asynchronous case-based online group discussions. For two semesters, students participate in a case discussion with instructor facilitation. For the remaining 3 didactic semesters, students lead and facilitate a case discussion using a patient from their own practice site. Students lead one case per semester over the course of two weeks and participate in the cases presented by their peers within their group for the remaining time in the semester. A web conference to review the discussion materials occurs at the start of each semester. Students are provided detailed instructions, and a detailed participation rubric that is consistent throughout the time in the program. Students are graded on content and critical thinking, quantity, and professionalism. Group leaders are graded on timeliness, organization, content, and leadership. Students complete a peer evaluation at the end of each session and a faculty member evaluates the leader and participants using the specific discussion grading rubrics. Because online discussion can add a level of learning that falls outside the typical lecture-based classroom, it can be challenging for students in terms of time management. Most students start the program unfamiliar with the concept and expectations of online discussion which add to the challenges. Providing clear detailed instructions and an organized platform helps reduce these challenges of online discussion. For more than a decade, the discussion tool in Blackboard Learn was used as the platform for online group discussion. Discussion was structured using forums and threads, was organized, consistent, and easy to use for the student as well as the instructor. When the university made the decision to transition to Blackboard Ultra, changes in the discussion platform were required if the same structure and organization was desired. Forums and threads are not available in Blackboard Ultra. Padlet is an interactive digital tool used for collaboration. It has many useful functions for the traditional and online classroom and has allowed a smooth transition from Blackboard with the structure needed for online case-based group discussion. Padlet does not have integration with Blackboard but has features that allow for grading. It is an accessible alternative to Blackboard Learn with a splash of color that students have found easy to use. Posts can be searched and tracked by student. It is easy to identify facilitator and student posts using color coding. Level of Participation Session leaders will spend 10-15 minutes reviewing the role of discussion in the online classroom, benefits and challenges, and introduce the Padlet platform. For the remaining session, participants will engage in multiple Padlet sessions learning the additional ways the leaders use it in the Session Goals By the end of the session, we hope that participants will identify uses for Padlet in their traditional or online classroom and have the baseline knowledge to create and share their own Padlet. Aloni M, Harrington C. 2018. Research Based Practices for Improving the Effectiveness of Asynchronous Online Discussion Boards. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 4(4), 271-289