Create a Padlet Assignment in Canvas
Padlet is a great tool for improving instruction through collaborative learning, engagement, creativity, and accessibility. It helps organize materials, assess students, and facilitates peer interaction, making it valuable for both remote and traditional classrooms while encouraging reflection. Canvas offers a Padlet app that allows instructors to link an existing Padlet board directly to a Canvas Assignment. This is beneficial so participants don't need to create an extra account or leave Canvas to participate in your Padlet board. Before using the Padlet app in Canvas, ensure:
Once these are complete, you are ready to create a Padlet assignment in Canvas.
- Open your Canvas course and go to Assignments.
- Click + Assignment to create a new assignment.
- Fill out your assignment details, such as a name, description, grading, etc.
- Change the Submission Type to External Tool.
- Set up the Padlet options and load in a new tool.
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Save your assignment and publish it if applicable.
Need more detail?
Delve into the in-depth walkthrough below, complete with images and various notes for every step.
In-Depth Walkthrough
Note: Ensure you have a UIW Padlet account. UIW accounts are "school" accounts, which are different from personal accounts made outside of UIW.
Step 1: Open the Canvas Course
Head to the course where you want to create a Padlet assignment and then choose the Assignments option from the Navigation menu.
Step 2: Create a New Assignment
Select the + Assignment in the upper right of the page to start a new assignment. You must start an assignment from the beginning, as you cannot change an existing assignment to use Padlet.
Step 3: Fill the Assignment Details
Give your assignment a title and description, clearly defining the topic, steps for participation, and relevant details.
Note: When using an external tool like Padlet, it's considered best practice to provide guidance for students on submitting the assignment. You can do that within the description area of the Padlet assignment. See the FAQ & Troubleshooting section for templated info.
Step 4: Use the External Tool Setting
Under the Submission Type area of the assignment:
- Make sure the External Tool is selected
- Check the Load This Tool in a New Tab option
- Select Find
Step 5: Create a Padlet Assignment
After selecting the Find button, scroll down the list and:
- Select Padlet to open the Padlet window: If nothing happens after selecting Padlet, you may be using an unsupported browser. Try again in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
- Select the Padlet board you wish to use in the assignment.
- If you haven't created the Padlet yet, select Make a Padlet to open the dashboard and instantly create one. Close the window and start step 4 again for the new Padlet board to appear on the selectable list.
- Generally, the Create a copy for each user option is turned off and is not recommended to turn on unless you want each student to have their own board.
- Once you've selected your Padlet board, the window will disappear, then you choose Select.
Step 6: Save the Assignment Settings
Once you're finished entering all your assignment details, select Save & Publish or Save in the bottom right of the page and you're done.
Padlet Canvas Assignment FAQ
I don't see student submissions in SpeedGrader. Why is that?
Instructors are unable to view Padlet boards or student submissions within Canvas Speedgrader. Open the Padlet assignment and the Canvas gradebook in different windows/tabs to grade.
Grades aren't showing up in the Canvas gradebook.
Grade passback is not currently supported for Padlet assignments, so there isn't a way for students to "submit" the assignment via Canvas and have Canvas identify the submission. Instructors will need to open the Padlet assignment and the Canvas gradebook in different windows/tabs to grade.
Why do I see other people's Padlets when selecting one for an assignment?
The Padlet boards you see are boards that were shared internally by other individuals at UIW. If your Padlet is on this list, and you want to remove it, check that board's sharing settings and adjust appropriately.
I'm trying to log in to Padlet.com but It cannot recognize my account.
UIW has a specific Padlet portal, and UIW accounts will only work in that portal. Make sure you're trying to log in to the UIW Padlet portal, which is also found within Cardinal Apps.
How do course participants access the Padlet assignment?
If you followed this guide and created an assignment as an External Tool with Padlet, course participants will access the Padlet assignment directly from the assignment page in Canvas.
What if I don't want to use Padlet in an assignment, can I still use Padlet for discussions?
Yes. The Padlet app in Canvas is primarily for assignments. However, you may want to use Padlet as a discussion activity for a non-graded assignment. You can:
- Log in to the UIW Padlet portal.
- Create your Padlet board.
- Share your Padlet board with a link, embed, or QR code.
Where can I learn more about how to use Padlet?
