Getting lost in the enchanted forest, or Falling in love with Padlet (again)
Posted on: 6 November 2025 by Charlotte Stevens in Conference & Event Reports
I still remember the first time I was introduced to Padlet. It was an icebreaker activity during an online event; I was asked to search for an image online that reflected how I felt that day and post it to a virtual wall. I found Padlet intuitive to use but - and forgive me for saying this – I couldn’t help thinking, Here is another tool. You see, although I’m a digital education specialist, I can be a little bit reticent when it comes to new tools in that I need to be convinced of the value before I sign up. In Padlet terms, I might be a sceptical sheep, or a dubious donkey…
Despite this initial hesitation, like many educators I found myself integrating Padlet more and more into my work, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic (Ali, 2021). Primarily, I used it to encourage interaction (rather like the icebreaker activity above), to gather information, or collect feedback. I’d certainly not used it to create an imaginary world – that is, until I joined the Islands of Innovation committee.
The committee has always used Padlet to scaffold events around the SpatialChat platform; this year, the Theme Park of Innovation was no exception. An index Padlet provided an orientation space where participants could find the event schedule, links to synchronous sessions, and user guides. It also offered access to a number of sub-level Padlets, each representing a different area of the theme park. Asynchronous resources created by Islands committee members and participants were brought to life in their respective zones: the Arcade, the Food Court, the Hall of Mirrors, Futurisma, and...
The Enchanted Forest…
Designed as an escape from the hustle and bustle of the theme park, the forest was created by myself and two colleagues: Tünde Varga Atkins and Nathalie Tasler. Our mission was to encourage participants to stop and wonder at the stars and consider ways to reclaim work/life balance, however small. As our discussions unfolded, we started to imagine how different parts of the forest might look, and how we could bring them to life with asynchronous resources:
- A Tree of Praise, to record positive affirmations received from learners and colleagues about teaching.
- The Fringes of the Woodland – a place to share ‘Friday afternoon’ activities, when energy might be low, but ideas and creativity can still flourish.
- A space for mindfulness and meditation, to share activities and resources to help reset in the midst of difficult meetings, deadlines stacking up and competing demands.
Participants brought their contributions and ideas to the forest, and gave us positive feedback following the event:
It’s great to have a calm space, even a virtual one!
So nice to have a moment of reflection. Was so chilled and relaxed I missed the start of a session 😊
The Islands of Innovation committee has always provided a welcome opportunity for me to collaborate creatively with a global team of educators, educational developers and learning technologists. This year it also challenged me to reimagine Padlet, but just as a canvas for ideas, but as a space for exploration. And, of course, one of the great things about Padlet is that it keeps on living beyond the event (a sustainable forest?). You would be most welcome to visit if you want. Maybe I’ll see you there.
References
Ali, A. (2021) “Using Padlet as a Pedagogical Tool”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education [Preprint], (22). Available here
Contact