IdeaBoardz

CollaborationSocial ConstructivismCrisis Communication

IdeaBoardz is a community-based tool that allows users to add sticky notes, known as ideaz, to an IdeaBoard. Users can make an unlimited number of IdeaBoards based on different topics. Within an IdeaBoard, users can add different columns to create subtopics. For example, on a board about pizza, there could be a column that is “Why you should like pizza” and “Why you shouldn’t like pizza.” Students can add as many Ideaz as they want to share and express their ideas. To date, more than 1.4 million Boardz have been designed, featuring over 15 million Ideaz (IdeaBoardz homepage). IdeaBoardz is a great tool for teams as it allows users to virtually collaborate from any place around the globe. Ideaboardz can support communication, collaboration, social knowledge construction, and brainstorming both within and beyond the classroom walls. 

Screenshot of the IdeaBoardz home page.

Tool Snapshot

Price Free
Learning Social Constructivism
Ease of Use ★★★★✩
Privacy ★★★★★
Accessibility ★★★✩✩
Class Size Unlimited
Login Not Required, Optional
ISTE*S Global Collaborator & Knowledge Constructor 
COPPA/ FERPA No COPPA/FERPA policy found. Check with your school IT administrator.

Price

IdeaBoardz is a completely free virtual tool.  

Ease of Use

We gave IdeaBoardz 5 stars for ease of use. We found it easy to learn how to use. IdeaBoardz also provides multiple resources for those who do not know how to use the tool, like their FAQ page, and provides their email for any questions. Users can also provide feedback on the tool through an IdeaBoard or through Twitter.

Screenshot of an an IdeaBoardz board.
Example class IdeaBoardz

Privacy

We gave IdeaBoardz 5 stars for how they handle privacy. Users do not need to share any information to use the site and can even use the site from an incognito or private window/browser for further protection of their data. Users are given the option to make an account with their email, but the terms and conditions state that email addresses will not be collected or used for any purpose other than to make an account to save an IdeaBoard. Users can create an account for the sole reason to save their IdeaBoards.

Accessibility

We gave IdeaBoardz 3 stars for accessibility. A screen reader can work with the tool, but it is not simple to use and read what is on the screen. Users can click on the Ideaz to make them larger, but users cannot adjust font size or color. IdeaBoardz could be made more accessible by adding color, font, and size adjustments for text, better text-to-speech options, keyboard shortcuts, and text translators.

ISTE Standards

Global Collaborator 

Knowledge Constructor 

IdeaBoardz in 120 Seconds

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IdeaBoardz & the SAMR Model

Dr. Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR model offers a lens for examining how technology is adopted in a classroom. As you strive to incorporate online tools into your classroom, we encourage you to use this model as an analytic tool. 

Here is an example of how IdeaBoardz might fit within the SAMR model: 

Screenshot of an IdeaBoardz sticky note.
Example ideaz (sticky note) added to an IdeaBoard about edtech

Learning Activities

Math

Math teachers can format their IdeaBoards with up to to 10 sections with each section having a different problem. Students can add ideaz underneath each section for how to go about solving the problem. Students can “thumbs up” an ideaz if they like this method of problem solving. Students can also add helpful hints under each question to support their peers’ problem solving capabilities.

Science

Science teachers can format their IdeaBoards to have sections that match the number of steps in the water cycle. Under each step, students can write in their own words what happens in each step of the water cycle. 

English/Language Arts

English/Language Arts teachers can format their IdeaBoards to include multiple sections with prompts that encourage students to explore and think about a book in unique ways. Teachers can also create an IdeaBoard where students write alternate endings to the book. Teachers can setup different sections on an IdeaBoard where one student starts an idea for an alternate ending to a book and then other students continue building on that idea in that section of the IdeaBoard.

Other

For a social studies presentation or a presentation in an elective class, students can create a pros and cons IdeaBoard on a topic of their choice. For example, one student may choose to do a pros and cons list on gun control and present their IdeaBoardz to the class. 

Resources

How to Use IdeaBoardz

Screenshot of the initially creating board options.
Screenshot of IdeaBoardz section options.
Screenshot of a IdeaBoardz in progress.
Screenshot of the IdeaBoardz export to pdf or excel sheet pulldown.
Screenshot of the sort by created time or votes options.

Research

Fuchs, B. (2014). The writing is on the wall: Using Padlet for whole-class engagement. Loex Quarterly, 40(4), 7.

Nakagawa, M., Oguni, T., & Yoshino, T. (1997). Human interface and applications on IdeaBoard. In Human-Computer Interaction INTERACT’97 (pp. 501-508). Springer, Boston, MA.

Ramachandiran, C. R., & Mahmud, M. M. (2018). Padlet: A technology tool for the 21st century students skills assessment. vol, 1, 8.

Authors

This page was created by Kerri Johnson, Kelly Marshall, and Joelle Perez.

This content is provided to you freely by EdTech Books.

Access it online or download it at https://edtechbooks.org/onlinetools/ideaboardz.