Padlet Support & Guidance

Getting Started

Use the chapters available on the left to navigate to a specific topic, or read through the entire activity for a broader view of Padlet.

All information and guidance available throughout this activity is accurate and correct of November 22nd 2022.

Once complete, continue through the remaining support and guidance sections before providing feedback, requesting additional guidance or reporting any mistakes using the Tech Support, Guidance & Workshops Feedback activity.

Access and Signing In

This chapter contains information on how to access and sign into Padlet using a browser or the mobile and tablet app, freely available for download on both iOS and Android. When signing into Padlet, please ensure to use a "Backpack" account, as outlined in the Vanilla & Backpack Padlet Accounts sub-chapter. 

Browser

Prior to accessing and signing into Padlet, you’ll first need to sign into your OCA email account; please visit the Google Support & Guidance section for more information on this process. 

Upon signing into your OCA email account, you can access and sign into Padlet using a browser by first navigating to Padlet via oca.padlet.org - not Padlet.com - and sign in using the ‘Login with Google’ option.

Selecting this option whilst signed into your OCA email account will sign you in automatically. In the event you’re signed into multiple Google accounts and aren’t using separate Google Chrome Profiles - as suggested in the Google Support & Guidance section - you’ll need to select your OCA account from a list of signed in users.

Please note that Padlet.com is considered a "vanilla" Padlet account while oca.padlet.org is considered a "backpack" account, and only the latter of which is suitable for use within and managed by OCA; please see the Vanilla & Backpack Padlet Accounts chapter for more information. In the event you’ve used the former to create a Padlet, you may wish to consider importing your Padlet(s) to a backpack account.

Mobile & Tablet App

Having first downloaded and opened the Padlet app, available for free on both iOS and Android, begin by selecting the ‘Login’ option.

On the following page, then select the ‘Backpack or Briefcase user? Login here’ option, typically located towards the bottom of the Padlet interface. Next, enter “OCA”, whereby the organisation domain should read “oca.padlet.org”, and select ‘Continue’. Then on the following page, select ‘Login with Google’, where you’ll be prompted to sign in using your OCA email address and password.

Failure to select the 'Backpack or Briefcase user? Login here' option will sign you into a "vanilla" Padlet account and it's therefore important you select this option; please see the Vanilla & Backpack Padlet Accounts chapter for more information.

The following interactive Padlet App Sign In activity provides more detailed guidance and screenshots demonstrating the process of signing into your OCA Backpack Padlet account using the mobile and tablet app.

Privacy Settings

Pre-existing Padlets available within the course materials on OCA Learn are available to all students studying the course, and all posts created within the Padlet are therefore visible to all other students.

For newly created student Padlets the privacy settings are now limited to 'org only', meaning that only OCA students and staff can view a Padlet when provided with a link to it. This means that it is no longer possible to embed new Padlets into learning log posts on OCA Spaces, instead it is recommended to use the Padlet's web address as a link within the learning log. You can do this by opening the Padlet and clicking on the share icon (arrow), then opening the 'links' tab and clicking 'Copy link to clipboard', or by copying the contents of the browser's address bar. To add the link to a learning log post in OCA Spaces, open the post in the editor, then highlight the portion of text you wish to use as a link, then in the pop-up toolbar select the link icon, paste the address in the following text box and then click the submit arrow towards the right side of the text box.

For Padlets created prior to this change, students are free to amend the privacy setting of their personal Padlets and can do so by selecting the ‘Share’ (Right point arrow), located in the upper right corner, followed by the ‘Change Privacy’ option and selecting a preferred option.

Import & Export a Padlet

This sub-chapter contains information on how to Import a Padlet from a "vanilla" Padlet account onto your OCA "backpack" account, whereby it's suitable for use within OCA, or how to Export a Padlet from your OCA backpack account onto a personal Padlet account for use outside of OCA. For more information regarding "vanilla" and "backpack" Padlet accounts, please refer to the Vanilla & Backpack Padlet Accounts chapter.

Import a Padlet

This process is only applicable to students who've mistakenly created a "vanilla" Padlet account and need to migrate any existing Padlet(s) to their OCA "backpack" account.

Prior to importing your Padlet(s) to your OCA “backpack” Padlet account, you’ll first need to ensure you’re signed into both the “vanilla” and “backpack” Padlet accounts; for more information, please visit the Vanilla & Backpack Padlet Accounts chapter.

Having signed into both accounts, access your “backpack” Padlet account and select the meatball (three horizontal dots) icon, located in the bottom left, followed by ‘Import’. On the following page, you’ll then be prompted to select the Padlet(s) you’d like to import before selecting the ‘Import [x] Padlet(s)’ option.

For more information on this process, please visit the following Padlet Support page.

Export a Padlet

This process is particularly applicable to students who've completed their unit and/or degree and would like to retain and migrate their Padlet to a personal Padlet account, suitable for use outside of OCA. Students who wish to export a Padlet should first create a personal Padlet account using a personal email address, before Contacting Padlet who’ll be able to complete the export on your behalf. Please ensure to create a personal "vanilla" Padlet account before beginning this process; for more information, please visit the Vanilla & Backpack Padlet Accounts chapter.

Vanilla & Backpack Padlet Accounts

Please note that throughout the Padlet Support & Guidance activity, there will be references to "Vanilla" and "Backpack" Padlet accounts; these are described and function as follows;

Vanilla

A “Vanilla” Padlet account is a basic and free Padlet account type and is intended for external or public use, and is therefore unsuitable for use within nor managed by OCA.

Identifying a Vanilla Padlet Account

Web Browser

A “Vanilla” Padlet and/or Padlet account can be identified within a web browser via the “padlet.com” URL, as demonstrated in the screenshot below.

Mobile & Tablet App

Users of the Padlet app will also be initially prompted to sign into a "vanilla" Padlet account prior to selecting the 'Backpack or Briefcase User' option, as further explained in the Access and Signing In sub-chapter.

Backpack

A “Backpack” Padlet account type is a premium and OCA managed Padlet account suitable for use within OCA.

Identifying a Vanilla Padlet Account

Web Browser

A “Backpack” Padlet and/or Padlet account can be identified within a web browser via the “oca.padlet.org” URL, as demonstrated in the screenshot below.

Mobile & Tablet App

Users of the Padlet app will need to select the ‘Backpack or Briefcase User’ option, as explained in the Access and Signing In sub-chapter, prior to signing in using their OCA email address and password.

Summary

In summary, a “Vanilla” account type is to be used by a member of the public, while OCA students should be using their OCA “Backpack” account.

As a student with an OCA email address, it is possible to create an account using both account types, and students should therefore follow the applicable guidance provided when signing into Padlet and ensure to use a "Backpack" account type.