Using Padlet in instructional design to promote cognitive engagement: a case study of undergraduate marketing students

Abstract

This case study illustrates the incorporation of Padlet to support a learning task designed to promote student engagement. Padlet was introduced as a digital technology platform in an undergraduate marketing class for an assessment where the stakes are considered low, that is, a formative assessment. The previous cohort had declared it difficult to engage with the original assessment, which took the form of a 1000-word written piece. To facilitate interest and motivation in the task, Padlet was introduced with the assumption that students would engage more with a task if a technology-based instructional design was implemented. This case study examines the use of Padlet to provide a platform for literacy beyond the written text, aimed to increase effort and cognitive engagement. Self-reported results indicate that students find a task supported by the use of Padlet deeply cognitively engaging. Padlet, as illustrated in this case study, could be used in either an in-person or online learning environment.