Board Templates for Faster, Easier Setup
Ever wish you could set up a ready-made board for class introductions or a SWOT analysis in seconds?
In the latest release of Board, our multi-purpose post-it board activity for Moodle, we’ve introduced a powerful new feature: templates.
Why Templates Matter
Previously, every Board activity had to be configured from scratch. Teachers would spend time adding descriptions, column headers, and adjusting settings like rating and sorting—before a single student could even post a note.
Now, with templates, you can deploy a ready-made, purpose-built board in moments. That means less time on setup, more consistency across activities, and more energy for engaging your students.
How Templates Work
With templates, teachers can:
- Quickly create new boards pre-loaded with headings, descriptions, and settings.
- Save time by reusing common activity types (e.g. SWOT analysis, KWL charts, peer feedback boards, or class introductions).
- Share across sites since templates use a universal JSON format, making them easy to export and import between Moodle installations.
We’ve also been gathering feedback from the Board community on which templates would be most useful. Our plan is to include a curated set of ready-to-go templates in upcoming releases, based directly on what teachers say they need most.
A Collaborative Effort
This work was enabled by funding provided by Dublin City University (DCU) through the Higher Education Authority (HEA) National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) Fund. Their support has enabled us to bring more efficiency and creativity to classrooms everywhere.
What This Means for Teachers
Templates are designed to:
- Reduce workload – no need to build the same boards over and over.
- Encourage engagement – ready-made activities give students a clear structure for participation.
- Promote consistency – institutions can roll out standardised boards that align with teaching strategies.
Whether you’re running an icebreaker, brainstorming project topics, or guiding students through structured analysis, templates make it faster and easier to get started.
We can’t wait to see how you use templates in your teaching. Stay tuned for our next release, where we’ll be sharing some of the most requested ready-to-go templates from the community!
