How to Use Trello to Organize a Course

Trello is kind of a hidden gem for teachers. It's really a project management tool designed for businesses and teams, but many of the features that make it useful for managing projects can also make it useful for managing a class, course, or curriculum.

I actually used Trello to organize the creation of this course. I can see all of my lessons on one board, move them around, add notes, and use labels to keep track of where I am with each lesson. It's also great if you're working with somebody else because you can share a board and keep track of the project together.

There are lots of things you can do with Trello:

1. Create columns. Organize your course into weeks, units, topics, or different stages of a project.
2. Create cards. Make a card for each lesson, activity, assignment, or piece of content.
3. Move things around. Drag cards and columns into a new order as your course or project changes.
4. Add information. Put descriptions, links, attachments, checklists, dates, and other information inside your cards.
5. Use labels. Add labels to quickly see the status or type of each activity.
6. Collaborate. Invite other people to a board so you can plan and organize a course or project together.

You could also experiment with using Trello directly with students. For example, you could use a board to distribute homework, lessons, links, and other class information. Students with access to the board could see new material as you add it, and the Trello app makes it easy for them to check the board on their phones.

But even if you never use Trello with your students, I think it's extremely useful as a teacher planning tool. I've started using it to organize my curriculum, plan lessons and activities, and keep track of what I'm creating. For example, I can move the current week's material to the front of the board and then reorganize everything as the course develops.

There's a lot more you can do with Trello, but the main idea is simple: use it as a visual space to organize your teaching. Whether you're creating a new course, planning a semester, collaborating with another teacher, or just trying to keep track of all your materials, Trello is definitely worth exploring.