Glogster

Description
[|Glogster] is an Web 2.0 tool that allows users to design and create digital posters called "glogs"--short for "graphic blog." Glogster allows users to easily upload photos, videos, text, audio and other multimedia and serves as a visual display of a student's interests, ideas and insight. Glogster was created in 2007 as a social networking site that allows for creative expression. By 2009, Glogster EDU, Glogster's education platform, was created, which enabled educators to build lesson plans around students designing multimedia posters to showcase educational content that is a creative expression of knowledge and skills. Glogster EDU was developed as a new media resource for digital expression for education. The EDU version provides security blocks to control access to student-created content.



A 90 second introduction by Kevin Hickey that showcases Glogster.

History
2007 - Glogster launched in Prague, Czech Republic by Roman Smola, Martin Santorcl and Patrik Prepsl. 2009 - Glogster EDU launched. Partnership with [|SchoolTube] and [|TinyPic] announced. 2010 - Partnership with Edmodo, Wikispaces, [|TeacherTube] announced. 2011 - Glogster has offices in Boston, San Francisco, Colombo, Singapore, and Tokyo.

Impact on Teaching and Learning
Students are able to engage with their learning by creating poster boards to showcase their special projects. Students can go beyond the limited uses of actual poster boards by incorporating Web 2.0 tools (images, videos, audio, etc.) into their virtual posters. Glogster EDU allows teachers to create up to 50 free students accounts which can then be monitored by the teacher. Only students approved by the teacher can access and communicate with other students and their glogs that were created within the teacher’s account. Email addresses are not required.

Practical Applications
Glogster builds and expands digital literacy: students learn technology through Glogster's student-friendly format. Glogster promote creative thinking - students are encouraged to be inventive in designing their glogs. Example: learners are able to use Bloom's third element, Application, in designing and using tools. Glogster encourages independent thinking - students are encouraged to produce content independent of direct teacher input. Example: students can create glogs to understand the [|timeline of historical events]. Glogster enhances formative and summative assessments - students are able to make connections amongst different curriculum, teachers are able to expand the scope of formative assessments. Example: student learning is assessed by evaluating student glogs to ensure lessons are understood.

Teachers and students are able to complement learning through the structured use of glog. Multimedia creation extends the impact of reading, writing and problem-solving skills. Students are able to engage with content beyond the limitations of lecture-based instruction while having fun.


 * = **Pros and Cons on using Glogster in the classroom** ||
 * = __Pros__ ||= __Cons__ ||
 * Web 2.0 exposure and literacy || Social network requires supervision ||
 * Utilizes multimedia || Advanced features require premium account status ||
 * Engages multiple intelligences (musical, visual, verbal, logical) || Some multimedia features complex for digital migrant teachers ||
 * Incorporates Bloom's Taxonomy || Can become time consuming ||
 * Incorporates ISTE's [|National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)] || Potential for negative peer commenting ||
 * Differentiated Instruction || Requires Internet access ||
 * Free ||  ||
 * Secure ||  ||
 * Intuitive for students ||  ||

Examples or Demonstrations
A screencast video by Grant Chartrand highlighting the multimedia tools of a [|social studies Glog]. media type="custom" key="23969434"

A Glogster tutorial by Traci Blazosky. media type="custom" key="23924672"

A video by Whitehall High School showcasing their uses Glogster as a tool for learning. media type="custom" key="23924684"

About the Author
Grant Chartrand is a graduate student in the Department of Educational Technology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. This page was created in partial fulfillment of the requirements for ETEC 602.