Glug, glug, glug, glog

Glug, glug, glug, glog

Don't get stuck in a bog.

A poster, dear spider, is so passé.

Try Glogster, I say, it is here to stay!

So what do I think about Glogster? I really enjoy the look of Glogster and the ability to embed multimedia within the glogs. I think it is a great alternative to paper posters that are destined only for the recycling bin.

View more PowerPoint from pinctripod

Jamie Renton, librarian at Harvest Park Middle School, suggests that Glogster allows students to:

• demonstrate mastery of technology tools
• collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding
• use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information
• use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create products that express new understandings
• participate and collaborate as members of a social and intellectual network of learners
• use technology tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and access

Glogster can be used to represent learning in all areas of the curriculum and is fun to use. 


Here is an example of an English assignment:  
Here is an example of a science Glog:  


Carroll and Edwards (2012) used Glogster to explore poetry with a reluctant group of 12 and 13 year old boys. 

"The engagement with multimedia to explore this element of poetry was as enjoyable and interesting to the boys as it was to us as teachers. . . Using Glogs has expanded our understanding, added to our teaching practice and given our students the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and understanding to an aspect of poetry they did not value at first." (p. 18).

In my practice as teacher-librarian at an elementary school, I will not be looking to use Glogster in the near future. It is a fairly complex endeavour that would be difficult for the students at my school right now. However, as I am working more and more with the students at my school using Web 2.0 applications, perhaps this year's Grade 1's will be ready for Glogster when they reach Grade 6!

Carroll, J. and Edwards, B. (2012). Boys, ballads and Glogster: Techno-poetry in Year 7. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 20(1), 16-19.

The goods on Glogster

But how did you do it? What did you do?

It looks so complex, with everything new!

It takes some patience and quite a bit of time,

And to set up a class, takes much more than a dime.

My investigation into Glogster had me initially a bit frustrated. I signed up for an account and was trying to create a Glog, but kept running into errors as I tried to upload a video. The video would not load, so I looked up some further information to see what format the video needed to be in and if I was doing something wrong. Then I realized that I had signed up for the regular Glogster, when I should have signed up for GlogsterEDU.

So, I started over again, this time in GlogsterEDU. But, because I had already created an account using my school email address, I couldn't create another. Ugh!!! I ended up using the library email account to set up the GlogsterEDU account. I then restarted my glog and had no issues uploading the video. Hmm???

Once I had the hang of it, creating my Glog was fairly easy, though time consuming. There are so many choices when it comes to images, graphics and text that it takes a long time to pick the components for the glog. I really like the fact that video, images and sound can all be embedded in the glog. I do think, however, that this is a tool for older students given the complexity of it. I do not think I would try it with elementary students, unless I was working with a small, technically advanced group. I think Glogster is a useful tool for secondary students and great to replace paper posters!

I am a little confused as to the pricing for Glogster as well. I created a "Single Free" account. "Free accounts do not offer any student management features." OK - I see now - I am able to see the tabs for "classes" and "students" but can't actually put anything in there, I just get a pop-up for upgrading my license. If I want students to be managed in classes, the cost is $29.95 for 50 students or $99 for 200 students, for a year. 

So, Glogster is rather costly and complex for elementary aged students. It is something that I may use in the future but can not see myself using it with a class at this point in time.

Oh my glog!

A glog on a blog, how very odd!

Take a look spider, I am sure you will be awed.

A poster, online, with video and more,

Photos, words and links finish the score.

This is the Glogster I made about my school's entry to the BC Green Games. Please feel free to vote for the Mill Bay Elementary team for the "Viewer's Choice" award! Follow the link on the glog!