by Kimberly Kimbell-Lopez

In this era of cloud-based applications, Glogster (http://edu.glogster.com/) is one must-have resource for classroom teachers to use with students. Students can create a Glog, short for graphical blog, which can be a poster or web page. The drag and drop interface makes it easy for students to add multimedia features to the “poster”, including text, links, photos, graphics, audio, video, data attachments, and drawings.

The Glogster web site describes this online interface as “the leading global education platform for the creative expression of knowledge and skills in the classroom and beyond.” Without a doubt, Glogster makes it easy for teachers to invite students to share what they have learned in one content or across multiple content areas (i.e., English/Language Arts, social studies, science, math, music, etc.). Most importantly, the Glog can be used by students across all grade levels—PK-12 up through postsecondary.

In the example shown in Figure One, Rhea-Claire Richard created a Glog that documents multimedia elements she developed as part of a graduate course. Multimedia components she included in her Glog were an All About Me movie, an author vodcast , a storybook vodcast created by her students, a podcast, a vodcast, and links to other projects she created as part of her weekly assignments. As is evident in Rhea-Claire’s Glog, the user can select background features and other graphical elements that make it easy to carry through a theme for the Glog. 

Figure One: Example of Glog found via http://rheaclairerichard.edu.glogster.com/rhea-claire-richard-ect-510/.  

Creating your Own Glog

To create your own Glog, go to http://edu.glogster.com. Teachers can actually register for a free individual account to create private Glogs only, but these free accounts do not offer any student management features. If you would like more options in terms of student accounts, then more information can be found at http://edu.glogster.com/product-information/. 

After you have created your account, then you are ready to create a Glog. One of the first steps is to change the background color. Click on “Wall” to display the numerous options that are available (refer to Figure Two). You can scroll through pages of options that can then be selected to serve as the background for the Glog. The same is true for graphics. 

Figure Two.  Example of Background Options.

The next screenshot (Figure Three) illustrates the number of options that are available for graphical elements that can be added to the Glog. The options that are shown are the graphics listed for EduRandom, and there are seven pages of graphics that can are listed as options. 

Figure Three.  Example of Graphic Options.

The tool bar that is displayed also illustrates how easy it is add different multimedia component to the Glog. If you want to add a movie or vodcast, then select “video”. If you want to add a podcast, then click on “sound.” Once you have created a Glog, then it is easy to share with others. You can send the Glog link by email, the Glog can be embedded externally in Wikis or Blogs, or the Glog can be shared through social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter. 

Don’t waste another minute—get started on your own Glog today!  

Kimberly Kimbell-Lopez, Ed.D., is the Hubberd H. & Velma Horton Boucher Endowed Professor in the department of curriculum, instruction, and leadership at Louisiana Tech University. 

This article is part of a series from the Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).

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