MORE PRESENTATIONS?

Introducing GLOGSTER! (edu)


So last post I spoke about Prezi - another presentation tool. This week I have decided to stay on the same presentation bandwagon and looked into Glogster.

Put together every multimedia you can think of onto a poster and out pops a glogster! It's like a online scrapbook that can have photos, videos, youtube clips, audio that you can move around and design the way you want it. An online poster!

Have a look at the one I made below -






This is only the beginning of what you can do with a glogster, but gives you an idea of the variety. It wasn't hard to do at all, without even looking at any tutorials for it. It wouldn't be a hard concept for kids as young as grade one or two to try out. The website is easy to deconstruct and just an e-mail and password is necessary (the EDU version is the one that can be used in schools and is what I have done mine on) and FREE! Although there is a paid version that has added features. Oh and it can be embedded too! 
A 'glog' could be used as an assessment piece, or just in day to day work in the classroom.


I remember at school doing a poster on a 'mammals' when I was at school for an assignment; we had to research their behaviour, where they lived, what they ate, habitat etc and write it on a piece of large card. Imagine if we had an online poster maker back then! If I set that assignment now, instead of just writing down where they lived and what they ate - a video of them in their habitat and video's and recordings of how they live. This is so much more engaging then reading 20 dot points describing what a wombat eats.
The age of the connectivism is here, and students shouldn't be hidden from it.

Another way that Glogster could be incorporated into the classroom is to use it to collaborate photos and videos from classes as well as school events like concerts, school camps and school musicals etc. these then could be uploaded to the school blog or website. 

I think I could see myself using this as an icebreaker at the start of a new year in the classroom. Each student makes a 'glog' about themselves - favorite sport, pictures, favorite movie, interests and then we all upload it into our 'classroom blog' as an 'about us' section. 


"Glogster goes beyond being just another scrapbbooky" tool -- it introduces students to 3-D communication skills, requiring them to merge the left and right sides of the brain as they seek to communicate and evaluate both information and meaning. The visual, audio, and textual capacity of Glogster not only will appeal to digital learners, it has the potential to support the visual literacy skills that are becoming essential skill sets for 21st century learner."
(Brenda's Blog about Glogster)

I loved making a Glogster! Had be engaged for ages! I would defiantly use this on my classroom as a part of assessment and day to day learning! I would also use this to present information to my class about topics. The information is all there - the videos are already uploaded so there is no fiddling around trying to find the right one! 

Over the last 7 weeks I have come to the conclusion that there is always more that one way to use a piece of technology in the classroom and there is no wrong way! 

This is the end of my technology blogging, I could write so many more on just what I have encountered over the last 7 weeks; but I would be here forever! I believe that this course has opened my mind to what technology can do in the classroom! And I will be using it in the future! I now LOVE blogging and may even start on something not Uni Related! 

Stay tuned for my reflective synopsis on Monday! 

Over and Out Readers!