Glogster

=**Glogster**= //**b**//y Barbara Carr

__ 1. Introduction __
Glogster is a free, flexible, expandable, educational tool that can be used to create simple poster-like presentations, or that can be made more complex to include video, audio and links, and that can be shared with classmates and teachers. It was voted as one of the 2010 top 25 educational tools by the American Association of School Libraries. Glogster EDU was designed specifically for student use and enables teachers to create student groups to facilitate privacy as well as intraschool sharing.

__**2. Getting Started**__
 The start page on Glogster looks like the image **above** on the left. The default images like that yellow speech bubble and the wrinkled label can be easily deleted by clicking on the element you want to delete and then clicking on the pink trashcan. Once they’re gone, the user can begin creating a glog with a blank page. The image on the right is the ready-to-go, blank start page. The user just needs to click on one of the elements listed in the small black navigation box on the left. You may want to start with “WALL” which provides a gallery of backgrounds for the Glog.

__**2a.**__
Below are two examples of the wide range of moods one can choose to portray in a glogster project. The dropdown menus provide categories from "cutsey" to "punk's not death". The Premium Version (paid subscription) offers more choices.




 * ~ [[image:buildingprocessglog.jpg width="379" height="445"]] ||= [[image:links.jpg width="386" height="450"]] ||
 * Using the menu, it is very easy to add graphics, photos, audio files, videos and links. Virtually everything can also be manipulated to change size, color and style, making Glogster quite versatile and personal. ||< In the image above, I've added a clickable link in the upper left corner. Clicking on the AASL icon will take you to their page describing the top 25 tools of 2010. ||

__**4. Examples of great Glogs**__

 * [[image:CurtisMayfieldglog.jpg width="395" height="451" link="@http://mrdean.edu.glogster.com/overcoming-adversity-curtis-mayfield/?"]] ||> [[image:McKilloplibraryglog.jpg width="423" height="442"]] ||
 * This student glog demonstrates great use of design and the tools available on Glogster. The circled images are audio and video files. At the bottom of the page are links to sources and links for further exploration on the topic. When a user first goes to this page. Curtis Mayfield's music is already playing. The "play" button in the upper left-hand corner can be clicked to stop the background track. || Here is another example of an innovative use of Glogster. While I don't personally like the busyness of this page, it makes great use of the tools available. The creator, a librarian, has used Glogster as a library web page. Though you can't see it here, the circle links on the bottom left and right blink and flash and move. They are clickable links to other library pages. The circled links above are videos with stories, announcements and instructions. ||
 * ====** http://mrdean.edu.glogster.com/overcoming-adversity-curtis-mayfield/ **==== || ==**http://mckilloplibrary.edu.glogster.com/**== ||

__**5. Sharing the creativity and knowledge**__
When finished designing a Glogster page, you can tag it and then keep it private, make it public, or share with a select group. Glogs can now also be embedded on Wikispaces as well. While not a formal presentation tool in the way that Power Point, Keynote and such programs are, Glogster offers great creativity to students and teachers, allowing students to demonstrate learning, express their individuality and creativity and to share with others. When I first encountered Glogster, I didn't find it very inspiring, but when I spent time looking at the creative ways that people have used it, I was amazed and converted.

Glogster.com

 * Glogster EDU**