Glogging for Gold

This week my students have been studying the nervous system in class and one of the topics we planned to cover is how drugs affect the nervous system.  The traditional activity when talking about drugs is to make a drug awareness poster, so with that in mind I began thinking of ways to take this activity out of the 80s and into the 21st Century.

Enter Glogster

Glogster is a web 2.0 site that allows students to create interactive posters called glogs.  These glogs allow users to combine all kinds of multimedia elements including text, photos, videos, graphics, sounds and drawings.  These multimedia posters are like web pages that require no coding on the part of the user.  Users select items from a various palettes, upload graphics and add their informative texts to customize the glog.  Once complete glogs can be shared across a variety of other services by using the share button to connect to Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter or by using the embed code. 

Educators can choose to use a special version of Glogster called Glogster EDU that addresses privacy concerns unique to the education setting.  The downside to Glogster EDU is pricing.  In order to have access to the most useful features of Glogster EDU, teachers or districts will need to purchase a licensing plan.  Teacher plans range from about $30 a year to $99 a year depending upon number of student accounts you wish to manage.  The school and district level accounts are more but also based on the number of accounts. 

Glogster Uses

Despite the drawback of cost, Glogster is still a site worth checking out.  The sheer number of ways glogs can be incorporated into lessons is astounding.  Glogster can replace or enhance any classroom presentation.  Book reports, research projects or even a chapter review can be changed into a glog.

Glogster and the 21st Century Skills

Glogster works very well in the 21st Century framework.  The nature of the tool is one that allows it to cross multiple subjects with ease, therefore all core subjects can be represented with glogs.  Think of using a glog in science to display research or even lab results as if it were a project board.  Further, history would come alive by creating thematic posters based on social studies units.

The best way to discuss the rest of the 21st Century framework with Glogster is with a sample assignment. 

Scenario:  Students in a language arts class might have been assigned to read "The Hunger Games."  After completing the book, students are given the role of a stylist from the games and they have been asked to create a poster ("Glog") to drum up support for their district's champion. 

Areas addressed:

• Core Subject:  Language Arts
• Creativity and Innovation:  Completion of a poster product which drums up support.
• Critical Thinking:  Analyze their knowledge of the book to produce a product that would appeal to the audience of the games.
• Communication and Collaboration:  Students could be placed in groups to facilitate collaboration.  Communication will be paramount in the students attempt to sway the audience to their side.
• Information, Media and Technology Skills:  These issues can be addressed in a variety of ways depending upon the teacher.  Information literacy will stress copyright in use of Hunger Games logos.  Media Literacy will be taken into account as students attempt to analyze their roles and it is tied into the way real media outlets influence the public.  Technology skills are addressed as students work to sharpen their computer skills by integrating this new piece of technology in the classroom.

Conclusion

Glogster is an exciting tool if pricey for those users wanting to ensure the most control in their classrooms.  Glogster is very efficient in allowing a number of subjects to achieve all the goals of the 21st Century framework.  Next time a poster is assigned in class, consider using a glog instead.