Glogster+-+Burkemper

Sommer Burkemper



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 INTRODUCTION
Glogster.com is a tool used to create online, interactive posters that can be utilized for all grade levels in different capacities. Using Glogster, teachers or students can create a “Glog,” which is an interactive poster. To get started teachers or students choose a template, which can easily be adapted later on. The templates include text boxes, video boxes, photo boxes, audio boxes, graphics, and more. Google images and other graphics can also be uploaded to the Glog. The components of the template can be easily hyperlinked to various places on the web (videos, articles, games etc.). Videos can be uploaded from a computer or linked to a Youtube, or other, video. Audio can also be recorded from a computer within seconds and uploaded to the Glog. The tools are fairly easy to use, but do require some “playing around” in order to figure everything out. The site is free for educators and completely private and safe for students. I chose this tool because I wanted to find a new tool to motivate and engage my students in the content I am teaching. I have a computer and SMART board center in my room, so I’m excited to have a new tool for my students to utilize. One aspect that I truly appreciate about Glogster is that I can incorporate all of my resources for a subject area (videos, articles, etc.) onto one page. I can use this for instruction of whole group, or also place in a literacy center for students to explore by themselves.

 INCORPORATING CLASS TOOLS INTO YOUR CLASSROOM
Glogster can be used with all grade levels. In the younger grades, it may be more appropriate for the teacher to create Glogs and use as teaching tools, such as whole group lessons with interactive videos, audio, games, etc. This could be used in all subject areas. This could also be used as a tool for students to do some research in a safe environment with in the limits of the teacher’s glog. For example, a student doing research on Martin Luther King Junior could access videos, audio of his speech, articles, etc in order to learn more about him. Finally, this could be used in a literacy center. Once created it would be little to no time for the teacher to monitor. For the older students, they could be the ones creating Glogs. They could publish research projects using glogs, or other culminating activities. The possibilities are endless as long as there is information on the internet to link to!

In order to truly understand Glogster and it’s possibilities, I experimented with creating a Glog about the “bossy r,” which is a playful term used to describe r controlled vowels, -ar, -ir, -er,- ur, and – or.

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Images provided by Google Images