How+to+use+Glogster

Glogster is a Web 2.0 tool to create virtual online posters known as “//glogs//” that include different types of multimedia, that is, text, audio, video, and images. This poster-creation tool can be used for fun or leisure and also for educational purposes. Glogster used to be completely free, but nowadays users need to sign up and when they do so they have to choose a plan and pay a fee accordingly. It should be highlighted that nowadays Glogster is Glogster EDU because it is specially designed for educators; teachers create an account and are provided with a password for their students. Educators are allowed to firstly create a free account which is actually a free trial. The main difference between Glogster and Glogster EDU is basically that the latter is particularly used in and designed for education, and thus includes new options, such as presentations, portfolios, students and classes, and also includes graphics which are related to different subjects, anatomy, languages, math and art to name but a few.  In this entry, I will focus on Glogster. Glogster, as already mentioned, is a useful tool students may profit from, for they can do many things with it and have fun at the same time.

Tutorial Once you have created an account, you need to start using it. Here you have these steps that hopefully will help you!

1. Firstly you need to select a template.



 2. Once you have chosen it, you will see your glog and a toolbar. There are different elements that you can insert: //text, graphics, image, audio, video// and //data//.

 Click on the element of the bar that you want to include, explore the different things offered and select what you want. Place the elements on your glog either by dragging and dropping them or by previewing them and then pressing the “//use it//” button. Once the elements are placed on your glog, you may move and rotate them.



 3. You can increase or reduce the size of the elements of the glog by selecting the objects and pressing the arrow to enlarge or reduce them. You may rotate them as well.



 4. You may change the colour of the objects by pressing the pipette button. Then, you just select the colour you want.



 5. If the element chosen is //text//, click on it and write your message.



<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"> 6. Press on //graphics// in the toolbar to include pictures. You can also upload your own pictures and photos by clicking on //image,// in the toolbar.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: center;">

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"> 7. You may also upload or link videos, audio and data to your glog by clicking on those buttons in the toolbar.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: center;">

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"> 8. You can personalize your glog even more by clicking on //wall.// There, you can choose the background, either by uploading a picture, by choosing a solid colour, selecting a template from one of the folders Glogster offers or using a picture from the web.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: center;">

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"> 9. You can duplicate objects by clicking on the third button. You may even lock elements by clicking on the padlock if you want them to remain in the same place; this way, the elements cannot be deleted or moved by accident.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: center;">

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"> 10. Add as many details as you want to.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"> 11. Once you finish, you click on the “//preview”// button either at the top or at the bottom of the page. If you are satisfied with and like your glog, save it by clicking on the “//save”// button//.//

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: center;">

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"> 12. When you save it, you decide whether to make your glog private or public.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: center;">

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;">__Note:__ You can edit your glog later.

Here is a sample of a Glog:

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium;">See an [|Activity on Glogster]

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Activity
<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium;"> You will use Glogster to carry out this activity. If you are not familiar with this tool, you may see this [|tutorial]that will provide you with some help.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"> This is an EFL activity that can be used with different groups of students and thus can be adapted accordingly. In this case, the idea is that, divided in smal groups, first graders create their own posters on numbers. Students should already know to count up to ten and how to spell these numbers. This is very good as reinforcement.


 * 1) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Your teacher will be divide the class into small groups; each group will be in charge of one or more numbers, dependengin on the number of students.
 * 2) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium;">You will create one glog for each number you have to deal with. Then, you will upload a picture of the number/s assigned to your group.
 * 3) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Spell that number and also add objects to represent it.
 * 4) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Be ready to share your glog with the rest of the class.

//Natalia Chattah//