Glogster Tutorial

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.

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.

7. You may also upload or link videos, audio and data to your glog by clicking on those buttons in the toolbar.

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.

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.

10. Add as many details as you want to.

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.

12. When you save it, you decide whether to make your glog private or public.

Note: You can edit your glog later. 

Here is a sample of a Glog:

See an Activity on Glogster

Bibliography

Shinas, V., & Karchmer-Klein, R. (n.d.). Teaching With Glogster: Using Virtual Posters in the Classroom - ReadWriteThink. Retrieved November 1, 2014, from http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/teaching-with-glogster-using-30790.html