Glogster in the Classroom
By: Rana Powell Winfrey
My Reflection:
Dachos introduced the concept of Glogster and what its uses are. He mentioned that Glogster is a way for teacher and students to share knowledge in an interactive platform. The webinar also pointed out that Glogster allows users to utilize photos, videos, text, audio, and other available resources to create unique posters. One of the most interesting points was to find out that Glogster and Glogster EDU are outlets for educators to keep students engaged, an easy way to make learning fun, and a creative way to not rely mainly on textbooks.
This webinar was very informational considering I have only used Glogster once. I didn't realize the ways that it can be used in the classroom. Dachos did have some technical difficulties during the webinar, but that is nothing uncommon in the technology world. He tried to show several examples of student and teacher glogs; however, not all of them showed up. The images that were seen in the webinar tied into the content very well. Although the video was an hour long, the information was organized in a way where my attention was focused the entire time. I do feel that I may have even been more focused had I watched the webinar live instead of recorded. Overall, I really enjoyed this webinar. I am very interested in learning more about Glogster, seeing more examples, and even trying it out in the classroom.
My New Knowledge
- Glogster is not only for teachers, but students can use it, too. Students think of it as a fun learning experience. Glogster is seen as a way for students to express their creativity and leads students to have self-expression. For students, it can also motivate them to explore new topics in which they may have previously been less interested in exploring. One of the most exciting benefits is that it can foster teamwork and collaboration among students and allow them to find the excitement in working with others.
- For teachers, Glogster also has many benefits. One of the most thrilling benefits is that Glogster gives teaching, learning, and assessment alternatives to achieve the requirement of today's schools, districts, and state standards. Constantly, teachers are being asked to teach in a variety of styles while giving a variety of assessments to their students. With Glogster, that is definitely a possibility. Teachers can use this tool for not only teaching the content that their students need to learn, but they can also use it for formative and summative assessments.
- Glogster can be used by a variety of ages. The webinar mentions that it is a virtual, digital educational platform that transcends age, gender, culture, grade, subject matter, school type, and location. Dachos pointed out that most students are usually 13 years of age before they have an account on Glogster; however, it can be used by younger students when monitored by an adult. I can using this tool with my second graders for introducing and reviewing topics in a variety of subjects.