What is Glogster?
Glogster is an internet-based program that allows users to create interactive, multimedia online posters. Users can add text, graphics, images, sounds, and videos to create a more comprehensive presentation than traditional paper-based posters.
How to Create an Interactive, Online Poster Using Glogster
Step One: Go to edu.glogster.com
Step Two: Click on the pink "Register" button to register for an account. Be sure to sign up for a basic account because it's free. Follow the onscreen prompts to register.
Step Three: From the dashboard, click on "Create New Glog." This will bring you to the following screen:
Step Four: Clear the workspace by clicking on each element and then clicking on the red trashcan icon that comes up on the upper left hand side of the element.
Step Five: Add a background by clicking on the "Wall" button on the magnet tool. Select a design from the "Glog Wall" to add a design to the background of the glog itself. Select a design from the "Page Wall" if you wish to add a design to the borders of the glog (the actual space on which the glog appears.)
Step Six: To add graphics, click on the graphics tab on the magnet tool. Select the desired category from the list on the left, and use the numbers/arrows at the bottom to scroll through the offerings. When you find a graphic you would like to use, click on it and click the "Use It!" button.
Step Seven: To add text, click on the "text" tab on the magnet tool. There are three primary text categories: bubbles, stickers, and titles. Bubbles are good for captions, stickers are good for use as text boxes, and titles are good as, well, titles for sections or the entire glog. Click on the option you want and, like before, scroll through the offerings. If you do not want a border around your text, click the first option on the first page to get plain text.
To edit the text in the box, click on the box once it's on the glog wall and click the edit button. Then, type your desired text in the box.
Once you are in edit mode, you can change the color of the text box by clicking on the first button in the new window that comes up. You can add a hyperlink by clicking on the second button. Click on the third button to customize the color, size, type face, style, and alignment of the text. The final button will allow you to add various effects to the text.
Step Eight: To add images, click on the "images" tab on the magnet tool.
To add an image from a webpage, click on "Link" and type or paste the URL for the image that you want in the window that comes up. Follow the instructions above for using it.
Step Nine: To add video, click on the video tab on the magnet tool.
To upload your own videos, click on the "upload" button. Browse through your own files and folders on your computer, select the video you want, and click the "open button" in the window to upload the video. Scroll through your video library and click on the video you want to use. It will be displayed in the left bar of the window. If you want to add a player, click "Add a Player." If not, click "Use It!"
To add a video from a webpage, click on "Link" and type or paste the URL for the video that you want in the window that comes up. Follow the instructions above for using it.
Step Ten: To add sound, click on the sound tab on the magnet tool.
To upload your own sounds, click on the "sound" button. Browse through your own files and folders on your computer, select the sound you want, and click the "open button" in the window to upload the sound. Scroll through your sound library and click on the sound you want to use. It will be displayed in the left bar of the window. If you want to add a player, click "Add a Player." If not, click "Use It!"To add a sound from a webpage, click on "Link" and type or paste the URL for the sound that you want in the window that comes up. Follow the instructions above for using it.
Step Eleven: Assembling and organizing your glog.
- To move elements around the glog, click the element. Hold down the mouse button and drag the element to where you want it.
- You can layer elements by clicking on the "bring forward" or "put behind" buttons in the initial element menu.
- Click the "Edit" button on the element to change the color of an element, add effects, or (for video and audio) add an autoplay feature.
- Click "Preview" to see what your glog looks like as you work.
- Click "Save or Publish" to save your work.
- If you are finished, click the "Finished" option, then click "Save and Publish." Type in a name for your glog and select a category under which it can be listed.
- If you are not finished with the glog and want to continue working later, click the "Unfinished" option and then click the big pink save button. Type in a name for your glog and select a category under which it can be listed.
Step Thirteen: To access glogs you have finished or are currently working on, scroll down to the "Your Glogs" section of the dashboard. Click the pink "Edit" button to edit a glog. From this screen, you can also create links to your finished glogs or get the code to embed them in a website.
Congratulations! You have created your first glog!
Sample Glogs
A sample glog showcasing a reflective poster on personal identity.
This type of project has multiple uses. For example, in religion classes, it could be used for students to relect upon their lives and/or personal spirituality. In English classes, it could be used for displaying personal identity (like this one) prior to descriptive or narrative essays or the college essay.
A sample glog showcasing a hypothetical future.
This type of project can be used throughout the humanities. In social studies, it could be used to speculate how history would be have been changed if one event in history had happened differently. In English, it could be used to either predict future events in a literary work or speculate how the literary work (novel, play, etc.) would have been different if characters had or had not acted in a specific way.
A sample glog showcasing a historical figure.
This type of project is very versatile. It can be used by any discipline to examine an important figure's life, importance, and contributions to that discipline. Because of the ability to incorporate video and sound, it can be much more comprehensive than a traditional paper-based poster.
