EDIM 508 - Glogster and the Creative Mind

http://kriddick.edu.glogster.com/ourteeth/

As a resource teacher coordinator, my focus is on professional development for technology coordinators and teachers.  Last year, while attending NECC in Washington DC, I was exposed to Glogster.  I immediately shared it with my technology coordinators.  In addition, I posted glogster on this same blog months ago.  My next step perhaps will be working with technology coordinators and classroom teachers to produce a large catelogue of glogs that can be used as learning center activities that are in alignment to our district's curriculum and instructional initiatives.  These glogs can be embedded on a district eBoard that can be shared as a resource by every school in the district. 

My next model glog will focus on cybersafety and the ethical use of online technology.  This will address our state's core curriculum technology standard (Cummulative Progress Indicator #8.1.8.D.1)-"Model appropriate online behaviors related to cyber safety, cyber bullying, cyber security, and cyber ethics.".   This glog can be used as a preparation tool for our grade 8 technology proficiency assessment.  This will also facilitate an opportunity to talk to our students and encourage them to use ethics and care when navigating the waves of the internet.

After numerous school walk-throughs (by external consultants, state and district officials), schools were cited for lack of technology use in the classroom.  Teachers use the technology in the lab, few are comfortable using the instructional computers as learning centers for students. Having these great resources available on hand, will enable teachers to have something to use immediately in their classroom technology learning centers.  The glogs will also serve as models for teachers to use when they are looking to create their own glogs for their students to use in the classroom.

As we work to get teachers comfortable with using these glogs, we can start asking them how can they see their students producing and creating glogs instructionally within the courses they teach?  During center creativity sessions, we can focus on and highlight some student-created glogs to show teachers that students too, can use this awesome tool.