Read my review about Glogster after you explore my sample below:

Every time I think I have found the best Web 2.0 application ever, I find another application that blows me away! My absolute favorite Web 2.0 application to date is a neat application called Glogster. I am fascinated by the possibilities it offers in terms of integration. Students will no doubt be intrigued by the ability to create interactive Flash posters online. Using Glogster they will be able to create posters or web-pages using the extensive Glogster galleries or build posters that reflect their own style by uploading content that includes images, text, videos and sound.

There is a learning curve of sorts, but spending some time with this application is what I consider joyful learning, especially if you are a visual learner. Just one quick tip as you begin your learning journey…you can save a glog and go back to edit it….in other words save as you go. I lost several glogs because I failed to save as I went along. Don’t let your students make the same mistake…remind them to save their Glog as private periodically as they research and design. They can change the private option to public when they have completed their glog.

Glogster also offers an educators account that addresses teacher and student needs. I was very impressed with the start-up of this educator version. Registration was easy and quick. When you register as a teacher, you can request up to 200 student accounts. Glogster will email registration confirmation as well as login and password information for your students. This option allows a teacher to build community access for students.

After creating several test student accounts, I can see that this would be a very viable learning opportunity for students. I do wish the company would consider offering teacher rights to view email information that is sent between students and also an option to track student passwords. As it stands now, a teacher can track student progress and can easily send an email to individual students or groups of students. I was also very impressed to see numerous student glogs that incorporated content related to a number of curriculum areas. Students can also comment on peer posters or “glogs” while perusing work that has been posted for sharing. The company closes accounts if participants are consistently inappropriate in the content or comments that they post and of course the educator version allows teachers to monitor and delete student accounts on the spot.

This application could easily eliminate the need for poster board projects while helping our students develop digital literacy and creativity skills. I would strongly suggest that you sign up for an educator account if you decide to explore this exciting Web 2.0 Wonder.

Today I would like to recommend My Hero Project. It has been a while since I visited this wonderfully inspiring site. This is definitely a return to (and return to again and again) site. The project is best described by the following mission statement posted on the site:

“Our mission is to enlighten and inspire people of all ages with an ever-growing internet archive of hero stories from around the world. Now more than ever, children, teachers, and parents yearn for messages of hope and courage to face the challenges that lie ahead. The MY HERO web site hosts thousands of stories of remarkable individuals written by children and adults alike. These stories serve to remind us that we all have the potential to overcome great obstacles and achieve our dreams by following in the footsteps of our heroes.”

As you browse through the site, you will definitely be impressed with the manner in which countless students and individuals have helped the creators of this site meet their mission. Encourage your students to think about who their heroes in life are and give them an opportunity to participate in this very worthwhile project.