My *1st* Glog!?!?

No I didn't make a "typo" its really called GLOG, with a *G*...I first learned about "glogster" through Professor Baldensperger last year during her WEB 2.0  Presentation.

*GLOGGING*  = "...saying good-bye to PowerPoint..." 
(And here I am, still trying to graduate from the BASICS of PowerPoint, today's generation is far beyond yesterdays news).  Simply put, a "GLOG" = a poster, "fully designed by you!  A Glog is a unique creation made up of text, images, music and/or video." 

According to www.glogster.com, a glog is for educators and students. 
"Our mission:
Glogster is committed to bringing the best Multimedia Tool & Expression Space for young people, students, educators, and all creative people through its innovative Glog format and the new online phenomenon, Glogging." 

Ok, well I have a few thoughts and concerns regarding "glogging":


1) On their homepage it says and I quote, "EXPRESS YOUR CREATIVITY AND IDEAS"
How is having PRE-MADE "text, lay-outs, and graphics" truly one's own creativity.  You are limited to what you select and display by what the website has to offer.  You are not, authentically, creating much of anything truly your own.  You are simply bringing together text, lay-outs, and graphics that have been pre-made for you already.  I think this also promotes laziness.  I've worked hard and endless hours on visuals starting from SCRATCH.  Yes, on a blank, white poster-board.  But maybe I need to come to the realization that those days are over and we are going into a "green" or "paper-less" world but at what cost?  The cost is that children are becoming lazier and having to think less for themselves.  This is what they are taught to do, its promoted, its part of their being and generation...www.glogster.com is pure proof of this!!!
 
This brings me to a point that Jane K. Bates talks about in her book, Becoming An Art Teacher (2000).  I've asked myself before if giving students *SUBJECT*MATTER* was stunting their creative growth?  But Bates suggests that subject matter "may be necessary to provide focus for the what while the students are exploring the how...In allowing them free rein to choose their own subject matter, you may be inhibiting their growth." It's a very sensitive area and as a successful educator of any kind, I believe that one must be aware of and sensitized to this idea.  I feel like I've been spending my a majority of my adulthood trying to UNDO the way I was "taught" as a child and break down all the unfortunate barriers that were created.  So, as an art educator, I would never want to inhibit a child's creativity.  
2)"SHARE WITH THE WORLD"
Call me old fashion, but why does everything have to be so "out there?"  Why does everyone need to know what I am doing or creating and why do I find thrill in having everyone know? 
3)"GET FANS, BE A GLOGSTER"
Is this sending the wrong message to children?  Do they have to CREATE to "get fans" or are they intrinsically satisfied with creating something for the sake of "creating?" 

Well this sure is a *NEW* phenomenon to me, and I still have mixed feelings about the gestalt of it all.  Regardless,  I am proud of myself for giving it a shot and creating my *FIRST* glog today...
http://becominganartteacher.glogster.com/me/