creating a web page

Help! I am so tech frustrated!
I have been playing on google to create a webpage and I either don't get it or it is very limited. I have not been able to do a lot of things, such as get more than 5 font choices, link a plugin like voki and clustermap, and create borders. I am very frustrated, so I went to another source as is recommended on the top 10 blue host, but it asks for a domain name and I don't know what to use as my domain. Can I use .edu or do I have to use the .edu home page to do this? What is the best domain for educational purposes? Can I get away from Google, but still use some Google resources?

Tags: domain, google, page, web

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Permalink Reply by Mel J. Janousek on July 15, 2009 at 9:17pm

Linnell,

You may want to consider designing a webpage using a site such as wetpain.com Designing a site is very easy here. You don't need a domain to create your site. I like it because it is so simple to do. You don't have a lot of choices of fonts and background effects, but the sites are very useful. And, you can have students log on to the sites as well.

Mel J. Janousek

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Permalink Reply by Aparna Vashisht on July 15, 2009 at 9:51pm

Hi there!

I was wondering what problem you are trying to solve with the webpage. There maybe tools out there that free you from building one.

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Permalink Reply by Linnell Gribble on July 23, 2009 at 12:39pm

I want a page that the community can access linked to our Network that advertises student work, curriculum, parent access information and links. I am also creating a blog to get information to students with lesson information and links. Furthermore, I am hoping to have a student to student interaction and an opportunity for students to build performance portfolio. I think the blog and student interaction component can be one and the same. I am not sure about the portfolio component. I am using weebly, google, and pb wiki. I guess I was hoping the web page could be used as a blog type environment, but I was nieve. Seems you have to know the language to develop that specialized of a web page.

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Permalink Reply by Sheila McCullough on July 16, 2009 at 10:29am

I recommend that you try a free website builder that is more user friendly than google sites.

Here are some easy ones to try: Weebly.com Yola.com Webs.com Webnode.com

These all have additional features that you said you wanted. Wix.com is a great one as well if you want to be even more creative. I built mine from scratch. You should be able to use widgets or some google gadgets. I'm not sure what Google resources you want.

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Permalink Reply by Jacqui Murray on July 16, 2009 at 4:44pm

Hi Linnell

As Aparna suggested, it probably depends upon what your goal is. I use a wiki for a student-centered webpage, protopage for an internet start page, a blog to interact with parents. Each free webpage will have different constraints, though you might have the most flexibility with Wordpress.org's free offerings. Most widgits can be added to webpages with a bit of tweaking (I've added the clustrmap with no problem to several of mine). My html/programming experience is limited so I stick with Wordpress.com with its free stuff.

Does that help? Or is it more confusing?

Jacqui

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Permalink Reply by Sheila McCullough on July 16, 2009 at 8:02pm

I like the look of the protopage! I just discovered TabUP, which has a similar look.

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Permalink Reply by kathleenn on August 5, 2009 at 1:52am

Shiela,
TabUp is a fantastic recommendation. What a great start page site for teachers and students. It has everything teachers want (widgets, privacy controls, booksmarks, calendar, RSS, mini blog(journal), notes, to-do). The file upload is a big bonus. Students and teachers can personalize the designs and add/share tabs.
I set up a very basic test site....http://www.tabup.com/E_Central and http://www.tabup.com/Math
You can make each tab public or private and grant specific privileges for the tools (widgets). You can invite students individually or bulk upload from a file.

This is really a great choice for schools. Says it is in beta. Wonder what the cost will eventually be.

Kathy

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Permalink Reply by Sheila McCullough on August 5, 2009 at 1:42pm

Hi Kathy,

TabUP is wonderful, I agree! I've been playing around with it and am hoping to use it next year. What you've done looks great! How did you set up the link to your e-mail?

I connected to your link because I have an account, but I'm wondering something. When you invite students do they have to create their own account and dashboard to access your tabs? I know this may be an issue with getting it approved with the powers that be because then students can create tabs of their own, which gets a little sticky with administrators wanting close monitoring of content. Any thoughts about this?

I've gone a little overboard and created tabs for each subject. I'm also thinking this may be a good way to get more teachers to use technology and post info online. . .creating tabs for classrooms or grade levels. Most of it seems easy.

Thanks for sharing!
Sheila

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Permalink Reply by Linnell Gribble on July 23, 2009 at 12:40pm

Very helpful. The html/programming was the part that threw me. Guess I need to go back to school for what I want.

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Permalink Reply by Linnell Gribble on July 23, 2009 at 12:41pm

Yah, I used pbwiki last year and did lots. It just doesn't seem parent friendly. I have parents who just want to view without password access.

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Permalink Reply by Valerie Burton on July 25, 2009 at 3:37pm

You can make the wiki open to public but adjust the security levels on other things. The student's submissions.can be placed into folders that are protected and locked.