Reflection on: A Different View of Google Sites: Using Google Sites to Create Websites with Pizzazz, Flair, and Dynamic Design

I moved my class website over to Google Sites this year after making a staff start page using Google Sites last spring. After about a year of using Google Sites, I feel comfortable with the basics and was inspired by Ken Shelton's session at the Alberta Summit to now extend that learning. He models simple design and easy to access information on his own Google Site about Site Design(ed). A useful resource!

His session (A Different View of Google Sites: Using Google Sites to Create Websites with Pizzazz, Flair, and Dynamic Design) explained simple ways to personalize a Google Site so that your website does not look like all the other websites that use the set templates provided by Google. 

Key Tips

There were a few tips that stood out for me:
1. Two Clicks
2. Colour
3. Font
4. Simple

New Website

Prior to the session, I had just begun migrating a website of teacher resources that I maintain over to Sites from Wordpress. It seemed like perfect timing to practice what I learned with something I will actually use on something that is not yet "live". I plan to then implement the changes on my class website as well. 

Tip One: Two Clicks

A user should be able to get to any content on your page in two clicks or less.  The best way to accomplish this is to use drop down menus. 

He also encouraged site designers to decrease the amount of scrolling needed to reach content. By using two column or three column layouts, you can minimize users getting frustrated with finding the content they are seeking. 


Check out Ken's page on navigation and look for more tips and resources. 

Tip Two: Colour

He pointed out that colour can say a lot about you. He gave some great resources for planning and creating a colour scheme for a Google Site so that you are not using one of the set templates. He also reminded us that in general, a darker background with lighter font is easier to read for web-based text and a lighter background with darker font is easier to read for paper based text. 


Colour Resources:

• PikNik Color Picker - a simple website that you can use to select a colour you like and then get the hex value of the hue you selected. 
• Color Scheme Designer - a site that helps you create a colour scheme or palate to use in
  
  your site design. Lots of cool features, including an option to preview how your choices would look if you used a light or dark background. 
• ColourLovers - a site that allows you to create colours, palettes and patterns. Sign up is free. You can use the palettes and/or patterns you devise to create a banner/header image for your site. If you find a colour that no one else has used on the site before, you get to name
  
  it! Fun. Warning, the site can be addictive. 
• Check out Ken's page on colour  for more tips and resources. 

Tip Three: Font

Font can say a lot about you as well. One theme at the Alberta Summit was the use of Comic Sans. As one presenter said: Friends don't let friends use Comic Sans. When choosing a font, it is useful to consider truetype fonts, such as Helvetica (as used in this post), as these fonts will look same no matter the device the website is being viewed on.

Check out Ken's resources page for more tips and resources on typeface. 

 Tip Four: Simple

Keep the overall layout and colour choices simple. 

Check out Ken's page on navigation and look for more tips and resources. Check out the home page on his site for an example of simple!

Division One Classroom Applications?

Unless you are doing ePortfolios, I do not currently see the value of teaching K-3 students Google Sites. Those schools/teachers doing ePortfolios may want to introduce one or two aspects of individualizing the layout of an ePortfolio in grade three. However, as things with Google Apps for Education evolve, you never know...

For a long time I have recommended having a classroom website. I think the tips Ken gave will help make my class website easier  for my students to use. 

What Am I Crazy? Moving My Class Website to Google Sites

Some History

When I first started using the Internet with division one students many many many years ago, it was quickly apparent that too much time was spent having them type websites into the address bar. Initially I created a Word document with hyperlinks and saved it in a shared folder on our server. I taught them how to open that document and all they had to do was click on the hyperlinks. I just changed the content of that document for each technology lesson. Eventually I made my first class website on Tripod way before it was Tripod.Lycos! Later I moved it to Wordpress as I did not like the banner ads Tripod had.  

I Like Wordpress

I like Wordpress and have used it for over five years. It was relatively easy to learn and use. The URL for my site is http://msmondor.wordpress.com/ which meant when students searched "msmondor" my site was the first thing they found. I made Ms Mondor a spelling word in the first weeks of school. Things I like about Wordpress:

• You can schedule posts.
• It is user friendly.
• It is free without a lot of annoying ads.
• You can customize an easy to find URL.

So Why Move?

When EPSB first "went Google" I tried Google Sites and I hated it. It was clunky. So I pretty much ignored that part of Google Apps for Education. Last year I made a landing page for my former school using Google Sites. My, had things changed. It had all the things I liked about Wordpress plus I could make the interface more division one friendly than I could with Wordpress. I will miss my short and convenient URL. Things I like about Google Sites:

• You can schedule posts.
• It is free without annoying ads.
• Can upload files for parents. For example on my math page I have math games that we've played at school.
• Division One friendly interface.
• Can integrate other aspects of Google Apps for Education easily.
• It is easy to use after some initial trial and error/instruction.
• There are templates to use create class websites.

Links to Consider Viewing

• my old class website - Ms Mondor's Grade Two Website
• my new (still building) class website - Ms Mondor's Website
• my post Benefits of a Class Website

Flashback Post To Help With School Start Up

Div1Edtech has a number of blog posts that may be useful for  technology planning and for school start up. 

Class Landing Page

Late August/early September is a great time to set up a class website or landing page. Check out the post A One Stop Shop! The Benefits of a Class Website to see why! I am thinking about setting up this year's class website using Google Sites. Check out the student landing page I made using Google Sites for my previous school: Together We Accomplish More. 


EPSB Staff cab also use SchoolZone as a landing page. Put the websites you will regularly use as links on the Resources section! If it is your first post there, it will stay at the top for the rest of the year which will make it easy for your students to access from home and school regularly.

Subscriptions

Part of setting up your classroom is thinking about resources, traditional and digital. What subscriptions are worth the money? Check out the blog post Subscriptions and Sign Ups as a jumping off point. 

Technology Lesson-Unit-Year Planning

As you put together your year plan, think about how you might incorporate technology. In the 2012-13 school year I tried to chronicle my technology use in the very long post This is the blog post that doesn't end. Yes, it goes on and on my friend. 

In division one it is important to plan for teaching basic technology skills at the beginning of the year. These first steps can be daunting at times. Check out the blog posts below for some tips and ideas:

• HELP! How do I get my class logged onto the computer for the very first time?
• Introducing Grade Twos to Netbooks
• Getting Started With Grade Ones and Google Apps

Post Your Suggestions!

Please post your tips, links and suggestions in the comments for division one technology school start up ideas!