Google Sites

From Longview ISD Technology Wiki

Revision as of 17:15, 5 March 2013

Google Sites is an online application that makes creating a class, school, or project web site as easy as editing a document. With Google Sites, people can quickly gather a variety of information in one place -- including videos, calendars, presentations, attachments, and text -- and easily share it for viewing or editing with a small group, their class, the entire school, or sometimes the world. You always control who has access to your site.

Principles of Design

1. Know Your Audience

• Who is your intended audience? Is it teachers, students, parents or a mix?
• Decide what is information is needed for this audience.

2. Choose a Flattering Design

• Use a Google Sites layout and design template.
• Use the color, font and graphical schemes available to avoid clashing colors.
• Use images only if they help explain the content. Avoid graphics that will detract from the information.

Content

Keep it simple

When someone visits your website, they should be able to quickly browse through the pages and find the information they are looking for. One way to achieve this is with headings. Come up with descriptive and concise headings to categorize your content.

Here are a few things to think about: •Expose the most important information "above the fold." The fold is the point when a user has to scroll down to see the rest of the webpage. If your best and most relevant content is 'hidden' down the page and requires scrolling, you run a risk of a user not seeing it. If at all possible, try to keep all your information above the fold. •Use headings easy to see and make sense. Headings should stand out - you can bold the text, make it a size or two larger. These will be used by the user while scanning the page. The headings should also be relevant to the associated content. •Short and sweet paragraphs. A webpage is not the place to be reading long blocks of content - text on your page should inform quickly and easily. Keep paragraphs descriptive but concise. •15 second rule: if someone has only 15 seconds to review a page, can your expected user (teacher, student, parent, other) find the information they need quickly?

Example: https://sites.google.com/site/teacher8/Home

This site is well organized, the content is well structured and makes a good use of headings.

Example: https://sites.google.com/site/teacher22

This site is also well organized and structured.

Navigation

Don't make me think!

When someone visits your site for the first time, they should be able to tell what's within your site just by looking at the 5-7 navigation links included in your site.

Here are a few things to think about: •Try to use no more than 5-7 links in your main navigation. More than that can be overwhelming. Instead of having a long laundry list of links, use sub-pages (pages that are linked within the main navigation links) to display additional information or links. Google Sites has an option to include subpage dropdown in your main navigation. •Use 'breadcrumb' links. 'Breadcrumbs' show a list of the link hierarchy or navigation so that a user knows where they've been and where they are going. Google Sites automatically includes a breadcrumb on your pages. Sites has breadcrumbs at the top. to get out of the subpage, can go back to the main, 'top level' page

Example: https://sites.google.com/site/teacher18/emoh

This site has a good navigational structure. There are only 6 links in the main navigation. Sub-pages are used in this section so the user can see these are subpages of the "how to" section. https://sites.google.com/site/teacher18/how-to-1

Example: https://sites.google.com/site/teacher34/

Here is a site that does not have more than seven elements in the navigation but the navigation is broken into separate sections that makes the site easier to browse.

Dancing bears

Animation can be very distracting.

When you start designing a site, there are many options to add rich media. Take care when adding things like animated gifs, elaborate colors and fonts to your site. Google Sites does allow creativity to do this, but it can be very distracting.

Here are a few things to think about: •Avoid animation. If necessary, have only one per page. An animated image can take the attention away from your web content. If the animation is necessary to the information in your website, then keep it to a minimum - 1 at most. •Avoid noises and music. Opening a website and suddenly hearing music or noises can surprise users. Use music and noises only if necessary and relevant to your content - and even then, try and use a player that can allow the user to control the sound instead of autoplaying.

Accessing Sites and creating, editing, and sharing a site

Access Sites

To create a new site and to view a list of sites that you own or can edit:

● Directly visit the page Enter https://sites.google.com/a/lisd.org in your browser.

● Or, visit from another Google Apps product

When you're using a Google Apps product (e.g. Mail, Calendar), you'll see other Apps products listed at the top left of the page. Simply click Sites to access your sites list. Create your site Once you've accessed your sites, click the Create new site button to begin the process.

Next, you'll need to provide the following details (other information is optional, but these are required):

The name you select will autofill as the custom URL for your site

Click

Your new site will automatically appear.

Edit pages in your site To edit a page, click the Edit Page button in the upper right corner of the page.

An edit toolbar will appear that provides the tools necessary to edit the page.

Add text, insert tables, and edit the layout of the page.

There are also a variety of applications and gadgets available to enhance your site.

To start adding apps and gadgets to your site, select Insert, and pick the appropriate item you'd like to include.

Some useful apps and gadgets include:

● Calendar: Make sure your project stays on schedule and embed a calendar that includes key due dates. ● Document/Presentation/Spreadsheet: Embed a Google Document - when the source is modified, the document is updated automatically within Sites (this is true when embedding documents, spreadsheets, forms and presentations) ● Video: Upload a video from YouTube or Google Video. Simply paste the URL, enter a title, and save. ● Map: Headed to an offsite meeting? Don't just provide directions, embed a map! ● Recently updated files: Lists the latest additions/updates to your file.

There are also more gadgets created by Google and third-party sites available by selecting More gadgets... You'll be able to preview each gadget before adding it to your site.

Layout Click the Layout tab and select your preference. No problem, you can change it easily.

After editing your page, click the button in the top right hand corner.

Add pages to your site

Add pages to better organize information in your site. Click the new page icon in the upper right corner

● Web Page: An unstructured page where you can add text, images, tables, and embed spreadsheets, presentation, videos and more. ● Announcements: An easy way to post chronological information (e.g. project updates, company announcements, etc.) ● File Cabinet: Allows you to organize common documents in one place. Upload files from your hard drive and create a complete library of information. ● List: Choose from list templates, or configure your own custom columns to easily track items. ● Start Page: A web page with a special section that is restricted to each individual collaborator. Collaborators can still add content that everyone will see, but can add their own personalized set of gadgets that only they can view.

Click

Manage Your Site Now that you've created your site, share and collaborate with others! Click More actions in the top right of any page and select Manage Site. It automatically takes you to the General Information section.

Check or uncheck Show site name at top of pages (this means all pages) The Landing page is the default page that users will see when they visit your site. If you want to Delete this Site forever, click the Delete this Site.

Scroll down and check the box next to

Click on the Sharing and Permissions section.

Click Change next to People at Longview ISD can find and edit.

As the site owner, you can control who can edit and view your site by adding others as owners, collaborators, or viewers. Select your appropriate options. (carefully look at all the options)

● Viewers can only view the content on your site (they won't be able to make changes or invite others to view your site). Remember, if you make your site available to your entire domain, you do not need to send invitations for specific people to view it. ● Collaborators can create, edit, organize and delete pages. ● Owners can do everything a collaborator can do, PLUS edit themes/layout, delete the site, and invite other owners, collaborators or viewers.

Recommendation: Select Private until you are ready to officially commit your page and do not allow anyone to edit.

Click the SAVE button then you will be back to the Sharing Permissions level.

At the bottom of that section you will see Add people that may have rights to view, edit, or collaborate on the page. Be very careful as to their rights. You can change their rights by clicking on the down arrow on the right and select Can Edit, Is Owner, Can View. Click the Share & save button

Click on the left hand side of your Manage Menu and select Colors and Fonts.

Play with this a little and see what you like. Once you select a base theme, click Save.

If you click the Theme on left hand side of your Manage Menu, you can previews of the Google Sites themes. Themes determine the overall look of your site - from standard solids to whimsical backgrounds, you can be your own site designer with one click of the mouse! If you're not entirely happy with the colors or fonts in a certain theme, don't worry, you'll be able to customize colors and fonts after your site is created.

That's it! Click Save to finish the setup process and click the back to site link in the upper left hand corner under Manage.