This document provides guidance on setting up an interactive website or blog using WordPress. It discusses how WordPress allows for an online presence and social media integration. WordPress can be used for personal/professional blogs, educational portals, portfolios, e-learning courses, and more. The document outlines how to plan website content and set up a WordPress site by adding a theme, customizing layouts, adding widgets and plugins. Examples of educational WordPress blogs are provided.

1. Setting up Your First Interactive Website or Blog
Ismail Fayed, info@edunile.net
Foundation Program Department of English
Portfolio: http://edunile.net – Twitter: @tweet4education

2. Outline
• Online presence & Web 2.0
• Why WordPress as a CMS
• Examples
• Planning your website content
• How to set up your first website/ blog
– Adding a theme
– Customizing website layout
– Adding widgets
– Adding plugins

3. Online presence & Web 2.0
• It is now easy to unify your web presence using
one blog/ website
– VLE (BB, Moodle, etc.)
– Blog/ RSS reader
– Twitter integration
– Facebook/ social media integration
– Posting from emails/ voice calls
– Integrate plugins
– Add comments and ratings
– Add polls
– Share media and videos!

4. WP can be used as..
• a personal/ professional blog
• an educational portal
• A portfolio
• E-learning course
• A class magazine
• Students blogs & reflections
• Conferences
• Professional network
• …

5. http://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/21-popular-brands-that-are-using-wordpress/
Why WordPress?

6. Educational blogs Examples
http://emshort.wordpress.com/how-to-play/teaching-if/
http://classroom201x.wordpress.com/teaching-links/teaching-blogs
http://ifayed.net/Gdeeds/
http://is.gd/JcqUii
http://is.gd/FcPAd5
http://is.gd/DNEKsw

7. http://blogs.qu.edu.qa/blogs
Educational blogs Examples

8. http://blogs.qu.edu.qa/campustoday

9. http://www.qu.edu.qa/qlc

10. WP is about autonomy & creativity
Post – Share – Comment - Like

11. Website planning

12. How to set up your first website/ blog
https://en.wordpress.com/signup/
http:// username.wordpress.com
http://username.wordpress.com/wp-admin/
Example:

13. Manage your blog menus

14. Manage your blog menus

15. Choose a theme
• Upload it to the wp-content/themes/ folder
• Then activate it in the (WP admin panel –>
Appearance -> Themes).

16. Custom website layout
http://www.kilowordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eBusiness-v4.4-Wordpress-Theme.jpg
http://lesliefranke.com/2007/03/site-redesign-with-wordpress-layout-and-design/

17. Plugins
E.g., LePress Teacher
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/lepress-teacher/

18. Add content
• Add a page
• Add a blog
• Add a picture
– Edit post
– Publish
– Edit Image
• Turning a Blog into a Website (creating a
static page)

19. More WP Tutorials & Videos
A step by step guide with screenshots:
http://russ.cuipblogs.org/files/wordpress-for-teachers-1.pdf
More videos:
http://wpmu.org/teaching-wordpress-to-absolute-beginners-part-1-the-build

20. Thank you!
ifayed@qu.edu.qa

22. References
• McKeown, S. (2010).Teaching WordPress to Absolute Beginners Part 1: The
BuildRetreived from: http://wpmu.org/teaching-wordpress-to-absolute-beginners-
part-1-the-build
• Melanie Citron, M. (2011). WordPress and Teachers: How To Set Up a Website For
My Class. Retreived from: http://buildmysiteforfree.com/wordpress-and-teachers-
how-to-set-up-a-website-for-my-class
• How to use Wordpress to design to a website. Youtube URL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vt7BleXYP8