WordPress How-Tos
To get started on creating your site we suggest the following steps:
The first steps:
- Log in if you have not already logged in; get familiar with the WordPress dashboard and administration interface. You can also watch this short video for more information.
- Remember: When you are in the site administration area of your ePortfolio, you can get tips on what you are doing by clicking the “Help” menu on the top-right corner.
- Review your settings, start by changing your Site Title under Settings>General. You need to hit the “Save” button to save your changes. Learn more about the WordPress General Settings area. Please be sure comments are enabled on your site.
- Add a new post. You can pick one of the existing categories by checking a box on the sidebar of the authoring interface. You can manage your categories on the right-hand sidebar as well or in the main Categories section of your site. You will need to hit the blue “Publish” button on the right-hand side before your post appears. You may want to review the Post Visibility options if you would prefer to keep your content private.
- We have created your ePortfolio with four main pages and a blogging area. You can add more pages, or you can delete what is there. You will start by changing your About Me page by introducing yourself and your project.
- You are welcome to change the images and upload your own. Before you get started you may want to watch this short video about using images from Google.
- Check out Creative Commons Search, the Wikimedia Commons, and Unsplash for copyright-friendly images. Be sure to to use the appropriate Creative Commons license and attribution for any images you use.
- Probably the most common question from students is how to customize the menus on the navigation bar. You can manage or update your navigation menu from the Appearance>Menus section on the left-hand sidebar. Check out the WordPress Menu User Guide and review this video if you would like more information about customizing your site menu.
How-to section:
- WordPress Glossary Terms for Beginners: Information about the terminology used in WordPress
- What is the Difference Between Posts vs. Pages in WordPress: Learn the differences between “posts” and “pages”
- Categories vs Tags: Information on the difference between a category and a tag
- How to Easily Replace Image and Media Files in WordPress: Learn how to replace media an image or media file on your site ***The Enable Media Replace plugin referenced in this link does not appear to be installed on the opened.ca website***
- Custom Header Image: Once you feel comfortable with the WordPress administration interface, learn how to change your ePortfolio’s header image
- Add/Remove Widgets: You can manage, add or remove sidebar or footer widgets at Appearance>Widgets
- WordPress Themes: Learn how to change the overall theme (look and feel) for your site
- What is an ePortfolio? Learn more about the concepts of ePortfolios
- What is reflective writing? Learn more about reflective writing for your ePortfolio
Getting more help and information
Take a look at the following resources:
- A Beginner’s guide for WordPress by WPBeginner
- Get the Most from WordPress.com
- Learn more about digital literacy skills – Check out the various menu sections on the UBC site and consider looking at the publish section.
- MORE RESOURCES:
- Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBcsj3LNtxM
- WordPress basics: https://wordpress.com/learn/get-started/
If you have any additional questions or feedback please feel free to contact Brian Lamb in Open Learning at blamb@tru.ca