Office of Academic Programs
Creating Websites
Google Sites
Overview | Create and Develop Google Site | Tips for Tasks
Overview
What it is
- Google Sites is a robust, continually evolving tool that enables creation of web sites that may be used for diverse purposes.
- It is part of UNCG's GoogleApps, which makes it less of a concern vis a vis FERPA. Access to a Google site may be restricted to specific viewers/editors, made available to UNCG users or to the world.
- It is now possible for a student to copy a Google site from UNCG's iSpartan to a personal Google site when they graduate. This enables them to continue growing the site if desired.
Examples of uses
- Instructors can create sites that aggregate and display their research and/or pedagogical work and/or that of their students.
- Students can create collaborate web presences or digital portfolios. Google Sites can display products but also process in the form of ongoing thought and development.
- In addition to static pages of content in a variety of media, it is possible to embed blogs, views of calendars, maps, slide shows, presentations, spreadsheets, surveys, news readers, chat, and many other gadgets.
Create and Develop a Google Site
Googles Sites adds new features and changes its interface fairly frequently. For this reason, the tutorial information found here will be less detailed with the hope that it will not go out of date as quickly.
Useful Tutorials and Resources
Handouts (pdfs)
- Edit Page
- Upload and Link Attachment
- Add Table of Contents to a Page
- Site Appearance
- Create Horizontal Navigation (Subpages will not display unless subpage listing is used.)
- Create Horizontal Gradient (Used to create a shadow on each side of the content area of the page.)
- Create Vertical Gradient (Used to create a color gradation from top to bottom of page background.)
- Apply Gradients
- Apply Header Image
- Create and Add Picasa Slideshow
- Colorzilla (for matching colors)
Google Sites Support
This includes a Getting Started Guide as well as more sophisticated modules. It is primarily text-based, but it is modularized and includes multiple screen captures, making it easy to use.
Video tutorial on how to create an eportfolio with Google Sites. (6:11)
There have been a few interface changes since this was made, but it is still fairly useful.
Helen Barrett's Google Site Professional Portfolio and ePortfolios in Google Apps sites.
About Dr. Barrett: "I recently retired from the faculty of the College of Education at the University of Alaska Anchorage and have been researching electronic portfolios since 1991.."
There is a wealth of material in these sites, some of which is described below.
Creating an Interactive Portfolio with Google Sites (from Helen Barrett)
Another text-based how-to, this one based on creating e-portfolio sections and tasks (as opposed to just how to use the tool).
GoogleApps ePortfolio Mashup (from Helen Barrett)
A diagram and description of how GoogleApps and other Google Tools can used together in the creation of a e-portfolio.
Moving a Google Site out of an Educational Domain
Very useful for students wanting to maintain and grow their Google Site after graduation.
Tips for Tasks
Add page to navigation bar
- When you add a new page, you can place the page wherever you wish in the navigation menu: at the top level or under another page.
Modify format Navigation menu
- Click Edit sidebar in the lower left OR click More Actions (button top right), select Manage site, then under Site appearance, select Site layout.
- Under Navigation, click edit.
- Uncheck 'Automatically organize my navigation.'
- In the Configure Navigation screen, select a page you wish to move, then use the gray arrows (up, down, indent, outdent) on the right to format.
- When you are finished, click OK.
- Note that there is a Preview button so you can see what you have done.
- Be sure to click the Save changes button before returning to the site.
Share site
- How: More Actions > Share this site > select radio button for access level, add email addresses (separated by commas) > Invite these people.
Follow recent site activity
- Add Recent Site Activity to Left Bar
- How: Edit Sidebar > Add a sidebar item > Recent site activity > Add > Save Changes > Return to Site.
- Subscribe to Page or Site Changes
- More actions > Subscribe to page changes OR Subscribe to site changes. (To unsubscribe: More actions > unsubscribe.)
Create or embed blog
- Using Announcements Page
- How: Create Page > Announcements.
- Functionality: Create and edit posts right in the page. Posts display in reverse chronological order as in a blog.
- Embedding a blog via Gadgets > iFrame
- How: Edit page > Insert > More gadgets > Search for iFrames > Select iFrame > Click Select > Enter Blog URL, Width, Height, and Display title on gadget > OK.
- Functionality: login and edit blog right in the Google Sites.
Manage attachments
- Where: More Actions > Manage Site > Attachments
- Advantage: All attachments you add to specific Google Sites pages will display here.
- Functionality: upload, replace, move, rename, and delete attachments. View versions and revert to a former version.
Embed a Google Docs file (Documents, PowerPoint, Spreadsheet, Form)
- How: Edit page > Insert > Document, Presentation, Spreadsheet, Spreadsheet Form.
Embed video
- How: Edit page > Insert > Video > Google Video or YouTube Video > Enter video URL and edit Title > Save.
Embed Picasa slideshow
- How: Edit page > Insert > Picasa slideshow > Enter URL to photoalbum in Picasa and edit Title > Save.
- Functionality: Slides change about every 2 seconds.