CNDLS Course Sites
Why Use Course Sites?
CNDLS course sites use WordPress to allow for the easy creation of a course-specific site where students may publish or even create their own sites. There are two approaches when requesting a course site:
- Use one course site for you and all your students to contribute to; or
- Use a hub-and-spoke model where you as faculty manage one central course site, while each student owns their own site.
These sites can be made public for anyone perusing the web, or private to only students and teachers in the course. Additionally, non-Georgetown users can be added to the sites.
What Can I Do With Them?
Course sites are one of the most popular uses for websites at Georgetown. Most often, faculty use the WordPress course sites for class blogs. (Read the Websites tool page to learn more about creating your own domain to host more expansive web projects using Georgetown Domains.) Created for either a single semester or extended use, a course site offers students a responsive, user-friendly social system for interacting beyond the classroom. When set to "members only," it provides a safe, private extension for classroom conversation; when set to "public," it gives students the opportunity to engage with their classmates (and even others) in a public space.
When used to reflect on research, sites can become part of a working group's or individual scholar's workflow. Research sites are a place to store and share documents, drafts, and reflections related to an academic project. Outside the classroom, thesis writers from a number of different departments, for example, have used research sites to share their research and research process with their classmates.
As students participate in practicums, internships, or other learning experiences outside the classroom, they are often asked to write short reflection papers. By using an internship site instead of a simple reflection paper, students can share their experiences with classmates participating in similar experiences outside the classroom.
ePortfolios offer the opportunity to reflect on learning and make important connections amongst courses or topics, as well as make links between academic work and life experiences. More than just traditional portfolios in digital form, ePortfolios can be edited and shared with ease. Uploading artifacts—whether they are photos, academic papers, or certifications—to an ePortfolio allows users to draw attention to their achievements and qualifications. Depending on the privacy settings an ePortfolio user selects, the ePortfolio can also be opened to search engine indexing, leading to greater discoverability and visibility.
Learn more about CNDLS’ past ePortfolio Initiative.
How Faculty Use Course Sites
Get Started
To get started with your course site, request a site and a member of the CNDLS team will reach out to you.
Get Help
Contact CNDLS
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