Building Educational Websites with WordPress: Training for Students and Teachers

This 5-day, 15-hour hands-on training is designed to equip high school students and teachers with practical skills to create and manage websites tailored for educational purposes, academic projects, and real-world applications. Participants will learn how to create professional, functional websites using WordPress, enabling them to tackle UNEB web design questions with confidence while developing essential digital skills. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have built a fully functional website suited to educational needs and gained the knowledge required to maintain and enhance it effectively.

What Will Be Covered
Day 1: Getting Started with WordPress

• Topics:
• Introduction to WordPress and its role in education.
• Understanding domains, hosting, and WordPress installation (local and online).
• Exploring the WordPress dashboard: posts, pages, themes, plugins, and settings.
• Setting up a WordPress site for educational or project use.
• Activities:
• Participants will install WordPress, set up their first site, and create a simple “About Us” page for their school or project.

#### Day 2: Designing an Educational Website

• Topics:
• Selecting and installing themes suitable for schools or academic projects.
• Customizing themes using the WordPress Customizer, Elementor and Secure Custom Fields (SCF).
• Understanding the structure of educational websites (homepages, contact pages, resources).
• Adding menus, headers, footers, and widgets.
• Activities:
• Participants will design the homepage of their website and customize navigation menus.

#### Day 3: Adding Content and Features

• Topics:
• Creating and managing pages and posts for blogs or project documentation.
• Embedding multimedia content: images, videos, and documents.
• Using essential plugins for functionality: forms, calendars, and galleries.
• Introduction to creating custom post types and dynamic pages, such as event or notice boards.
• Activities:
• Participants will add blog posts, create an events calendar, and embed media to enhance their websites.

#### Day 4: Tackling UNEB Web Design Questions and Practical Skills

• Topics:
• Understanding UNEB web design requirements and expectations.
• Building sample projects aligned with UNEB web design questions using WordPress.
• Problem-solving: addressing common challenges in web design.
• Advanced customization with plugins and shortcodes.
• Activities:
• Participants will complete a mock UNEB web design question and refine their skills based on real-life scenarios.

#### Day 5: Finalizing, Launching, and Maintaining Websites

• Topics:
• Testing websites for functionality, speed, and responsiveness.
• Publishing websites.
• Maintaining a WordPress site: updates, backups, and security tips.
• Exploring analytics tools for website traffic monitoring.
• Activities:
• Participants will finalize their websites, launch them online, and present them for peer feedback.

### Expected Outcomes

By the end of this training, participants will:

1. Create a fully functional website for educational or project purposes.
2. Be equipped to confidently tackle UNEB web design questions.
3. Develop critical digital literacy skills for their academic and professional futures.
4. Understand how to maintain, update, and optimize their websites for long-term use.

This hands-on training will empower students and teachers to leverage technology in education, bridging the digital skills gap and fostering innovation.