I love using GSuite with my classes because the ability to collaborate is phenomenal.
This year I wanted to try a little something new, so I decided to use the new Google Sites. I use it for my own website to post assignments and I am quite familiar with it, so I figured it would be no problem getting my students started using it.
I was wrong.
Not because my students couldn't handle it... They did awesome! There were just a few snags along the way.
I want to give you the opportunity to learn from my mistakes and try it for yourself, without all of the headaches! (Examples included.)
Here are the things that I have learned in assigning a website project to my students...
1. Be careful sharing a site with the whole class
1. Be careful sharing a site with the whole class
I created the site and shared it with twenty students. They were great and did not mess with each other's pages... on purpose. Just be sure that you can trust that your students will respect each other's pages.
2. Tell students not to change the theme
2. Tell students not to change the theme
The theme is connected to each page, so if one student changes the theme, it changes all of the pages. A simple solution is to have all students leave the theme alone!
3. Show students how to switch between the "insert" and "pages" options
My students were doing a webpage with some subpages, but it was confusing for some how to switch between different pages and how to insert text boxes, images, videos, etc. Just show them the tabs on the right side of the screen, and they figure it out pretty quickly!
4. Instead of having students add a ton of pages, have one page per student
If time is of the essence or if students only need to add one page, only having one page per student could save some headaches that happen when students have to switch between multiple pages. A website with many pages could be amazing, or cumbersome, depending on the task you are assigning. The websites that I have linked at the bottom of this post provide examples of both sites with many pages or only one page per student. I'd recommend starting with one page per student for beginners.
5. Show students how to add a text box
In order to type in Google Sites, students first have to add a text box. Walk them through that tool and the other tools on the "insert" tab so students can create a dynamic webpage!
6. Show students how to search for images directly in Google Sites
Images can be added directly from Google on Google Sites. This is so much simpler than searching for an image, saving it, and uploading it to Google Sites. Show students this helpful shortcut!
7. Publish often! This saves progress. Auto-save is not foolproof...
The auto-save feature on Google Sites isn't fool-proof, but it has only happened a couple times that a small amount of progress was lost. Remember to publish the site often, just in case something happens to student work!
8. There is no way to bring back a deleted page... yet.
Be careful with this! If a page is deleted, it is gone forever unless it is restored immediately. This could really ruin a kid's day. This is why I suggest publishing often and making sure that students only touch their own pages!
9. There is no way to see the revision history in Google Sites... yet.
This is a biggie. Without the option to see revisions, changes can become permanent. Deleted images or text boxes cannot be recovered if the "undo" button isn't pressed pretty quickly after something is deleted. Deleted pages cannot be recovered at all. Another down side to the lack of revision history is that when students work in groups, the teacher cannot be sure who completes which work on the page.
10. Trying out the new Google Sites was absolutely worth it!
I love assigning web sites. My students like how quick and easy it is to make a site on the new Google Sites... once they got the hang of it, that is! Try it out for yourself, and let your students be creative! It's amazing what they create for the world to see.
Websites created by my 7th and 8th grade students:
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