Things You'll Need:
- Web-hosting account Content Management System (CMS) Domain name
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Step 1
Decide what information will be available on your classroom web page. Omit information that would be considered confidential unless it can be secured in a password-protected section.
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Step 2
Open an account with a web-hosting company. Web hosts provide access to Internet servers. Placing the files for your classroom web page on the host's servers will make those files available to anyone with an Internet connection. The most popular web hosts, such as GoDaddy.com and HostGator.com, can provide you with an adequate hosting account for as little as $5 per month.
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Step 3
Register an Internet domain name for your classroom web page. A domain name serves as the address for your web page. Visitors type the domain name into the address bar of a web browser and arrive at the site that the domain is affiliated with. Most web-hosting packages include at least one free dot-com domain name with the account, so check with the host you selected in the previous step to see if you can get one free. If not, domains cost an average of $6 to $9 per year, depending on the web host.
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Step 4
Set up a MySQL database to run your classroom web page. The database is where information about your web page is stored, such as who your users are, what their password is and what information will be displayed. The Content Management System will automatically put the correct information into the database, so all you need to do at this stage is to create a database to be used. Log into the control panel for your hosting account and click on the MySQL icon. Choose a name for the database and click the "Create" button. Write down the database name, user name and user password.
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Step 5
Select a Content Management System (CMS) for your classroom web page. The CMS is essentially the brain behind your web page. It stores the information that users see and determines who is authorized to view the information, as well as who is allowed to add new information to the web page. Joomla is a popular CMS because it is free. Drupal and WordPress are others.
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Step 6
Install your Content Management System. Use an FTP software program, such as FileZilla, to upload the files for the CMS to the hosting account for your classroom web page. Once the files have been uploaded, point your browser to the Internet domain name for your web page and follow the on-screen instructions. Be prepared to enter the name of your MySQL database, along with the user name and password, so that the CMS can begin to add information to the database.
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Step 7
Write the content that will appear on your classroom's web page. The content consists of all the images and text that will be presented to someone who visits the web page. What content you write depends on what type of information you would like to make available on the web page. Many teachers like to ask students to contribute content to the web page as a way of earning extra credit. Once the content has been written, log into the administrative control panel to add the information to the web page. You can also mark the content as being restricted to specific user groups, such as faculty, parents or students, or make it available to the public.
