Collage Web Content Management

System Training

Searle Center for Teaching ExcellenceMonday, July 7, 2008

Agenda

9:00–9:15        Basic web terms

9:15–9:30        Getting your PC ready for Collage

9:30–10:00      Updates to existing pages

10:00–10:15    Creating new pages

10:15–10:30    Q & A

Basic Web Terms

• Browser: Application used to access web; e.g. Internet Explorer (IE) & Mozilla Firefox; web sites can look different on different browsers

• HTML: Coding language used to design web pages; programs like Collage & Dreamweaver allow people to create web pages without using HTML but code still accessible

• URL: Address of a web page or web site; e.g. http://www.northwestern.edu/searle; URLs automatically generated by Collage

Basic Web Terms

• URL (continued): URL shorteners: http://tinyurl.com/, http://is.gd/

• Header/footer: Consistent banner at top/bottom of web pages within web site; dictated by NU's web standards, must be changed through Web Comm

• Link (hyperlink): Reference that can take user to different location on same web page or to another web page; links can be internal, external, to email or non-web doc; can be set to open in same browser window or different window/tab

Basic Web Terms

• RSS feed: Automated way of having content from one location "fed" into another location; web site calendars are RSS feeds from Plan-It Purple; all Collage users have access to Plan-It Purple via netID & NU password; do not have to use Collage to access Plan-It Purple

 • Glossary of web terms:

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Glossary.html

Getting Your PC Ready

System Requirements • Log in (p. 1): username=netid, temporary password=_netid_

• Change password: Preferences-->User

• Java: java.com-->Restart

Getting Your PC Ready

System Requirements (continued) • Latest version of IE for Windows machines; Firefox for Macs

• Bookmark Collage URL: http://fowler.itcs.northwestern.edu

Getting Your PC Ready

Collage Support • Center Collage wiki,http://searlecollage.pbwiki.com/

• From Web Comm, Nathan Wiens, ndw@northwestern.edu, 1-1500

• Web Comm hiring someone specifically for Collage help line

• Web updates check-in: Wed, July 16 @ 11am, Center Library, bring questions

Updates to Existing Pages

• Use formatting buttons within Collage

• Use “clear formatting” to undo

• Avoid usual shortcuts, e.g. CTRL+B, CTRL+Z

• Cut & paste shortcuts OK, CTRL+C, CTRL+V

**Check Web Update Guidelines for necessary approvals**

Updates to Existing Pages

• General Formatting (pp. 7-8)o Use bold, italics, underline sparingly

• Links o Internal, external, email (pp. 8-12)o To a document that is not web-based (pp. 18-19)

• Anchors (pp.12-14)

• Tables

• Deploying changes (pp. 20-21)

**Check Web Update Guidelines for necessary approvals**

Creating New Pages

Training packet pp. 1-7

**Check Web Update Guidelines for necessary approvals**

Collage Tips

• Work on one page at a time, including update & deployment; working on multiple pages means multiple windows

• Type content directly into Collage fields or use Notepad (simple text/no formatting)

• Reverse spell check; copy from Collage or Notepad into Word to check spelling

Collage Tips

• Preview changes within Collage; check all deployed pages in browser(s)

• Check internal and external links, if URLs already logged in Collage and functionality after deployed

Collage Tips

Proof, preview, check, test!

Q & A

http://searlecollage.pbwiki.com/