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Using a content management system in education

Content management systems (CMS) are computer programs which are used to create and maintain websites. There are many different CMS programs. Each type of CMS can be customised with specific functions, enabling you to a have various options (modules) on your website, depending on your needs. Options include: modules for publishing news, modules for displaying on-line books and modules for creating blogs.

Content management systems can be beneficial in educational settings, because:

• Students and teachers can use a CMS to easily create web pages. By being involved in creating material for a website, students become more familiar with the subject-matter. For example, when creating a website about a science class, students will have to find appropriate subject-related information and present it effectively on the website. This process that requires students to read and understand the subject matter.
• Working together in groups to create material for a website enables students to learn to work in teams.
• By showcasing students' work through a website, students can gain a sense of pride in their work and a sense of purpose - motivating them to study the subject.
• Class websites can provide a means by which students can access useful information quickly and easily. Teachers can regularly update the class website with new material for classes, instead of providing new books or making photocopies.
• Websites make it easy to share information and documents, which makes administrative tasks more efficient.
• Storing and sharing information on-line (on a website) saves paper, printing costs and mailing costs.
• If information is stored on a website, that information can be accessed when you are away from the school or office - simply by viewing the website.

Creating class websites and web pages

A website can be like having a bulletin board in your classroom. Normally a bulletin board is put on the wall and has information on it about daily activities, a calendar of upcoming events, some articles pertaining to class material, and gives merit to well performing students. All this content changes over time, but is posted on a single board to share with the class. A classroom website can provide the same thing for your classroom but instead of only being visible in a classroom, a website can be seen everywhere and at any time.

Steps in creating a class website:

1. After discussing the idea with students in the class, the teacher requests the assistance of the school's technical staff and selects an appropriate website template, with any add-ons that may be required. (If the school does not yet have a website or CMS, it will be necessary for the technical staff to install a CMS program first. See the "Important Considerations" section below).
2. The students and teacher work together to prepare text for the website and find relevant images. The website can be divided into sections and students can work in separate groups to produce content for each section. 
3. If the web content management system that is chosen does not require technical skills, the students and teacher can enter the text into the "back-end", and see previews of how the text will appear to visitors.
4. When the text and images have been finalised and approved, the website can be made available to the public.
5. Using the web content management system, the website can be updated by students or the teacher on a regular basis.

Important considerations

Before you can create web pages, you must first select an appropriate CMS and set up a website. Your school or office technical staff will be able to install the CMS program for you but you need to first choose an appropriate CMS.

There are many CMS programs to choose from. Some examples of CMS programs are provided in this CD-ROM (Typo3, Drupal and Postnuke). There are, however, many other CMS options available. Which CMS to choose depends on many things, including:

• The cost of the program in relation to your school or office budget (Is the CMS free? Does it require a licence fee?).
• The ease of use (How easy is it to use? How long will it take for staff to learn to use it?).
• The number of people that will be using the CMS (can many people use the CMS at the same time?).
• How the website should appear to users (Will your website have many images? What kind of lay-out and appearance will your website have?).

When the appropriate CMS has been chosen, the technical staff can install the program and the required modules. (Instructions are provided on this CD-ROM for how to install Typo3, Drupal and Postnuke.)

After everything has been set up, it is necessary to train teachers and administrative staff in how to use the CMS. Often, tutorials on how to use the CMS are available on-line. Refer to the sections on this CD-ROM which introduce the CMS programs (Typo 3, Drupal and Postnuke) for links to the program websites.

Tips

• Choose a simple content management system, so that students do not have to spend much time learning how to use it. The students should focus on the subject-matter, not on the technology they are using.
• Use the content management system and website to reduce your workload and to save money. For example, instead of printing out or photocopying information, provide the information to students and staff on-line.
• Remember to keep track of updates and changes in the technical modules you have installed. This is important in case the module becomes outdated and you need to move to something with a similar function but different name.

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