Step 4. Add Course Details
In this step, you will add a section to your homepage that informs students about critical details pertaining to your course -- with an emphasis on weeks one and two.
Keep in mind that you are preparing a resource for your students to help them be ready to go when your course begins. Take some time to think about what they need to know to be successful right off the bat. Also, keep in mind that your students will be managing different expectations for multiple courses. The more clear you can be now about how your course is structured, the better.
Add a "How This Course Works" Section
In this section you will inform your students about the course start date, synchronous (live) meeting dates (if applicable), and details about how these will be held (for example, "in Zoom"), any other critical dates for the first two weeks of the class.
- Add a new section below section two (the section with your video and welcome note). To do this, double click in the white space below section two and select the Tt in the center of the circle (just like you did in the last step!).
- Create a Heading. Click on Normal text and toggle it to Heading.
- In the text box, type "How this course works." Using language that is non-academic will ensure more of your students can quickly and easily understand your message. This is what you should see on your screen:
- Change the section background of your heading. Hover your mouse over the heading and select the palette icon in the far left column.
- Toggle the section background from Regular to Emphasis 1, Emphasis 2, or choose Image to upload or select an image. If you choose an image, Google Sites will adjust the image's color to ensure there is sufficient contrast with your text. This is a built-in accessibility feature!
- Add another new section containing a text box under your lovely header. To do so, double click in the white space below your header and select Tt from the round panel.
- In this text box, you will create subheading text to distinguish the main sections and body or Normal text below each subheading containing course details.
- Double in the new text box.
- Type the words "The Essentials."
- Toggle the text style from Normal to Subheading.
- Place your cursor at the end of the word Essentials and press enter on your keyboard. Notice that your text has now toggled back to Normal text. That's good!
- Make a bulleted list of the pertinent information students need to know about your course. To make a bulleted list, type your text (in concise, separate lines) and then choose the Bulleted list icon from the text formatting toolbar.
- Now you know how to add Headings, Subheadings, Normal text and Normal text formatted as a bulleted list! Your next step is to keep building out that same text box by adding additional sub-headings and body text (Normal text). We suggest that you include a subheading for "How to be successful" and include your advice here. Remember, be supportive and concise.
- Instead of saying, "Don't submit late work," say, "Strive to submit assignments on time to ensure you don't get behind. That can be an overwhelming feeling and may prevent you from achieving what you are capable of."
- When you are done with your additional sub-headings and body text, you are finished with this step!
Check your progress
👍 Awesome job! Your How this course works section should now look something like this.