WordPress 101 – IT Living Lab

A University department has asked that a guide for the use of WordPress, an open source website development software, be created for students to use and follow so they may get the basics of WordPress to add to their knowledge of web design. This guide will have an accompany interactive website that the student will be able to view and play with to help further their understanding. The guide will cover such things as:

Plug-ins
User Roles
Pages vs Posts
Themes
Moving from Development to Live

The university department hopes to be able to hand this guide out to someone who has not used WordPress before and allow them to come back with a finished site that will be of both high quality and functionality.

Project Student: John F. Wiegand

Testimonials

The Living Lab has given me vital insight into what a career in the IT field could potentially look like. From learning to manage my time, deal with unforseen problems, and work with others, to completing group projects and meeting deadlines, the Living Lab has provided me an opportunity to learn and grow as a future IT professional. Matthew Smerdel

The Living Lab provided me with a unique, real-world experience that other classes cannot. This class enabled me to use the skills that I have acquired from my previous classes and apply them to a real-world setting. Kris Westermann

The Living Lab experience has helped me better understand my abilities and what I need to work on. I worked with others in a team and also learned to lead others when my project needed help. In a previous IT job, I did similar tasks to those in the Living Lab, and it shows just how good an experience this can be to help others be better prepared when they graduate. Justin Tanner Andrew

My Living Lab experience has been really challenging and a life-learning, real-world experience. James Lamar Willis

The Living Lab is like having an IT job in the field. You are pushed and pulled in many different directions with many different projects. You are thrown into situations that need to be figured out. The guidance is there, but nothing beats that feeling of figuring it out by yourself. Aaron Hook

The Living Lab has given me the chance to work on a project that I have yet to encounter in my six years of IT experience. It’s broadened my horizons and given me a great chance to work with other students in my field. I have also been able to pick up information from other fields of IT that I wouldn’t have been able to learn in my current job. Jerry Henderson

I have definitely determined that this class could be just like a real life IT position. You never know how long a project might take, even a simple task. I’ve had some tasks take only a couple of hours, and I worked on one project for 36 hours straight. But I feel that Living Lab is helping to prepare me for what will come in the professional world. Eugene Gephart

Before Living Lab, I had no work experience related to my IT career. I am grateful to my teachers for their support and encouragement on my projects. I experienced projects hands-on and improved my soft and technical skills. I learned how to work independently and also with a team as needed. I recommend students learn by direct practice and experience the Living Lab. It will introduce you to your prospective career! Ibrahim Issakha Doude

As a web development major, I was able to develop several different web sites from the ground up. I could easily use these projects as examples of my work in a portfolio. Josh Apgar

Living Lab is a great class to gain experience that you can apply to the real world. The small class means there is more one-on-one time with the lab instructor. The Living Lab also lets you get your hands dirty with hardware and not just focus on exams and homework. I can apply what I learned in other classes to real-world scenarios. My favorite thing about Living Lab is that I can put everything that I achieve in class on my resume, which puts me ahead of the curve with potential employers. Bhaumik Yashesh Pandya