Wiki+Basics

Wiki Basics - A quick and easy guide for getting started with Wikispaces. toc

Getting Started -
Wikispaces has a great video tutorial that shows how to do everything to get started... If your not sure of what to do, take a few moments to watch the videos! - Check out the [|wikispaces video tutorial] (http://www.wikispaces.com/site/tour#introduction)

- You may also want to check out the Wikispaces Help page (http://www.wikispaces.com/help) and their set of step by step instructions.

- Wikispaces Training Materials - http://www.wikispaces.com/help+teachers - go to the bottom of the page...

This wiki is being designed as an instructional tool for teachers to learn the basics of wikis.

Wikis are an easy way for teachers to create websites.

GETTING STARTED
To JOIN Wikispaces start here: http://www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers - Sign up by creating a username and password, etc. - **The help videos above do a great job...take the time to watch!** - PERMISSIONS - If you don't want people to view your site right away, click on MANAGE SPACE - Select the PERMISSIONS button and set your wiki to PRIVATE. - I recommend always keeping a school wiki PROTECTED so that only members can make changes.

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**ACCESS**
- Wikispaces can be set up so that only MEMBERS can make changes to a page. - If you are a member, you will be able to click on the "EDIT THIS PAGE" button above...

**EDITING PAGES**
- Adding content is easy! - In EDIT mode, it is very similar to working in MS Word and/or Powerpoint.. - You can type what you want, make things **BOLD,** __UNDERLINED,__ etc...

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NOTE - If you want to start adding pages...see below... I suggest getting comfortable with your HOME page first!

**ADDING LINKS**
- This can be done 3 ways... 1. If you type in a URL - It will automatically become a link... - If I type: [|www.wssd.org] it automatically becomes a link.

2. COPY and PASTE - If there is a link on another page (such as Portaportal) you can highlight the link then COPY and PASTE it into your wikispace.

media type="custom" key="3089748" 3. Click on the **INSERT LINK** icon in the toolbar... - Using this you can modify the link by adding LINK TEXT and also cutting and pasting web addresses... - You can also link to other wikispaces directly...

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**DOCUMENTS and IMAGES** -
- Click on the "Green Palm Tree" icon in the menu bar. - A window will open where you can BROWSE and UPLOAD files - To add a document, simply DOUBLE-CLICK on the File you want to INSERT NOTE - Make sure you have placed your curser at the proper spot on the page where you want to insert!

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WIDGETS
- Widgets are a way to display content from other web pages within your wiki page (TeacherTube Videos, etc.) - Widgets are EMBEDDED into your wiki page.... and it's easy to do! 1. Click on the blue TV in the the menu bar. 2. From the window, select the type of file you want to embed. 3. Read the directions and/or follow the links to the site you want to embed. NOTE - Anytime you find a website that has "embed" code or a "share" feature, you can add it as a widget. - Just copy and paste the code into a Widget Box!

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**NAVIGATION MENU -**
The Navigation Menu or Sidebar is the list of pages/links on the left side of the webpage. - To add links to other pages here, click on "Edit Navigation" - A new "page" will open up which looks like a regular wiki page. - Add your links as you would want them to appear in the Sidebar - When you SAVE, you will return to your original Wiki Page and the Sidebar will be updated. - I recommend DELETING and managing the Navigation Menu manually. - See my notes on Adding Pages below...
 * NOTE** - Wikispaces automatically inserts a Widget that adds new pages to the Navigation Menu whenever you click on NEW PAGE.

**media type="custom" key="3089956" ADDING PAGES** -
HOME - The first page you create is always called HOME. - As you add pages, you may name them as you please...my advice is to keep names simple!

The easiest way to add new pages is by simultaneously adding links in the Navigation Menu (sidebar) - Click on "Edit Navigation" as if you were going to add new links - Click on the Link Icon in the Editor Menu - In the Add Link Window, type in the Name for your new page - Click on the Wiki Link option - Select the "new page" option - Type in the name of your new page. - This will Automatically create your new page AND add it to the Nav. Menu.

**MANAGE SPACE -**
The Manage Space link is where you can go to manage all of your pages, accounts and permissions. Items that are useful - - List Pages - lists all of the pages in your space...you can edit, delete, lock, print, etc. - Look and Feel - This is where you can change background colors, add a "logo", - Members and Permissions - This is where you can control who can see your site - List and Upload Files - You can upload documents and images here or when you edit individual pages.

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