WordPress

WordPress is a web publishing and blogging platform.

General WordPress Information

Well known for its blogging capabilities, WordPress is a flexible and easy-to-use open source Content Management System (CMS), which is also capable of creating more traditional websites. 

The functionality of WordPress can be extended by using various themes and plugins. Remember that the support available for a given theme or plugin varies on a case-by-case basis. If you intend to use an unsupported theme or plugin, the Libraries and ITS can help guide you toward a viable alternative.

To see the broad range of theming possibilities, visit the Wordpress.org site showcase (non-academic site specific)

Official WordPress Site 
Official WordPress Codex (Documentation)

Getting Started

Swarthmore College ITS offers several hosting options for WordPress. The location of your site will depend upon your specific use case. Common use cases on campus:

Using WordPress in the classroom with Moodle

This use case allows faculty to create the site without assistance from ITS 

If your project is associated with a specific course, WordPress is likely the easiest CMS to get up and running at Swarthmore. This is because Swarthmore's Moodle is equipped with a plugin that can automatically create one WordPress site per class. Registered course participants are also easily added through the plugin.

For more information on using WordPress with Moodle, see the full documentation.

Using WordPress outside of Moodle

Some faculty members may wish to use WordPress to maintain a homepage for a research project/lab, a forum for collaboration, or a personal blog/homepage. These sites can be quickly created using the Domain of One's Own website creation platform. To request a domain name and website, go https://domains.swarthmore.edu/, click the "Get Started" button, and fill out the interest form.

Faculty are encouraged to create a domain both for their own professional use and for the use of public course projects. Domains are not a replacement for Moodle but are rather intended to create space for faculty to:

• Collaborate with students on a digital course and/or research projects 

• Develop data visualization projects or blogs

• Showcase your own research and teaching activities 

• Curate your professional online presence

• Have your students develop e-portfolios

• Design a landing page for your academic conference or event

Keep in mind that there are several options for creating websites on campus. It's entirely possible that your project may be better suited for the primary College CMS, Drupal. Contact your Academic Technologist, or support@swarthmore.edu in order to discuss the details of your request.