Basic Steps in Creating Web Pages
Module 4

How you handle (or present) Web pages depends on the directions you give the computer.  There are four ways you can tell the computer how you want the information displayed.
 

1. You can learn the codes that make up the language called HTML.
2. You can pay someone to do it for you.
3. You can use an "authoring" website to create pages for you (like MySchool Online, Quia, or others).
4. You can use an authoring tool to create your own web pages.

Educators usually don't have the time or funds for the first two options.  Option 3 and 4 both have advantages and disadvantages.  We can provide information for option 3 but this lesson provides information on Option 4.

Major Steps:

In reality, creating a set of Web pages cannot be reduced to a simple set of steps that can be followed.  Unlike a recipe, you cannot follow a set of steps and out pops an award-winning Web site.  There are many "correct" answers and quite a few "bad" approaches.

Having said that, here are some general approaches you may take:
 

1. Sketch out your layout.  (We'll skip that here, but when doing your "real" site, it is very, very, very important)

 
2. Create a folder on your desktop or in your server folder (it can be anywhere, but the desktop or server folder is a good place for now).  Give it a name that is simple, descriptive, and contains no spaces or special characters... use letters, numbers, hyphens(-), and underscores (_) only.  All your files will go into this folder.

 
3. Put any pictures you plan to use in the folder.  A good idea is to  create another folder inside this one for the pictures.  You could call the folder "Pictures" or "Resources" but that is certainly up to you.

 
4. Create your web pages and save them in the folder.

 
5. Test out your site.  When it is working, save it to a server location for your coordinator to move it to the district Web page site.  (Check with him/her for specifics.)  Be sure your pages follow all guidelines for Web pages as listed on the DSISD website.  The Acceptable Use Policy and Web Guidelines are listed here on the Internet.

 There are several "sub-steps" that need to be completed as well.  Pictures and files must be in specified formats and must be named properly.  Once placed, files should not be renamed  or moved, but if this is necessary, the connections need to be redone.