The Internet is becoming increasingly important in higher education.  Today’s college students routinely go online to accomplish a variety of tasks, including  enrollment in classes, communicating with professors, social networking, obtaining course information, distance education, using search engines, blogging, and ecommerce.

Colleges are realizing that quality Web sites are essential for attracting and retaining students and that the costs of supporting these sites are crucial investments.

Open Source Software

The economic downturn has created significant challenges.  Many colleges have turned to open source software for affordable Web solutions (it’s free!).  Interestingly, open source software offers many  features not available in expensive, commercial software packages.   With this in mind, the Peralta Community College district is developing Web sites using WordPress open source software.  This allows Web site content management and blogging to occur in the same environment.  This environment empowers faculty, staff, and administrators to have ownership of their own Web sites.  It allows users without a technical background to develop sophisticated Web pages and provides a wide selection of themes and templates to maintain a common look and feel.  The open source paradigm makes available a myriad of free plug-ins, add-ons, and other development tools through online communities.

Be an Online Communicator – Build Your Own Web Site

If you are a Berkeley Community College faculty member, administrator, or program supervisor, you can build your own WordPress web site with interactive features like blogging and online comments.  To get started, contact jpalmer@eberkeley.org, online@peralta.edu, or (510) 981-2883.

See What Berkeley Community College is Doing

To see how members of the Berkeley Community College community are using eBerkeley Web sites and blogs, visit the eBerkeley Sites + Blogs Directory.

Click on the right to find  eBerkeleys Sites and Blogs Directory. A list of the growing number of BCC sites created with WordPress.

• Creating a  site is relatively quick and easy depending on how complicated you wish to make it.
• You will have control of your site. You can update and make changes whenever you want.
• If you are technologically shy, enroll someone to help you or make an appointment with us for help.
• Sites are available to all BCC departments, staff, and faculty.

If you would like a new WordPress site or help, contact us at:

online@peralta.edu (510) 981-2883
jpalmer@eberkeley.org

Berkeley City College,
2050 Center St.
Berkeley, CA 94704

about BCC’s Online Education: www.eberkeley.org

(510) 981-2883
online@peralta.edu,

Berkeley City College,
2050 Center St.
(between Shattuck Ave. & Milvia St.),
Berkeley, CA 94704