What is WordPress?

WordPress is a tool that is important for publishing content. It is a great tool that can be used by anyone who enjoys blogging. It is used on many college campuses by both professors and students. It has become such a popular tool to use because it does not require much technological knowledge. It allows teachers and students to share curricular work over the web which has become an important tool for higher education.

WordPress accounts made on a college campus is available for the whole campus community to see. While this website was mostly designed for blogging, there are other uses for this website as well. It has become an alternate for some parts of a system called a learning management system or an LMS. Therefore, many college campuses are being transformed into a social network with things such as a discussion forum.

Why is Wordpress Signifigant?

WordPress has long term affects that could actually help the student in future. WordPress is seen as a learning expirence. Having this learning expirence will allow students to be more comfortable having an online identity after they graduate. Thoses schools that add BuddyPress to their Wordpress have an even greater advantage while they are still in school. This allows the student to become involved with their peers work by commenting and helps improve everyone’s performance.

Downsides

While WordPress is a great tool, it has its limitations. In order to ensure that all accounts are protected from the public by a safeguard, a investment in an IT is required. The school must install WordPress in order to get an LMS at all. While both of these are downsides, there is one that involves the students attitude toward the tool. Many students do not like it because they feel it unnecessary to learn another tool that is not used in their other classes.

WordPress’s Future

Project GoalWordPress’s goal is to increase a students success and confidence of having an online identity. Because WordPress allows the students to create portfolios, work done may be viewed and commented on by professors and peers. This allows the campus community to become closer. As WordPress is used more and more, the student will have a sense of confidence with the online world and their online identities.

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StudiesWordPress has become increasingly popular. There are 350 million people who view more than 2.5 billion pages each month. People who use WordPress produce 500,000 new posts and 400,000 new comments each day. Lastly, this website has blogs written in over 120 languages. The top 10 include English (66%), Spanish (8.7%), Portuguese (6.5%), Indonesian (3.5%), Italian (2%), German (1.8%), French (1.4%), Russian (1.1%), Vietnamese (1.1%) and Swedish (1%).

WordPressPresented by Lauren Cox and Melissa Sluberski

As times goes on, WordPress will only improve. It is thought that more tools will be developed making WordPress the best it has ever been. For example, a new tool called Anthologize allows writers to edit their work, before it becomes public. It is also believed that mobile access to blogs will become more popular due to WordPress. Overall, WordPress is expected to increase the number of bloggers by increasing students confidence level.