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Category: Commons Sites

  • Block Editor’s “List View”

    “List View” displays how the blocks work together on a page, and provides access to each block’s settings. “List View” can be accessed by clicking the icon pictured above, which is always available in the Block Editor toolbar. Continue reading →

  • Full Site Editing

    Full Site Editing (“FSE”) lets users design every part of a WordPress post or page, with modular blocks.  No coding is needed, but users do need to understand how FSE works. A good understanding how templates are used in WordPress. Continue reading →

  • Classic Widgets

    There is a big change in the way widgets are handled with the release of WordPress 5.8. Previously, Commons members added widgets to “widget areas” (sidebars, footers, etc.) by going to Appearance>>Widgets or to Customize>>Widgets. There they found an array … Continue reading →

  • Social Sharing Buttons

    Often, site admins want to show social buttons on their sites so that readers can easily share content. There are a number of options available on the Commons to do this. Check if your theme has this functionality built in. … Continue reading →

  • Conference Template

    The conference template is designed to help organizers create and host a site for a conference or event on the Commons . To use the Conference Template, you will select the template during the site creation process. More information on … Continue reading →

  • Adding a Menu Item

    On your dashboard, go to appearance, then customize. Click on Menus, then Add Items at bottom. Select Custom Links, then add the URL and some text. Don’t forget to click Publish when done! It will look like this:

  • CommentPress

    CommentPress

    Commentpress lets readers comment on each paragraph of a document or respond in-line to other comments. Developed by the Institute for the Future of the Book, it is a terrific way for writers to solicit and track critiques of their … Continue reading →

  • Grading & Assessment

    The Commons aims to support various grading methods and therefore does not offer a native grade book. However, the Commons does offer several tools for formative assessment to provide private feedback and low-stakes “grades” to students. Data about student work … Continue reading →

  • Monster Insights (for Google Analytics)

    The Commons has the “Lite” version of the Monster Insights plugin. While it does not provide all the bells and whistles of the “Pro” version, it does a decent job of providing the metrics that you need, right on your … Continue reading →

  • Setting up Google Analytics 4 On Your Commons Site

      Getting Started This document assumes that you are using the most recent version – Google Analytics 4. If you are using Universal Analytics (aka Google Analytics 2 or 3), please use these instructions. Please note that On July 1, 2023, … Continue reading →