How to use the website

What we call the "website" actually consists of two separate (but interacting) parts:

1. The graphical front-end. This is controlled with normal HTML, CSS, etc. The tools that any web designer knows, and so if you find someone who knows any web design, they'll be able to do this.
2. The database back-end. This is the part that stores user information, classes, and much more.

You have nearly complete control over the front-end, while back-end code is maintained by our Web team.

Front-End

The graphics and content of your site can be edited in several ways:

• The easiest is editing "Quasi-static data," or "QSD," which just refers to text on the website. If you're logged in as an administrator, just click the Edit link or in the box with a dotted outline, and you'll be editing the content on the page. (More info.)
• The media files for the website (images, CSS stylesheets) can be added or modified by using the file browser at https://[yoursite].learningu.org/admin/filebrowser/browse/.
• The HTML templates that are used to generate pages can be overridden at https://[yoursite].learningu.org/admin/utils/templateoverride/. You can set the appearance of every page on your site by editing a single template override (main.html).

Managing a Program

Theory/background...

• How classes are submitted and managed
• Overview of Deadlines

How to...

• Access the communications panel
• Create a program
  • Create or edit course categories
  • Create a new program type
  • Program modules documentation
• Set up teacher training and interviews
• Set program registration opening/closing dates
• Solicit and review financial aid applications
• View all submitted classes
• Accept or reject classes
• Schedule the program's classes
• Change a class's location, time, title, description, or teachers
• Cancel a class
• E-mail program participants
• Upload images or files for a specific program
• See all files uploaded for a program
• Make an online survey for a program
• Make the class catalog world-readable
• Do on-site registration or class changes
• Change what registration types students see
• Add a registration receipt
• Make a volunteer sign-up form

In general, "test everything you want to use." In particular, important tests are:

• Before student registration
• Before teacher registration
• Before the program runs

Printables

How to...

• Print student schedules
• Print student nametags
• Print teacher schedules
• Print class rosters
• Print door signs for classroom schedules
• Print administrator information
• Customize student schedules and other printables: template overrides
• Sort printables in a different order
• Customize a printable catalog

Website Content

How to...

• Edit the text of web pages
• Upload a file to the website (i.e. not associated to a particular program)
• View all uploaded files
• Customize behavior with Tags
• Choose and customize a theme

• Customize the graphic design (includes information on templates)

Managing Users

How to...

• Morph into user
• Look up user information
• Change a student's grade
• Deregister a student from a program
• Enable a teacher to register a class after the deadline
• Reset someone's password
• Give someone administrator access
• Check a student in

Back-End

Some newer documentation is available at <https://github.com/learning-unlimited/ESP-Website/tree/main/docs/admin>.

The latest release notes are at <https://github.com/learning-unlimited/ESP-Website/tree/main/docs/admin/releases/06>.

To contact the web team with questions, problems, feature requests, etc. email <websupport@learningu.org>.

Submit feature requests and non-urgent bug reports to <https://docs.google.com/a/learningu.org/spreadsheet/viewform?usp=drive_web&formkey=dFlJcnJjVHJKSUdMYzNsTm9GNGNPRUE6MQ>.

Starting Out

• Starting a site (non-technical first steps for new chapters)
• Launching A New Website Installation (slightly technical steps for brand-new sites)

Feature Requests

If you want to request a new feature or bug fix for the website, you have three choices:

1. For anything that warrants discussion, e-mail your mentors or Web support e-mail list with a description of the issue.
2. If you have a good idea of what you need, fill out our Google form here (responses are visible here)
3. If you have detailed technical knowledge of the issue, file a ticket directly on Github:
   • Go to https://github.com/learning-unlimited/ESP-Website/issues
   • Click "New Issue"
   • Provide a short descriptive title of the issue, and a detailed description (e.g. exactly how to reproduce a problem, or exactly what you want a new feature to look like). Click "Submit New Issue."
   • Associate any relevant labels with the ticket (e.g. Error, UserInterface, Enhancement, Performance).

Miscellaneous

How to...

• E-mail to graduating high school seniors
• E-mail previous program participants (e.g. to advertise your upcoming programs)
• How to request a new feature on the website
• Dev server setup script

• Continue Reading on How to design a chapter website