WordPress Training and Professional Development

Learning Opportunities

Introduction to WordPress at Boise State

Participants will learn how to use WordPress and Boise State’s WordPress theme, including creating pages and content, using Panels, creating and managing local and section navigation, and understanding web standards and best practices.

Recorded Session

This class is available online via a recorded Zoom session. Note: If you require access to the training site referenced in the recorded training, or for additional information, please contact Brandon Mart at brandonmart@boisestate.edu.

Watch “Introduction to WordPress” (Recorded Session)

Gravity Forms Basics

Gravity Forms is the supported method used for WordPress forms development and management at Boise State. By ensuring web form data is transmitted and stored in a secure, reliable manner, Gravity Forms is an effective and reliable form solution. Learn when to use a Gravity Form, how to design forms, and how to manage form data.

It is strongly recommended that individuals who are new to Boise State’s WordPress theme attend the “Introduction to WordPress” session (or view a session recording) before registering for this learning opportunity.

Recorded Session

Watch “Gravity Forms Basics” (Recorded Session)

Optimize Images for the Web

Our Boise State WordPress theme provides several options for adding images to web pages, but are your images optimized for size, file type, height and width? Unoptimized images can cause performance issues for readers with slow connections and may even cause people to leave your site completely instead of waiting for it to load. Also, images of the wrong size may also result in panels cropping your photos in a way you don’t intend, or displaying as pixelated or otherwise low-quality images. Learn how to prepare images for the web that are formatted, sized, and compressed to improve page performance and user experience.

SEO Optimization and Best Practices

Search engine optimization (SEO) is often about making small modifications to parts of your website. When viewed individually, these changes might seem like incremental improvements, but when combined with other optimizations, they could have a noticeable impact on your site’s user experience and performance in organic search results. Good SEO helps search engines understand and present you content, and applying best practices for SEO optimization can improve readability and overall user experience.

Web Accessibility at Boise State University

Boise State values inclusiveness and access for all students, faculty and staff. The Americans with Disabilities Act prevents individuals with disabilities from being denied the benefits of services, programs or activities at Boise State, which including content on our WordPress public-facing websites. This session will address how accessibility standards impact current web content, how you can help bring your content into compliance, and best practices for creating future content that both minimizes legal risk to the University and ensures access for everyone.

Create Accessible Documents for the Web

Learn how to create accessible PDF and Microsoft Office documents for the web. Participants will also learn techniques for repairing existing documents to comply with federal law and university policy.

Web Content Accessibility Micro-Certification Badge

The Web Content Accessibility Micro-Certification Badge is a free professional development opportunity for all eligible Boise State employees. The course is available in a flexible online format and designed to meet the needs of WordPress site administrators and web content editors to draft, edit, publish, and remediate accessible web content.

View Web Content Accessibility Micro-Certification Badge program information