DFI Day 5 - Sites

Halfway there! Session five of the Digital Fluency Intensive was all about Google Sites.

Now, I’ve built a few sites before, but if there’s one thing the DFI has taught me, it’s that technology never sits still. Even though I felt like I knew my way around, I was amazed at how much has evolved since I last put on my "web designer" hat.

The "Not-So-Intuitive" Suite Member

I’ll be the first to admit it: while I’m becoming a fan of Sheets and I live in Docs, Google Sites has always felt like the slightly quirky cousin of the Google family. It’s not always as intuitive as the rest of the workspace, and because most of us don't build websites every single day, those skills can get a little rusty!

That’s why this session was so incredibly valuable. It served as the perfect "refresher" to:

Navigate the updated interface.

Remember where all those handy embedding tools are hidden.

Explore new layout options that weren't there a couple of years ago.

Making an Impact: Our School Site

The best part of today wasn't just learning—it was doing. I was able to take everything we discussed and apply it immediately to our own school site.

It felt so productive to spend time making actual improvements and meaningful additions that our staff, students, and community will see. It’s one thing to practice on a "test" site, but it’s much more rewarding to improve a resource that supports our daily mahi.

My Key Takeaways:

Don't assume you know it: Even if you've used a tool before, the "new" version probably has a few tricks up its sleeve.

Consistency is key: Revisiting these less-frequent tools keeps us digitally fluent.

Purposeful Design: A website is a living thing—it needs regular love and updates to stay useful!

I'm feeling much more confident in my web-building abilities now. It’s all about keeping those "life-long learner" gears turning!