Updated 8/16/2021

Contents


In this article, you’ll learn how to use the hub administrator settings to set up a new hub or modify an existing hub. The screenshots and example hubs are from OER Commons, but the instructions will be the same for your microsite.  


Setting Up a New Network Hub

  1. Go to Site Admin for your microsite. You must first have administrator permissions for Hubs from your microsite administrator before you can access Site Admin. Your microsite administrator can also provide you with the URL for Site Admin.

  2. Scroll to Hubs, and then select +Add next to Network Hubs.



  1. Now you are on the Add network hub screen.



  1. On the Add network hub screen, complete these fields:


Choose a title
In Site Admin, on the Add network hub screen, enter your hub's name in the Title field. The Title will appear in the middle of the large image at the top of the hub and in the top left of the hub.

Define where you want the Title to appear

If desired, uncheck the box for Title is displayed to remove the Title from the middle of the large image. The Title will remain in the upper left corner by default.


Add SEO keywords

In the SEO Keywords field, add as many relevant words as possible to make your hub appear higher in search rankings on the Internet and so people can find your hub more easily. Separate keywords by comma.


Choose a URL

In the Slug field, add the part of the hub's URL that will appear after /hubs. For example, in https://www.oercommons.org/hubs/k12, "k12" is the slug.


Add your hub logo

Your hub logo will appear in the top left of the hub. We support all image formats (png, jpg, etc.). This image will also appear with your hub on the Discover Our Network Hubs page.


Add the Hub to your microsite

Check the box for Display on all hubs page for your hub to appear on the Discover Our Network Hubs page.  



Creating a Cover for the Hub

In Site Admin, on the Add network hub screen, let’s fill out the Cover section. Think of the Cover as the top part of your hub that has the large cover (banner) image, a logo, and a Description. 



Add a Description

In the Description field, enter a description to appear under the hub Title in the middle of the cover image on your hub’s home page.


Upload a Cover (banner) image

In the Cover field, upload your desired cover image. We support all image formats (png, jpg, etc.). Your image will appear as the main image at the top of the hub’s home page. In the K-12 Remote Learning example, the orange sneakers are the cover image. In the Branch Alliance OER Hub example, the people sitting around the table are the cover image.


Upload a Cover logo image

If desired, in the Cover logo field, upload a second logo image to appear in the middle of the cover image. If you don’t upload an image, the main logo will appear in the top left of the page. In the K-12 Remote Learning example, the Cover logo was a transparent file that can't be seen on the page. In the Branch Alliance OER Hub example, the Cover logo appears as a rectangular image above the hub title. 



Add a colored filter

In the Color wash field, choose a color wash for your cover image if desired. A color wash is like a filter that can 1) improve the contrast between the cover image and the Description text, for better accessibility, and 2) can help your cover image align more closely with your brand guidelines.


Save your changes

Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Save and continue editing before moving to the next section. After you do this, you’ll see new fields to complete.



Note: For now, skip the next section of this article called About. We will cover About later in this article (in Adding a Learn About section). 


Check your changes

On the Add network hub screen, select View on Site in the top right corner to see the hub on the site. After you save changes, you can refresh your screen and see your changes immediately implemented in your hub.  



Adding and Editing Sections

In Site Admin, on the Add network hub screen, in Sections, you will build and manage content for your hub. 



Select section Type

Select the desired section Type from the dropdown list. Each Section type serves a different need, from a Learn About section to a Tools section, and everything in between. 


Add a Section

Select +Add another Section to start a new section.


Add a section Title

Enter the section Title that will appear at the top of your new section. 


Add a Section to your hub

Check the box Is active for the section to appear on the hub.


Define the Section order

Order the sections on your hub. Enter 1 in the Order box to make a section appear first.


Add a Parent

The Parent feature is used to create hierarchies in Tabs sections that contain multiple sections, such as Groups and Collections. If desired, choose one of your section Titles from the dropdown menu to be the Parent of a new “child” section. (For more details, see Adding Groups and Collections Tabs in this article.) In this example, Professional Development & OER is the Parent of the Professional Learning: STEM section. 



Add a Description

In the Description field, enter a description of the section. The Description will appear at the start of the section.


Save your changes

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save and continue editing before moving to the next section. 



Adding a Learn About Section

The Learn About section is usually the first section in a hub. In this example, the Learn About section is called About Hub Creation Sample. 



Create a Learn About section

In Site Admin, on the Add network hub screen, scroll down to the Sections section, where Learn About is a section type. 



Follow the same steps for adding a new section to the Add network hub screen.

  1. Add a new Learn About section. 

  2. Enter the section Title that will appear at the top of your new section. 

  3. Check the box Is active for the section to appear on the hub.

  4. Order the sections on your hub. Enter 1 in the Order box to make a section appear first.

  5. Select Save and continue editing before moving to the next step.



Complete the About section details

Scroll to the About section of the Add network hub screen.



Add a Description

In the Description field for the About section, explain the kind of information your Hub includes and what tasks the instructors can accomplish in the hub. 


Link your hub’s Twitter account

Check the box for Activate Twitter to add a link to your hub’s Twitter account. 


Add Twitter URL

In the Twitter URL field, enter the Twitter URL for your hub.



Activate Events

Check the box for Activate Event to add a link to your hub’s Events schedule.


Add Event schedule details

In the Event schedule field, add the event details.


Save your changes

Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Save and continue editing before moving to the next section.



Adding Collections and Groups

Adding a Collection to a Hub

Adding a collection to a hub is a lot like adding a group to a hub. In brief, you will create a Collections section in Site Admin and then either stay in Site Admin or go to Hub Settings > Collections on your hub to assign specific collections to the hub and make them display in the Collections section.

To add a Collections section to a hub in Site Admin:

  1. In Site Admin, go to Network Hubs and select Hubs.



  1. Select your hub from the list.



  1. On your hub’s page, scroll to Sections, and select +Add another Section.

  1. For Type, choose Curated Collections.

  2. Enter your desired Title for the section. Here we used Collections.

  1. Check the box for Is Active if you’re ready for the section to display on the hub. This is also where you can make a section inactive if desired.

  2. Enter text in the Description box if desired. This text displays at the top of the section.

  3. Select Save and continue editing at the bottom of the page.

  4. Now your Collections section is set up! Select View on site in the top right of the page to check out your hub!

Now you will select the collections to display in the Collections section. You can do this in Site Admin or you can do it with Hub Settings in your hub. If you have Superuser permissions (usually only held by microsite administrators), the advantage of staying in Site Admin is that you can make a new collection on the fly. Here we will go through both options, starting with Site Admin.

To add Collections to a Collections section in Site Admin:

  1. In Site Admin, scroll to the Curated Collections section of the page, and select +Add another Curated Collection. 



  1. Select the magnifying glass icon and search for the desired collection in the Select Collection popup window.

  2. Select the collection name to add the collection to your hub. If you are a Superuser, select Add Collection to create a new collection on the fly.



  1. If you are ready to make your Collection active, check the box for Is Active. This is also where you can make a Collection inactive if desired.

  2. In the Display in section, choose the desired hub section where your collection will appear. 

  3. Select Save or Save and Continue Editing.

  4. That’s it! Go to your hub to see your new collection!


To add a collection to a Collections section using Hub Settings:

  1. Go to your hub and select Hub Settings. 



  1. Select Collections from the left side of the page.

  2. Select New.

  1. Complete the Add New Collection box.

  1. For Collection, choose the desired collection name.

  2. For Order, choose the order in which you want the collection to appear in the Curated Collections section of the hub.

  3. If you are ready to make your collection active, check the box for Is Active. This is also where you can make a collection inactive if desired.

  4. In the Display in section, choose the name you’ve given your Curated Collections section on your hub. 

  5. Select Add. 

  1. That’s it! Your new collection will appear in your hub’s Curated Collections section. 


Adding a Group to a Hub

Adding a group to a hub is a lot like adding a collection to a hub. In brief, you will create a Groups section in Site Admin and then either stay in Site Admin or go to Hub Settings > Groups on your hub to assign specific groups to the hub and make them display in the Groups section.

To add a Group section to a hub in Site Admin:

  1. In Site Admin, go to Network Hubs and select Hubs.



  1. Select your hub from the list.



  1. On your hub’s page, scroll to Sections, and select +Add another Section.

  1. For Type, choose Groups.

  2. Enter your desired Title for the section. Here we used Groups.

  3. Check the box for Is Active if you’re ready for the section to display on the hub. This is also where you can make a section inactive if desired.

  4. Enter text in the Description box if desired. This text displays at the top of the section.

  5. Select Save and continue editing at the bottom of the page.

  6. Now your Groups section is set up! Select View on site in the top right of the page to check out your hub!

Now you will select the groups to display in the Groups section. You can do this in Site Admin or you can do it with Hub Settings in your hub. If you have Superuser permissions (usually only held by microsite administrators), the advantage of staying in Site Admin is that you can make a new group on the fly. Here we will go through both options, starting with Site Admin.

To add a group to a hub in Site Admin:

  1. In Site Admin, scroll to the Groups section of the page, and select +Add another group.



  1. Select the magnifying glass icon and search for the desired group in the Select Group popup window.

  2. Select the group name to add the group to your hub. If you are a Superuser, select Add Group to create a new group on the fly.


  1. If you are ready to make your Group active, check the box for Is Active. This is also where you can make a Group inactive if desired.

  2. In the Display in section, choose the desired hub section where your group will appear. 

  3. Select Save or Save and Continue Editing.

  4. That’s it! Go to your hub to see your new group!

To add a group to a hub using Hub Settings:

  1. Go to your hub and select Hub Settings. 



  1. Select Groups from the left side of the page.

  2. Select New.

  1. Complete the Add New Group box.

    1. For Group, choose the desired group name.

    2. For Order, choose the order in which you want the group to appear in the Groups section of the hub.

    3. Select whether you are ready to make your group active. This is where you can make a group inactive if desired.

    4. In the Display in section, choose the name you’ve given your Groups section on your hub. 

    5. Select Add. 

  2. That’s it! Your new group will appear in your hub’s Groups section.

Adding Tabs to Groups and Collections Sections

This section explains how to add Tabs to your hub to organize Groups and Collections within the Tabs. In our example, the All Groups tab is the parent of the Group 1 and Group 2 sections, and the All Collections tab is the parent of Collection 1 section.



Note: This section focuses on adding Groups and Collections tabs, but you can add any type of hub section as a tab.




Create Tabs sections

Go to Site Admin, where Tabs is a section type in the Sections section of the Add Network Hub screen.



In our example, we’ll start by creating an All Groups tab. Select Tabs from the section Type dropdown menu. Enter All Groups as the section Title, select the Is Active box, and add the Order number. 


Note: If you don’t need Tabs, you can choose the section types Groups or Curated Collections on the dropdown menu.



Save your changes

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save and continue editing before moving to the next section. 



Create the Child Sections

  1. Add a new Groups section type and call it Group 1. Select the Active box, add the Order, and select All Groups (the tab you created earlier) as the Parent.

  2. Do the same for Group 2.


Repeat and save your changes

Repeat for as many Groups sections as desired, and select Save and continue editing before moving to the next section. Repeat the same sequence for any other section type (such as Collections) that requires multiple child sections.


Adding a Media Section

In Site Admin, Mixed Media Slideshow is a section type in the Sections section of the Add Network Hub screen that supports adding video such as webinars to your hub. 




Create a Mixed Media Slideshow section

Follow the same steps in Site Admin for adding a new section to the Add Network Hub screen.

  1. Add a new Mixed Media Slideshow section. 

  2. Enter the section Title that will appear at the top of your new section. 

  3. Check the box Is active for the section to appear on the hub.

  4. Order the sections on your hub. Enter 1 in the Order box to make a section appear first.

  5. In the Description field, enter a description of the section. The Description will appear at the start of the section.

  6. Select Save and continue editing before moving to the next step.




Complete the Webinar Slides details

  1. Scroll down to the Webinar Slides section of the Add Network Hub screen.

  2. Enter a Title and Description for your video/webinar/slide show.

  3. In the Video Code field, enter the iframe URL code.

  4. Order the video/webinar/slide show sections on your hub. Enter 1 in the Order box to make a section appear first.

  5. In the Display in field, choose the media section where your media should appear. 

  6. Select Save and continue editing before moving to the next step.




Adding a Tools Section

Follow the same steps for adding a new section to the Add Network Hub screen in Site Admin. The Tools section is often used to highlight Open Author 2.0 and any other tools that you want to include.

  1. Add a new Tools section. 

  2. Enter the section Title that will appear at the top of your new section. In this example, we’re using OER Tools.

  3. Check the box Is active for the section to appear on the hub.

  4. Order the sections on your hub. Enter 1 in the Order box to make a section appear first.

  5. In the Description field, enter a description of the section that will appear at the start of the section.

  6. Select Save and continue editing before moving to the next step.




Complete the Tools Slides details

  1. Scroll down to the Tool Slides section of the Add Network Hub screen.

  2. In the Title field, add the name of the Tools section. In this example, we are using Open Author.

  3. In the Description field, enter a description of the tool, including a link to the tool.

  4. In the Image field, upload an image for the tool. 

  5. Order the Tools sections on your hub if you have more than one Tool. Enter 1 in the Order box to make a section appear first.

  6. Select Save and continue editing before moving to the next task.




An example of a completed Tools section:


Adding a Shared Folders Section

If you have Groups on your Hub, you can add the Shared Folders section type to display the content in the Group Resources section of your groups. Group resources are stored in folders in each group:



This example of Shared Folders in an OER Commons hub can help illustrate how this section relates to the groups on that hub. Here are the steps to follow: 

  1. In Site Admin, go to the Add Network Hub screen. 

  2. Scroll to Sections, and select +Add another Section.

  3. For Type, choose Shared Folders. 

 

  1. Enter the section Title that will appear at the top of your new section. For this example, we’ll use Shared Resources.

  2. Check the boxIs active for the section to appear on the hub.

  3. Order the sections on your hub. Enter 1 in the Order box to make a section appear first.

  4. In the Description field, enter a description of the section. The Description will appear at the start of the section.

 

  1. Select Save and continue editing before moving to the next step.

  2. Scroll to the Groups section and find the desired groups to display in the Shared Folders section. Under Display Folders In, choose Shared Resources. 

  3. Select Save!

 

Note: You control the groups that display in the Shared Folders section. If you make no choice under Display Folders In, the Group Resources for that group will not display in the Shared Resources on the hub.