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Automattic, the company behind the widely used WordPress.com platform, has introduced a new offering aimed at the education sector. The product, called WordPress.com Education, is designed specifically for teachers and their students, providing a free suite of tools for the first year.
The initiative gives each student access to a full WordPress.com domain, complete with free domain names on either the .blog or .art extensions. Additionally, the classroom package includes support for plugins, allowing for a more versatile and customizable website-building experience.
Teachers can enroll their students in the program at no cost for the initial 12 months. This access does not require a credit card or any form of trial sign-up, making it straightforward for educational institutions to adopt. The service is intended for use in courses that teach website development, as well as for other classroom projects that involve creating a web presence.
Automattic unveiled the new Student plan at its annual WordCamp US conference on Monday. The company was keen to point out that this is not a limited or feature-stripped version of its standard offering. The plan includes a substantial set of features:
WordPress is the open-source software that powers a significant portion of the internet, with the source noting it runs approximately 43% of all websites. However, the company acknowledges that younger users often bypass traditional website-building platforms in favor of setting up profiles on social media. By integrating WordPress into the classroom, Automattic aims to train the next generation of web professionals and establish the platform as a foundational tool for their future work.
The free nature of the program is also seen as a way to make inroads into underfunded schools, where budget constraints might otherwise prevent the use of such technology. This strategic move could help cultivate early familiarity and loyalty among students who are just beginning their digital journeys.
Once the first year concludes, students have the option to continue with the service at a cost of $2 per month (or $24 per year). For those who choose not to subscribe, their work will not be lost. Instead, their sites will automatically revert to a standard free WordPress.com site on a free domain, with all web pages, posts, comments, and uploaded media remaining intact.
Automattic also shared results from a pilot program that involved 5,000 students across 27 countries. The feedback from educators was notably positive, with 88.9% stating that access to the program improved their students' employability. Furthermore, 81.5% of educators indicated that the program enhanced their students' entrepreneurial capacity.
#WordPress, #Education, #Automattic, #WebDevelopment
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