Computers and software help students develop ideas and present detailed information effectively to an audience. It can be delivered in the form of either print or an electronic file or as part of a multimedia production. Students currently have solid computer skills. However, it is now time to take them to a more advanced level in preparation for college. The Computer and Information Science Department will concentrate on the following objectives: • To ensure overall computer literacy and skill in the following areas: how technology and the Internet work” behind the scenes”, operating systems, word processing, spreadsheets, database, graphics, telecommunications, networking, cloud computing, Web 2.0, and cyber safety and security. • To have students use multimedia applications to create professionally finished products. This includes Web design, digital photography, video technologies, layout/design, audio production, and marketing. • To develop skills and knowledge pertaining to computer programming and software development. This will also improve students’ problem-solving skills and understanding of logic. Students will gain an introduction to programming while exploring how to create video games and virtual worlds with 3-D animation. This will set the foundation for students to transition to writing programs in Java, C++, C#, or Visual Basic. Electives Digital Literacy (1st or 2nd semester course, ½ academic credit) Discover how to improve the quality of the projects you complete for school and express your ideas with more impact through the use of technology. Students will learn the best ways to prepare a professional looking document, organize and analyze data, create dynamic presentations, and communicate ideas and information through the use of MS Office, Mac applications, Internet technologies, cloud computing, and Web 2.0 applications. Students will gain a better understanding of how technology can work together seamlessly with the ability to prepare a more polished end product. After taking this course, many students are able to test out of the computer technology course that is required at most colleges.
Introduction to Programming through Video Games OR Video Game Design (1st semester course, ½ academic credit) Have you always wondered how video games were created? Students will learn how to design and develop video games using the software program GameMaker. They will learn the programming skills required to successfully create a game with backgrounds, animation, music, and sound effects, which will be marketed to and tested by Lower and Middle School students. Students will also research or gain experience in several aspects of the video gaming industry, such as practical applications of interactive video games, technological innovations and trends in the gaming industry, economic impact of the gaming industry, and characteristics of successful games. Web Design (1st or 2nd semester course, ½ academic credit) Web Design concentrates on delivering information with a more visual and interactive approach. Students will learn the basics of planning, designing, creating, managing, and publishing their own Web sites. They will discover how to design pages with effective navigation and attractive use of graphics, text, and color. Students will create Web pages with hyperlinks, images, tables, forms, frames, etc. We will use Dreamweaver, which is the industry-leading Web authoring and editing software. Other supporting software programs will be introduced as well. The students will plan, design, and create a personal or informational Web site and/or a Web site for a club or business. Computer Graphics (1st semester course, ½ academic credit) Computer Graphics will concentrate on visual communication. Students will discover how a graph, photograph, or artistic element can express or emphasize a particular concept. They will learn how to design and produce professional newsletters, flyers, brochures, business cards, advertisements, and Web pages that combine text, graphics, and photographs. Students will learn these skills through the use of Photoshop (image editing and manipulation program), Illustrator (drawing program), ImageReady (image to Web preparation program), and InDesign (page layout program). This course may be taken for an art or technology credit. Multimedia Productions (2nd semester course, ½ academic credit) We will explore the unlimited potential of combining digital media with technology to bring a topic to life. Students will learn to integrate text, sound, video, and animation to create original multimedia presentations. We will use applications from the Adobe Creative Suite and iLife as well as open source software. Student projects may include marketing and promoting a school or community event, creating a podcast for a public service announcement, creating an educational video, etc. Programming Applications (2nd semester course, ½ academic credit) Have you ever wondered how animated movies and virtual worlds are made? Students will begin with Alice, a 3-D graphics and visual programming environment, to create animations which tell a story or produce an interactive game. Alice is a modern programming language designed to be a student's first exposure to object-oriented programming. Students will learn program design, camera and animation controls, object-oriented and event-driven programming concepts, how to use functions and control statements, variables, etc. Students will then transition to writing programs in Java. Robotics (offered full year, after school only) (1/2 academic credit) This course is meant to highlight the value of S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in education by providing a unique example of where all four concepts converge. The course will focus on concrete skills, but will also keep in mind the context of robotics from ethics to modern day applications and the debates that surround those uses. Students will not only learn how to use the motors and sensors available in the provided kits, but they will also test the capabilities of each. They will also get to learn the basics of programming and electronic wiring, eventually focusing on the building and design process toward a well-defined project goal.