Course Offerings

[ebolag4]

Hey folks,

I am in the process of reviewing computer course offerings for the upcoming school year. I am looking into expanding/revamping our existing course offerings. Below is a list of what my school currently offers. Any suggestions as to new offerings that you believe would be beneficial would be appreciated.

Please keep in mind that this is a secondary school only. No elementary or under-grad level stuff please.

6th grade: basic operating systems (Mac 9/X, Win, Linux)/basic internet usage
7th grade: keyboarding
8th grade: word processing/spreadsheets (AppleWorks, Word, Excel)
9th grade: presentations (PowerPoint)
10th grade: web design I (basic HTML, css, rudimentary JavaScript)
11th grade: basic graphics (PhotoShop, Illustrator, Fireworks)
12th grade: web design II (advanced HTML/css, beginning php, etc.)

other courses offered after school:
page layout (basically PageMaker)
tutoring
basic Flash

If you have experiences with these classes, classes you have had that you thought that were good that I don't have here, or just ideas for interesting, student creative, interactive projects, please respond here.

I want to make the course offerings as interesting as possible. I also want them as practical as possible. I also need time to learn some more things myslef.

[edX]

looks pretty comprehensive at first glance. i am just wondering about the order - why is basic html ahead of basic graphics?

reasons i can see to switch them - young people tend to like creating graphics. it is fun and not really work for them. it also gives them somethings that they would have to share with others, hence providing motivation to learn html which would make it more fun and less work. and keeping html I and html II together allows for a more continuous use of that info. no lost knowledge or abilities because of less use over the year in between.

i realize that in practice the various course probably overlap more than there titles would reflect but kids often go for the obvious and don't realize the bigger pic.

the overall program seems great. it is reassurring to know that some kids can get training in HS that they can use afterwards and that will put them ahead of the curve.

oh, i guess i would wonder about some very basic programming at some point. you might note that plenty of our site members are already writing apps and haxies and they are still in HS.

[ebolag4]

Thanks Ed,

The reason basic HTML is placed before graphics is mainly because of state requirements. We have to offer a "computer science" course in the Sophomore year, and our state defines "computer science" as a curriculum that is software and platform independent. It's pretty strict, but the only thing we cover in the class is straight code. The most "graphical" thing we can do under the guidelines is teach how to place gif/jpg/png images on the web page via html code.

It's not the best set-up, so I'm looking for new ideas. I'm also trying to see what I might need to spend money on over the summer for my own training.

Here's another thought I had. Can anyone think of a good way to teach video editing to a small group elective class with only one editing machine available.

[nkuvu]

I agree with Ed about the programming. There are plenty of languages that you can choose from which would be a good introduction to programming practices without getting too technical. Binary programming, for example.

I love programming, and I wish someone had introduced me to it earlier...

[ebolag4]

Well, then, what would be the best to teach. I have not done any programming in years. (I'm beginning to feel the need to re-educate myself thought with OS X). The last time I did any programming at all in any way was when BASIC and PASCAL were the top of the heap.

I have a lot of catching up to do.

[nkuvu]

Different languages for different people, of course. I really like Perl, but it could become confusing quickly.

Java might be a good solution -- everything is fairly well contained as an object, and there are plenty of pre-defined advanced structures (like strings (which shouldn't be an advanced structure, but is in C/C++), stacks, etc).

Python might work, since the syntax requires that the code be relatively clean. I don't like Python, but that doesn't mean that it is bad.

Hmm. I'm thinking that Java might be the best for an introduction, since it is platform-independent. It also it close to C/C++ syntax, which is where the universities and job markets are focusing currently.

These are just off the top of my head....

[BlingBling 3k12]

ebolag4... are you a student or a teacher of some sort?

[ebolag4]

I am a teacher. I got into computer teaching by accident. I actually have a degree in music, but I was the only person available who had any ability to teach computers at all. Now I teach all the current computer classes and only one music class. Go figure.

Since I'm self-taught, I'm learning all I can in my spare time to try and keep my head above water.