New Classes at Talawanda Offer a Digital Experience

With today moving quickly towards a new era with advanced technology, THS wants to engage students in what is happening in today’s society and is moving away from what many find as a normal school system.

Two new classes are being added to next year’s scheduling, both technology-based and taught by Andy Zimmerman. “This is not like a business based class like other technology classes at the high school,” said Zimmerman.

Two new classes are being added to next year’s scheduling, both technology-based and taught by Andy Zimmerman. “This is not like a business based class like other technology classes at the high school,” said Zimmerman.

In Digital Media, students will be exposed to how the world has been shaped through the digital age, along with the impacts of various forms of media. Students will advance their knowledge by using Twitter, Google Applications, Wikis, Blogs, and others.

“Students will be designing a kind of logo, advertisement, or web-based elements that a marketing company would use for the final project to be presented to the class,” said Zimmerman. He said he  hopes the class will challenge students to not only be creative, but give them essential skills to compete in a digital world.

Students will be introduced to  various methods and practices of photo and video productions. Students will learn about the structure and function of different kinds of image and video capture equipment along with the hardware and software that goes along with producing digital media. “Our goal is to broadcast the morning announcements every day,” said Zimmerman.

The idea behind broadcasting the announcements is that it will be produced the day before and will be up to the teachers in third period to show the video. “The teacher can play the video whenever it is convenient during the class period,” said Zimmerman.

But this may cause conflict with taking time out of third period along with updated events that can happen after the video  is made, such as sport and after school club events. “We would like to have the televisons at lunch scrolling the announcements as well during lunch. We finally got the system set up,” said York.

Digital Media is setup to learn about Mac computer programs. Digital Media has several different angles. Any where from learning apps and mastering them or even designing your own apps and forming your own templates.

With these new additions, the first year will be limited to the amount of people and the way the class is taught. “Digital Media has the potential to become a class with different angles whereas digital production is more straightforward,” said Zimmerman.

Even though Zimmerman is excited for these classes next year, there is also a downside. One of the biggest downfalls to having these new classes next year is that only a few  students are aware of the what the classes actually are. It is a trial and error process. “The first year is going to be taught while we still spread the word. Next year we will be able to get feedback on if the classes are useful and a hit or if we shouldn’t continue them,” said Zimmerman.

School is based off of applying tools to use in later life. Principal Tom York believes students will learn more online where they can get one-on-one access all day “Education is limitless,” he said. “Every student needs to have some sort of device in their hands to help them access school,” said York.

While many career oriented classes are funded by Butler Tech, all funding for these classes is from Talawanda.

“These are our programs and we can teach the class how we wish,” said Zimmerman. “Butler Tech classes have a lot of requirements to be taught.”

The overall goal for to be these classes are to move towards a more 21st century education where technology is used.Almost everything is on the go and mobile based. “We are also hoping that this won’t be ‘just a class’, you can use this knowledge later on in life for other classes and into college,” said Zimmerman.

While scheduling has already taken place, it is not too late to sign up for a semester or a full of year of these new technology-based classes for 2013-2014 school year. Just stop in and see your guidance council.