Thematic Traveling Daybook

I teach Graphics Communications at J.H. Rose High School in Greenville, NC. My classroom is a mashup of a computer lab, a screen printing shop, and an offset printing and bindery. We have 20 plus computers– mostly iMacs with a few leftover Dells.

I currently teach three classes:

• Intro to Graphics Communications, including five major printing processes, career opportunities, safety, employability skills;
• Digital File Prep, covering designing and outputting digital files for a variety of printing methods, page layout, file management and output;
• Advertising and Design, exploring problems in design by applying design basics to creatively develop simple to complex layouts using industry standard software.

Because we have the tools and technology to support the creation of texts from ideas to products, it’s really important for students to be able to create with the end product in mind, to ask themselves questions about their design:

• How is it going to be consumed? digitally? or print?
• What kind of print or electronic media makes the most sense for my audience and purpose?
• What do I need to consider in terms of layout, page setup, saving and outputting my file?
• What kind of paper (texture, weight, surface, brightness) or display (mobile, desktop, LCD, projector, etc.) will my audience encounter?