Desktop Publishing
The desktop publishing teacher has the knowledge and skills needed to teach the Foundations, Information Acquisition, Work in Solving Problems, Communication strands of the Technology Applications Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in desktop publishing, in addition to the content described in Technology Applications Standards I-V.
Personal
Reflection:
Desktop publishing is an area that I believe a lot of people are lacking.
Most educators have no idea how to make a boring handout more interesting
just by improving the desktop publishing style. This is something that
I can say I felt strong in but I now feel that I was very lacking in.
I enjoy desktop publishing very much and I have always tried to base my
style on those produced by professionals. But now that I have an even
stronger foundation in desktop publishing, I doubt that I will be able
to look at professional desktop publishing examples the same way again.
I will always look at the alignments, fonts chose, etcetera. and always
wonder why some designers are so far away from the 'ideal' mark (including
myself I'm sure).
Indicators: 7.3s, 7.4s, 7.6s, 7.9s, 7.10s, 7.13s, 7.14s,
7.15s, 7.16s, 7.17s, 7.18s, 7.21s, 7.28s, 7.29s, 7.30s, 7.31s, 7.32s,
7.33s, 7.34s, 7.35s, 7.36s, 7.37s, 7.38s, 7.39s, 7.40s, 7.41s, 7.42s,
7.43s, 8.1s, 8.15s, 8.17s, 8.18s, 8.19s, 8.20s, 8.24s, 8.25s, 8.26s, 8.44s,
9.5s, 9.38s, 9.39s, 9.41s
Descriptors: Newsletter, Layout Design, Desktop Publishing
Title: A Beginners Desktop Publishing Newsletter
Course: 104 Desktop Publishing
Date Created: January, 2003
Source: Content was created using the content provided
in the TATC Interactive Guides 1 and 2. The image used was taken from
the www.kwfdn.org web site.
Media: Microsoft Word 2002 and Adobe Acrobat
Description: In this activity, we were to prepare a newsletter
for beginning desktop publishers utilizing the information in the Interactive
Guides 1 and 2 as both guides and newsletter text. We applied skills learned
in The Non-Designer's Design Book written by Robin Williams concerning
the four basic principles of contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity.
Rationale: I chose this particular activity because it
covered so many different aspects of desktop publishing.
- First considering the audience that the newsletter was to be presented to.
- Design concept was prepared before production was to begin.
- Choice of an appropriate media to produce the newsletter.
- Using correct layout design
to direct the eye around the text
Including correct formatting of typography including font, styles, alignment, and column selections. - Utilizing newsletter elements such as a masthead, article headings, subheadings, sidebars, headers and footers, logos and titles, drop caps, as well as end of story symbols.
- Applying correct usage of
the basic principles of design such as contrast, repetition, alignment
and proximity.
Appropriate choice of contrasting colors and images. - By applying these concepts and techniques, the newsletter was prepared by careful planning and design.
- With the audience always in mind, the newsletter was produced in a professional style and presented in a pdf format.
Implications for future: Personally, I doubt that I will
ever look at how my students prepare newsletter the same way again. I
have always taught a basic desktop publishing design that is simple and
to the point but a little simplistic. Now that I have these new tools
in my pocket, I will be sure to provide the students in my class with
the same basic principles that I have learned through this process.
For the future, I want to stockpile more examples of strong desktop publishing styles for my students (and me) to use the future. I hope to be able to utilize these guides for myself and to pass the desire to learn from others on to my students.
Reviewers Comments:
Jamie Crider (TATC Participant) "Your newsletter looks really professional!! I really liked the colors that you used and your creative title for your project!! Nice Job! " (01/20/02)
Mary-Dawn Hudspeth (TATC Participant) "Your newsletter is beautiful! It is professional and tailored in appearance. I especially like the graphic in the newsletter title. The body of the newsletter is well written with good information. You have included bullets, numbering and white space in your body which helps the reader focus on the words. I enjoyed reading your newsletter. " (01/20/02)