Standard VII

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.

The Desktop Publishing course taught me so much! I had no experience with Desktop Publishing or it's components prior to this course. I was excited about being able to use a program in which I had a little experience (MS Publisher 2000), instead of learning a brand new program like I did in the other courses. I enjoyed learning the terminology and principles of Desktop Publishing, and it has enabled me to view DTP documents in a new and hopefully educated eye. I now see the actual plan and elements of each document, instead of just "seeing a DTP as a whole unit that looks good." I enjoyed being able to be creative with the projects in the course such as: business cards, newsletters, brochures, etc. I also enjoyed having access to many new lesson plan ideas from fellow students. Robin Williams' book was instrumental in my learning and being able to see examples of the core elements of Desktop Publishing.

In the future, I look forward to being able to put my new lesson plan ideas from the Desktop Publishing course into action. I also look forward to being able to produce professional looking documents with my newfound knowledge in this course.

Caption 3

Indicators: 7.1s, 7.2s, 7.7s, 7.8s, 7.9s, 7.10s, 7.14s, 7.15s, 7.16s, 7.17s, 7.18s, 7.21s, 7.22s, 7.24s, 7.25s, 7.28s, 7.29s, 7.30s, 7.31s, 7.34s, 7.35s, 7.36s, 7.37s, 7.43s, 7.46s, 7.47s, 8.24s, 8.25s, 8.33s, 8.34s, 8.35s, 8.43s, 8.44s, 8.45s, 9.21s, 9.24s, 9.27s, 9.29s, 9.41s

Artifact #3

Descriptors: Logo, Eye-Catching Typography, Supporting Graphics, Reflection of who I am and what I'm involved in, Brief message suitable for universal reading

Title: Desktop Publishing to Send Messages

Course: 104 Desktop Publishing

Date Created: January 13, 2003

Source: Individually-made project using Microsoft Publisher 2000, Logo created in ULead Cool 3.0

Media: Personal picture used for graphics, Microsoft Publisher to create the business card, and converted to Adobe Acrobat for universal reading, final presentation presented in a web page

Description: For this assignment, I was to create a letterhead, business card, or any other desktop publishing item of my choosing that would reflect who I am and what I am into. The product was to have the following: 1) a logo, 2) a brief message suitable for that type of communication, and 3) published for universal readability. I was to design the logo from scratch, or modify multiple elements, and have eye-catching typography designed to communicate an idea or image. I was also to include supporting graphics. I was then supposed to link this document from within a web page and provide an explanation of: 1) my choice of media, 2) graphics used, 3) the message, and 4) what tools were used such as software, and other relevant data. Since I have a horse business based on the internet, I wanted to emphasize my website address and the type of horses and services that we offer.

Rationale: I feel like this was a good introductory assignment to get our feet wet in the world of desktop publishing. It also showed if we had been reading the supplemental text, The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams. We worked with contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity, etc. in this project. This assignment was done early in the course, and I think that many of us would go back and make a few changes to our project, now that we have more knowledge and more of a trained eye.

I chose to include this assignment because I was proud of how this turned out. I used the supplemental text in my references for support on this project. Now that I'm more familiar with the elements of desktop publishing, I would go back and change a few small things on my project, but overall I was pleased. The card conveyed the message I intended.

Implications for future: I have dabbled in desktop publishing with creating amateur websites on a personal level. I also have used various elements of desktop publishing when preparing materials for classes, but I never considered the actual elements and terms associated with "real" desktop publishing. I never knew there were hard and fast rules to follow on typeface, placement, white space, alignment, etc. As a result, I wish to practice more on these elements that a trained eye sees, and be able to produce more professional and "correct" documents in the future. I absolutely loved this project of making a business card for myself. I needed one so desparately.

I also plan to use desktop publishing lessons more in my classroom in the classes I currently teach, even though they are not desktop publishing classes. I think this is certainly a skill that all students must learn. It will be valuable to them as they enter the world after public education to be able to market themselves.

Reviewers Comments: Good balance and emphasis using the font you selected for the title.

Reviewer Name: Beverly Sweeney

Date Reviewed: January 14, 2003

Title: TATC Student

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