Reflection on Standard VII—Desktop Publishing

Technology Applications Standards

I have found Desktop Publishing to be very fascinating.  The programs I have used, Microsoft Publisher and Adobe PageMaker are very user-friendly, and can easily be incorporated into various subject areas on the Secondary level.  As an art teacher, I have found numerous ways to include the creation of Desktop Publishing documents as part of my curriculum.  I look at Desktop Publishing as a form of art.  I have my students create brochures and catalogs, as ways of organizing their artwork and for commercial use, flyers to advertise upcoming shows, personal stationary, business cards and envelopes for their own use, and greeting cards to express their artistic talent.  We use Desktop Publishing as a way to interact with the larger learning community.  For example, we make greeting cards to take to the elderly people at the nursing home near our school.  We make flyers in order to make the community aware of things that are happening in our school.  We do projects for other departments in the school and for businesses outside of the school.  For example, we have made programs for the theatrical performances put on by our drama department, and we have made brochures for the Chamber of Commerce’s annual auction.  Desktop Publishing can be used in any subject to enhance learning, and to make learning more exciting for the students as well as the community.  It is a way to get the students involved in the community and apply their skills to real-life situations.