Technology/Media Arts

1 trimester 

The start of the course will give students a refresher on Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Students will also learn how to use OneNote, a digital notebook that allows students to capture, organize and share class content, and Sway, a digital storytelling app that gives students the ability to create interactive presentations and reports. Following their Office 365 portion of the course, students will then complete an introductory level component of the following content areas; Programming with Java, Design Software with Photoshop, and TinkerCad.   

Digital Media/Advanced Digital Media  

1 semester 

Students will engage in advanced hands-on design practices, develop creative thinking strategies, and devise solutions to visual communication design challenges. Moving at a faster pace, this course familiarizes students with visual principles, essential software, and techniques that serve the basic designer needs. Students will develop applied creative projects and acquire technical skills to become adept at essential software, design principles and practices for future career applications. Students will also submit designs to local companies to be used as displayed as real advertisements. This will allow students to develop fluency in the principles of visual language to form a basis of aesthetic judgment and develop methods of analysis and inquiry for creative thinking. Students’ in-studio practice combines with class critiques of work, 38  software tutorials, and supporting lectures. Course lectures address the cultural backdrop of the Internet and Social Media as it applies to design.    

Note: Students must also take Foundations of 3-D Design for one semester  

1 semester 

This semester course serves as a foundation in three-dimensional visual design. It combines the study of the basic elements, principles, and practices of form and design in three dimensions with a series of hands-on problem-solving projects. Innovation is more than using technology, it is changing students’ ways of thinking to empower them to think critically and solve real-world problems. Every unit includes rigorous and hands-on activities centered around Gwynedd’s Innovation Technology including but not limited to VR Goggles, 3D Printing - Resin and Filament, and Beam Studio Flux Laser Cutting. Collaboration, team building, social-emotional learning, perseverance, and critical thinking are themes that run throughout the project-based learning. The course emphasizes technical skills while simultaneously developing the iterative process of conceptual development.

Note: Students must also take Digital Media/Advanced Digital Media for one semester  

1 semester  

Broadcast & Media Production offers hands-on studio and field experience for students interested in video production, journalism, and sound engineering.  Students will learn to engage in the creative process of storytelling through video by producing documentaries, news broadcasts, educational videos, vlogs, and podcasts. This class will give students the opportunity to take part in each stage of the filmmaking process including shooting aesthetic video, script writing and interview skills, speaking on camera, and post-production techniques such as video and audio editing. Broadcast & Media Production students will learn how to edit video and audio together into a compelling story using software and computers provided in the Mac Lab.  

Note: Students must also take Audio Engineering 

1 semester 

Audio Engineering offers students a chance to engage in every aspect of the process of recording music. Students will learn about the properties of sound, types of microphones and microphone placement, how to mic different instruments, and how to record and edit audio using a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) such as GarageBand or Soundtrap. Critical music listening skills will also be emphasized. Projects include but are not limited to recording songs played by live instruments and vocalists, creating beats/samples and adding digital effects to recorded audio. After completing this course, students will have the knowledge and skills necessary to professionally record, edit, and produce music. 

Note: Students must also take Broadcast and Media Production 

2 semesters 

Introduces students to the foundational concepts of computer science and challenges them to explore how computing and technology can impact the world. With a unique focus on creative problem solving and real-world applications, AP Computer Science Principles prepares students for college and career. The course will introduce students to the creative aspects of programming, abstractions, algorithms, large data sets, the Internet, cybersecurity concerns, and computing impacts. AP Computer Science Principles will give students the opportunity to use technology to address real-world problems and build relevant solutions. Together, these aspects of the course make up a rigorous and rich curriculum that aims to broaden participation in computer science.  Prerequisites: Technology department approval to enroll in this course with grade requirements of a 93 average in Algebra 1  

Note: Entrance into AP classes is by invitation based on achieved scores.  AP students must take the exam for AP, and families are financially responsible for the associated fees.   

Prerequisites: Technology department approval to enroll in this course with grade requirements of a 93 average in Algebra 1 

2 Semesters

Learn the basics of Java in two semesters, no programming experience required. Students will start on the basic building blocks of computer science and programming tools. Topics include control structures, primitive and class data types such as arrays, ArrayList and Strings, methods, and recursions. Second semester, students will progress towards manipulating data to create more sophisticated programs, with topics including class design, algorithm development and user-defined data types.   

Note: Entrance into AP classes is by invitation based on achieved scores.  AP students must take the exam for AP, and families are financially responsible for the associated fees.  

 Prerequisites: Technology department approval to enroll in this course with grade requirements of a 93 average in Algebra 1