Technology and Media

Quick Facts

Overview

The fundamental principle of the Technology Department is to instill a foundation of ethical practices as it applies to business in the students' personal, educational, and professional lives. Technology is becoming an integral part of the student's transition from high school to college and on to professional life. Therefore, we will enhance and increase the students' use and application of technology and temper that knowledge with the teachings of the Catholic Church which are inherent to an individual's growth and success.

Philosophy

Students will gain a functional understanding of the nature and operation of technology.
Students will develop intellectually by becoming problem solvers and creative thinkers.
Students will develop the ability to use computer technology as a resource tool for effective communication.
Students will develop an understanding of ethical behavior as it applies technology.
Students will become independent learners by reading for understanding.
To provide a learning environment that fosters collaboration and initiative.
To provide an environment that allows student centered learning.
To provide skills that are practical and applicable to today's society.

Goals

Integrate respect and model the important teachings of the Catholic Church.
Impart foundational knowledge of history, geography, government, economics, and the behavioral sciences.
Employ the use of higher levels of cognitive thinking.
Enhance reading, writing, speaking, and historical research skills.
Integrate the tools necessary to learn tolerance and understanding of cultures, theologys, and lifestyles different from our own.
Strive to integrate information and concepts from other disciplines into the teaching of social studies.
Establish an environment which will encourage student involvement and self-expression.

meet the faculty

Course Offerings

Computer Applications

Required of 9th grade students (S)

This course offers students the opportunity to investigate all aspects of the computer. Students will become proficient in their skill of basic computer software through the various projects that they will have to complete throughout this course. Multidisciplinary projects will involve using various applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphics, web page editors and presentation software. Students will also have an opportunity to conduct research on the Internet, explore new technological innovations, examine technology-related careers and speculate about future computer applications.

Web Design

Offered to second semester 9th – 12th grade students (S)

This course is an introduction to web authoring skill development, including use of basic html tags and tables. Students will learn web content development and design using the Adobe Web Collection, Macromedia Flash5, and Microsoft FrontPage. Included in the course will be an introduction to the basics of copyright in print, audio, and visual mediums, especially as it relates to web content.

Prerequisite – Computer Applications

Robotics: Hardware & Software Design & Development

Offered to second semester 9th – 12th grade students (S)

This class builds upon the foundations of Computer Applications. It extends the fundamentals of programming and robotics including using a variety of programming languages, hardware safety, hardware design, hardware construction, research skills, and teamwork. Students will build various robotics to demonstrate these basic principles. The design process of testing and modification will be implemented to show the fundamentals of engineering and electronics. Students’ knowledge will be tested using an engineering notebook, projects and other assessments appropriate for the material.

Prerequisite – Computer Applications

Application Software Development

Offered to 11th – 12th grade students with permission of instructor (S)

This class builds on the fundamentals of application programming and design introduced in Computer Applications. Using the Java language and interactive design environments like AppInventor and Eclipse, students will learn object-oriented programming and design and apply the concepts to create working software applications, including smart phone apps.

Prerequisite – AP Computer Science

AP Computer Science A

Offered to 10th – 12th grade students with permission of the instructor (Y)

NOTE: This course can be used to satisfy the Science Elective graduation requirement.

AP Computer Science A is an elective, equivalent to a first-semester, college level course in computer science. The course introduces students to computer science with fundamental topics that include problem solving, design strategies and methodologies, organization of data (data structure), approaches to processing data (algorithms), analysis of potential solutions, and the ethical and social implications of computing. The course emphasizes both object-oriented and imperative problem solving and design using Java language.

Prerequisite – Computer Applications

Personal Finance

Offered to 9th – 12th grade students (S)

This course is designed to teach students to challenge the current trends in such areas as debt and spending while learning about the positive benefits of budgeting, saving, and investing. This course encourages students to take a fresh and simple approach to finance by using the highly successful Financial Peace for the Next Generation program developed by Dave Ramsey. This program, based on biblical principles, teaches students to recognize that all things belong to God and that we as stewards should be faithful to how God wishes us to manage what he blesses us with. This course requires the student and parent to work together throughout the semester on a variety of financial activities using the parent’s financial information. Activities include such things as making a budget with the parents, balancing the family checkbook, creating a shopping list, etc.