Curriculum Guide - Communications

Communications Courses Course Guide

US Electives • Journalism & New Media (1,2,3,4) • Broadcasting and Communications Workshop

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Communications Department Philosophy and Placement The Communications Department provides students with opportunities to gain skills and experiences that will empower them to become better consumers and ethical producers of mass communications content for our rapidly-changing 21st century media culture. By chronicling school life and the world around them through print and digital means, students will learn to become objective storytellers with a better understanding of the role that journalism has in defining history and influencing perceptions.

While studying both historical antecedents and contemporary samples of similar works, students will learn to produce material for publication via their own outlets: the Windward yearbook (InPrint); a print magazine (The Windward Bridge); a news website (WindwardBridge.com); a broadcast news program (Windward TV); and a variety of social media tools. Through experiential learning in deadline-driven production environments, students will acquire newfound skills and exposure to professional-grade tools that will best prepare them for future college study and vocations involving writing, editing, design, social media, marketing, journalism, and mass communication.

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Course Descriptions Publications 1 (9-12)

Publications 3 (11-12)

This course lays the foundation for publication and print design. Students are introduced to the principles of print design, including column and grid structure, typography, photo editing, indexing, and title design.

Students learn how to prepare pages for print production, including editing and proofing. These skills are applied to the production of the school yearbook using Adobe InDesign.

As such, students also learn the foundation skills of journalistic writing including engaging copy, caption, and header writing. Students gain valuable exposure to the processes of book production from inception to print, learning how to work as a team with the shared goal of producing a professional quality product.

Prerequisite: Publications 2

Publications 2 (10-12)

Prerequisite: Publications 3

Prerequisite: Publications 1

In the fourth year of Publications, students assume leadership roles in the production of the yearbook.

Editors guide the group through various creative and technical processes, including theme, section design styles, and coverage. They also take on more production tasks, including design and copyediting, proofing, page preparation, and printing. Editors are responsible for modeling a high standard for quality, a sense of ownership, and responsibility for the product, as well as a positive working attitude dedicated to the greater good of the book and its value to the community.

In the second year of Publications, students take on more leadership roles in the production of the yearbook. Editors guide the group through various creative and technical processes, including theme, section design styles, and coverage. They also take on more production tasks, including design and copyediting, proofing, page preparation, and printing. Editors are responsible for modeling a high standard for quality, a sense of ownership, and responsibility for the product, as well as a positive working attitude dedicated to the greater good of the book and its value to the community. Students will also begin to work as mentors with newer students to guide them through the production process.

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In the third year of Publications, students take on more leadership roles in the production of the yearbook. Editors guide the group through various creative and technical processes, including theme, section design styles, and coverage. They also take on more production tasks, including design and copyediting, proofing, page preparation, and printing. Editors are responsible for modeling a high standard for quality, a sense of ownership, and responsibility for the product, as well as a positive working attitude dedicated to the greater good of the book and its value to the community.

Publications 4 (12)

Upper School Electives: Broadcasting and Communications Workshop This course examines news, sports, and live broadcasting for TV. It provides basic training in the use of television equipment and facilities; camera operations; audio and visual control; lighting; graphics; editing; portable video, and audio production techniques. The class will focus on live remote broadcasts from various weekly events on campus. Students will have an opportunity to broadcast shows in combination with news, sports, and entertainment events.

They will also learn the art of news writing, interviewing, color reporting and play-by-play. This is a handson participation class. After school productions and field work will count for 50% of the grade.

Journalism and New Media 1,2,3,4 (9-12) Class activities and homework assignments enable students to learn the essential skills of journalism, including interviewing, researching, and writing articles. Students apply these lessons to articles written for The Windward Bridge which will be published both online and in magazine form. In addition to the magazine, students learn the skills necessary to use twenty-first century media tools to communicate their message to the public.

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