The Academy of Information Technology is designed to prepare students with skills needed for the highly competitive IT services industry in the 21st century. The program has been developed under the sponsorship of the National Academy Foundation to encourage and support partnerships between businesses and education with the hope of strengthening the preparedness of those entering the workforce.
Academy of Information Technology Courses
From Database Design to Digital Video Production to Professional Ethics, courses are designed to develop expertise in many IT and business skills. Descriptions of each course can be found below.
If you have any questions about scheduling, please contact the guidance department. Guidance Counselor information can be found on the Parent Center Page.
If you have any questions about scheduling, please contact the guidance department. Guidance Counselor information can be found on the Parent Center Page.
Course Descriptions
DATABASE DESIGN
Database Design covers all aspects of the database life cycle, from collecting user requirements to delivering a database application. Students get hands-on practice in a true-to-life database project as they move from a statement of requirements to a conceptual model, then to an entity-relationship model. They translate this into a relational database. Finally, they create, test, and document the associated database application. Students also examine career opportunities as database professionals.
DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCTION
Digital Video Production provides a hands-on introduction to digital video production. It guides students through all phases of digital video production, from planning, executing, and managing a video shoot to editing footage. Students explore methods of sharing and broadcasting digital videos, including platform versions, CDs/DVDs, and web delivery. They also learn about publicizing a digital video, using techniques such as search engines to direct viewers to the production. Finally, students explore career opportunities in digital video production.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Graphic Design provides a hands-on introduction to the technical and creative skills of a professional graphic designer. First, students learn the distinguishing features of communicating visually through graphic design. Next, they gain technical skills in Adobe Photoshop to equip them for graphic design work. From there, students master the basic principles of graphic design, and then delve into the elements of graphic design, such as color, typography, and images.
PRINCIPLES OF IT
This is the first course students take in the Academy of Information Technology. It provides an overview of information technology and introduces students to the basics of hardware and software. Students examine hardware components including peripherals, connectors, and memory. Students explore common operating systems, software applications, and programming languages. Students learn about types of networks and network topology, and they set up an email client/server connection. Students also consider contemporary issues such as security, privacy, and technological inequality. Finally, students explore career opportunities in IT.
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
This course provides a solid understanding of why ethics is important in every profession. After an introduction to several philosophies that inform ethics today, students explore the characteristics of an ethical professional. Students consider the range of dilemmas faced by managers and employees in the workplace. They learn about the qualities of effective leaders and the tools modern professionals use to instill an ethical workplace culture. Throughout the course, students have opportunities to refine their personal sense of ethics as they begin to build an ethical foundation for their professional future.
WEB DESIGN
Web Design is a hands-on introduction to designing, building, and launching websites. Students learn the basics of HTML coding, explore various web development tools, and get practice creating websites using Adobe Dreamweaver. They learn how to make their websites more effective by applying the principles of design as well as usability and accessibility criteria. Finally, students take a look at various career opportunities in web design.
INTERNSHIP
The paid internship is perhaps the most memorable and critical component in the Academy of Information Technology experience. It is also one of the most rewarding, as it is the opportunity for students to apply, in a real world setting, what they have learned in their Academy of Information Technology classes in the preceding years.
A paid internship is an extension of the Academy of Information Technology classroom instruction and curriculum that further develops and challenges the student in a IT environment. The internship is supervised by IT leaders in a real-world setting resulting in a broad, relevant, enriching educational experience for the student. Paid internships provide the context in which a student's classroom learning is applied, and establishes a valuable foundation for any career the student chooses to pursue in the future.
Database Design covers all aspects of the database life cycle, from collecting user requirements to delivering a database application. Students get hands-on practice in a true-to-life database project as they move from a statement of requirements to a conceptual model, then to an entity-relationship model. They translate this into a relational database. Finally, they create, test, and document the associated database application. Students also examine career opportunities as database professionals.
DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCTION
Digital Video Production provides a hands-on introduction to digital video production. It guides students through all phases of digital video production, from planning, executing, and managing a video shoot to editing footage. Students explore methods of sharing and broadcasting digital videos, including platform versions, CDs/DVDs, and web delivery. They also learn about publicizing a digital video, using techniques such as search engines to direct viewers to the production. Finally, students explore career opportunities in digital video production.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Graphic Design provides a hands-on introduction to the technical and creative skills of a professional graphic designer. First, students learn the distinguishing features of communicating visually through graphic design. Next, they gain technical skills in Adobe Photoshop to equip them for graphic design work. From there, students master the basic principles of graphic design, and then delve into the elements of graphic design, such as color, typography, and images.
PRINCIPLES OF IT
This is the first course students take in the Academy of Information Technology. It provides an overview of information technology and introduces students to the basics of hardware and software. Students examine hardware components including peripherals, connectors, and memory. Students explore common operating systems, software applications, and programming languages. Students learn about types of networks and network topology, and they set up an email client/server connection. Students also consider contemporary issues such as security, privacy, and technological inequality. Finally, students explore career opportunities in IT.
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
This course provides a solid understanding of why ethics is important in every profession. After an introduction to several philosophies that inform ethics today, students explore the characteristics of an ethical professional. Students consider the range of dilemmas faced by managers and employees in the workplace. They learn about the qualities of effective leaders and the tools modern professionals use to instill an ethical workplace culture. Throughout the course, students have opportunities to refine their personal sense of ethics as they begin to build an ethical foundation for their professional future.
WEB DESIGN
Web Design is a hands-on introduction to designing, building, and launching websites. Students learn the basics of HTML coding, explore various web development tools, and get practice creating websites using Adobe Dreamweaver. They learn how to make their websites more effective by applying the principles of design as well as usability and accessibility criteria. Finally, students take a look at various career opportunities in web design.
INTERNSHIP
The paid internship is perhaps the most memorable and critical component in the Academy of Information Technology experience. It is also one of the most rewarding, as it is the opportunity for students to apply, in a real world setting, what they have learned in their Academy of Information Technology classes in the preceding years.
A paid internship is an extension of the Academy of Information Technology classroom instruction and curriculum that further develops and challenges the student in a IT environment. The internship is supervised by IT leaders in a real-world setting resulting in a broad, relevant, enriching educational experience for the student. Paid internships provide the context in which a student's classroom learning is applied, and establishes a valuable foundation for any career the student chooses to pursue in the future.