Experiencing "Joy", the keyword for learning Information Technology.

"Giving a 'difficult, complicated' image of programming from the beginning can drive students to hate their computer classes. So instead, we think it's better to have students get to know different types of application software within the curriculum, and enjoy studying IT from the very beginning."

"As the class goes on, students may want to add text into their own animation, thus triggering the need to study word processing. The wish to create something better and to operate more smoothly will then lead to the desire to study programming. To teach right when the student wants or needs to learn may deepen the students' IT knowledge more effectively."

IT for introducing clubs and creating commercials

A 7-day program aimed for learning internet broadcasting was held on Saturdays, 9 am to noon, for students from 1st thru 3rd year in high school. During this special program, students learned how video images can produce more meaning to a message than an ordinary image & text screen, and also experienced creating a video commercial of their own using the internet as well.

At last, a drawing tool just like the real thing…

Drawing on a computer has always been time-consuming and troublesome…it takes an awful lot of time even to draw a simple line with a mouse. Wacom's pen tablets allow students to draw as though they're using a pen or pencil, so applying tablets in the classroom has been a success. Students can now draw lines freely and directly, and as a result, their learning pace increased dramatically.

Especially while creating games with animation software, improvement in work speed has been particularly noticeable. Students who are familiar with games in the marketplace create fancy illustrations such as game screens with gradations. And since animations require many layers of illustrations, pen tablets have helped make the process move fast and smooth.

Skills learned having fun should feed a young mind. For students who will become an active member in society, we hope this curriculum becomes a practical experience for them.

Kamakura Jogakuin Junior and Senior High School

2-10-4 Yuhigahama Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
www.kamajo.ac.jp

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