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FROM THE CLASSROOM AND STUDIO OF PATRICIA KOUGAR-MELTON

Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual Arthur Koestler

This web site is designed to show strategies for lessons, graphics and activities that I have found to be successful and fun for High School students in learning digital media skills and basic design principles. After years of teaching Digital Media classes at Spring Woods High School, and sponsoring the Tiger TV Broadcast Team, I have found that mastering the ever changing technology offerings fosters a creative student that can express ideas in our global community.

Classroom lessons designed for students to learn, retain and think creatively using the Adobe Creative Suite are my special goal and focus for the coming year.
School should be an exciting and fun place for kids to communicate and learn. The “fun” part comes with involvement, success from knowing the process, creating a product and the realization that digital application skills open innovative ways to solving problems.

Today's kids are born digital -- born into a media-rich, networked world of infinite possibilities. But their digital lifestyle is about more than just cool electronic gadgets; it's about engagement, self-directed learning, creativity, and empowerment.

I am proud to be a part of Spring Branch Independent School District and send out a big vote of thanks to the community that approved the upgrading of all our secondary technology application labs. We are now running new Mac Labs with Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium software.

As SBISD Lead Technology Application's Teacher and head of SWHS Digital Graphics & Animation and Advanced Technology Course for Tiger Productions, Spring Woods High School Tiger TV, I would like wish all learners_ Success with Honor and Spirit.

Advanced Technology Course for Tiger Productions (TIGER TV) - where digital skills become tools for creative communication.

Much has changed over the past years in the way public schools educate students. In my own field of Art, Design and Technology, the change has been tremendous. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. then let the following speak volumes on the change that has taken place in my own school district.

Pictured above are our new iMacs with Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium, ready for 2009-2010

Contrast my first Digital High School Classroom (first 4 photos below circa 1997, next 5, 1998-2006)

with my classroom above. Students will have excellent tools to show off their skills and talents.

Documenting history: Art Students worked on borrowed Science Department Lap Tops, using Claris Works Paint and Draw