Introduction to digital design and visual composition. Students will apply design and user-centered concepts to journalistic storytelling involving layout, data visualization, web/mobile design, basic coding, interactives, social media, and basic animation. With ethics at the forefront, students will plan and design products for print, digital, and social environments.
Athena Title
Digital Design
Prerequisite
JOUR 3090 and permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will learn and execute concepts of design thinking and user-centered, news-driven journalistic design, focusing on diversity and inclusion to reach a variety of audiences.
Students will be able to interrogate typography, color, and visuals based on the principles of design for context, news delivery, and readability purposes.
Students will be able to craft digital design elements using various tools and programs with iterative processes.
Students will be able to practice original reporting and the implementation of visual hierarchy and news judgment within various types of designs, including layout, interactives, and social media/broadcast graphics and animations.
Students will understand data journalism and design contextual, accurate infographics, and data visualizations for audiences.
Students will become familiar with coding (e.g., HTML5) and style (e.g., CSS3) and apply knowledge through basic web/mobile development work and within content management systems (CMS).
Students will be able to search out and be able to articulate/defend the elements of good journalistic digital design.
Topical Outline
Elements of Design Thinking and User-Centered Design with Diverse Audiences in Mind
Using Color, Typography, and Visual Storytelling within Ethical Design Principles
Creating Digital Interactives and Layouts that Exemplify News Judgment and Hierarchy
Data Journalism and Creating Accurate Data Visualizations/Infographics
HTML and CSS Bootcamp and Working with Code Within a CMS
Designing for Mobile and Principles of Web Design and Navigation
Social Media/Broadcast Graphics and Basic Animations
