Word processing packages are superb at creating simple documents which contain large amounts of text that don’t require a great deal of formatting, for example, reports or letters.

However, if you want to create something more complex such as posters, leaflets, or magazines, then you need to use a desktop publishing package.

Desktop publishing refers to the process of using the computer to produce documents such as newsletters, brochures, leaflets, magazines etc.

Prior to DTP, these were created manually using a variety of different techniques to achieve an attractive looking layout. These techniques were labour intensive and unless you were skilled, it was not always easy to achieve a professional looking result.

With the advent of computers and desktop publishing software, creating professional looking layouts became a whole lot easier.There are many features available. DTP packages come supplied with a wide range of templates to help you make anything from brochures, business cards, flyers, calendars to party invitations. Text frames, borders, page tabs and a whole host of other formatting features can transform any ordinary document into something special.

Our goal at Stance is for students to develop and expand their word processing skills and build on skills developed in earlier years, so that they can create documents for many purposes.  They are able to use the software to change the look of the text, add tables and amend the page layout, including the way images are displayed in the document. They are able to add images to documents, change the style, size or colour of text and begin to understand how to arrange items on the page. They can use the software to refine their work and understand how to alter the look of a document so that it can be made appropriate to a particular audience.  They also learn how to make changes to the document as a whole, including adjusting margins, adding page numbering or adjusting whether the page appears in landscape or portrait layout. They understand how to use the word processing software to edit a document to make it more suitable for its purpose.

Students are given opportunities to create, import and edit images from a range of sources – such as clipart, graphics packages and scanners or digital cameras – and use these to create their own designs.

In Year 9 they will be expected to create well balanced layouts with a high degree of design for their annual Year Book. They will need to master Adobe Photoshop to create realistic ‘photo comps’ and use the artwork in their layouts, fulfilling their allotted roles within the team and to exacting deadlines.

CLICK THIS LINK to see examples of past student Year Books.