Innovation Department

Foundations of Technology and Coding is a required one semester or summer course for all freshman and transfer students. The first part of this course will introduce students to the iPad as an educational tool. Students will enroll in all necessary systems and learn about important school wide iPad apps including, but not limited to, Schoology, Google Drive, Notability, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. The second part of this course will focus on Digital Citizenship. It will address critical issues facing teenagers in a fast-changing world of media and technology (e.g., being safe, responsible, and respectful online). Students will also learn how to think critically and develop the habits of mind to navigate digital dilemmas in their everyday lives. The third part of this course will introduce students to coding languages including, but not limited to, Swift, Java and Python.

Web Development is an elective course that will explore basic and intermediate web design and development. Students enrolled in this project-based course will gain foundational knowledge in a variety of web development topics. Students will learn website structure and layout in HTML, format and styling in CSS, responsive design in Bootstrap, automation, animation, and interactivity in JavaScript, version control using Git, and basic debugging and troubleshooting across all languages. Students will learn how to approach real-world problems like a computer scientist and gain technical problem-solving skills.

Game Development is an elective course that will explore topics in game design and development. Student will explore object-oriented programming languages with a focus in game design and development. Topics will include, but will not be limited to, algorithms, data structures, game design, version control, testing, and agile development.

Computer Programming is an elective course for upperclassmen that will incorporate the Python language. This project-based course will include, but will not be limited to, object-oriented program design, loops and decision making, functions, and algorithms.

Special Note: Dual Credit Course with Fairfield University

This course is a second semester enrichment course that will give students the opportunity to explore the fundamentals of bioengineering. Students will be taught the fundamentals of bioengineering by a team of Fairfield University professors and will explore a curriculum that will blend theoretical knowledge and hands-on experiential learning. 

This year-long course will introduce students to the engineering design process, research and analysis, teamwork, communication methods, and technical documentation through project-, and problem-based learning. Students in this course take part in the Sikorsky STEM challenge as well as other design challenges. Additionally, students will gain 3D modeling and printing skills using Fusion 360.

Special Note: Dual Credit Course with Fairfield University

This course introduces and familiarizes students with the theoretical background and technical skills needed to produce film, video and new media content. Structured around classroom discussions, screenings, and hands-on equipment workshops, this course encourages students to experiment with the moving image and find their unique creative voice, all within a supportive environment. Students will learn the proper use of a professional camera and sound and lighting equipment in order to complete a series of audio and video exercises, culminating in the production of group short films. Students will also apply the lessons learned to producing film and video for a variety of departments at Fairfield Prep.

Special Note: Dual Credit Course with Creighton University

This course is a college level introduction to object-oriented programming in Java. Students will focus on a problem-solving approach designed to focus attention on programming algorithms and data structures. Students will be fluent in the syntax and logic structures of the Java programming language as well as familiar with the Java API. Students will attempt difficult programming challenges, reflect on these exercises, and share their discoveries with their peers. In the spring, students will be eligible to take the AP Computer Science A Exam offered by the College Board at their school. This course is a yearlong course that is offered online through the Arrupe Virtual Learning Institute. This course has a weekly synchronous meeting that is optional.

This course will introduce students to computer programming using the C++ programming language. C++ is a programming language used in many applications, across many different industries. Through this course, students will learn the basic syntax necessary to write a computer program and how to attack a problem using the proper planning techniques. Students will learn about control structures, loops, procedures, arrays and much more. Another important aspect of this course is learning how to collaborate with other students. Each student will be put in a group of 3 and will work together to meet the objectives of the module. Collaborating with other students is essential to success of students in this course, as well as a much-needed life skill. This course is a spring semester course that is offered online through the Arrupe Virtual Learning Institute. This course has a weekly synchronous meeting that is mandatory.

In this course, students will explore the variety of technologies and art forms that go into game design and development. Video games are the biggest entertainment industry in the world. They are also multimedia experiences that incorporate storytelling, music, art, and technology. This course examines the impact that games have on our society and exposes students to a wide variety of video games and genres, while teaching students to create their own video games and think critically about the games that they play. Students will learn to use a basic game engine to bring their video game ideas to life. Some previous experience in computer science is helpful but not required. This course is a spring semester course that is offered online through the Arrupe Virtual Learning Institute. This course has a weekly synchronous meeting that is optional.

This course will introduce students to a wide array of important computer science topics. Students will learn the ideas and practices of computational thinking as well as how computers are impacting the world around us. Topics that will be covered include basic computer vocabulary, bits and bytes, programming, abstraction, internet and networking. Another important aspect of this course is learning how to collaborate with other students. Each student will be put in a group of 3 and will work together to meet the objectives of the module. Collaborating with other students is essential to success of students in this course, as well as a much-needed life skill. This course is a fall semester course that is offered online through the Arrupe Virtual Learning Institute. This course has a weekly synchronous meeting that is mandatory.

This course introduces students to Microsoft Access in order to teach database and programming concepts and will show how to use Access as a real-world problem-solving tool through the building of an actual database. Access is part of the Microsoft suite and allows you to organize, manage, collect, analyze, and report on data using ‘objects’ within Access that you learn to design and build. Students will organize and develop a database throughout the course based on an idea from their school or personal life. Past students have built databases on topics as wide ranging as tracking and rating recipes, entering college applications and showing college acceptance/financial aid, and rankings of different brands and types of audio headphones. This course is a spring semester course that is offered online through the Arrupe Virtual Learning Institute. This course has a weekly synchronous meeting that is mandatory.

This course will introduce students to computer programming using the JavaScript programming language. JavaScript is an object-oriented programming language similar to Java, Swift, C# or Python. It is the language behind the internet and is a crucial language for any aspiring programmer to learn. In this course, students will learn basic programming concepts including variables, control-flow, loops, functions, and data structures. Through a variety of projects, students will practice these skills and learn how to write high quality code. Previous computer science experience is not required for this course. This course is a fall semester course that is offered online through the Arrupe Virtual Learning Institute. This course has a weekly synchronous meeting that is optional.

This project-oriented course is designed for students with no previous computer programming experience who want to learn the fundamentals of coding through an interactive graphics-oriented environment called Bricklayer. Using virtual bricks (i.e. Legos) to build progressively sophisticated 2D and 3D models, students will learn basic coding concepts such as functions, parameters, conditional expressions, basic data structures, and debugging. The culminating student project will be a 3D artifact that will be imported for viewing in Minecraft. This course is a fall semester course that is offered online through the Arrupe Virtual Learning Institute. This course has a weekly synchronous meeting that is mandatory.

In this course, students will explore the emerging fields of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence systems are all around us, from predictive text in our emails to customer service chatbots, to the curation of the media that we consume. Understanding how AI works will help students understand its promise and its limitations. Students will learn how AI systems ‘think’, how to train an AI, and through hands on labs explore the various applications of AI in our world today. Students will also spend time discussing the morality of AI systems and take a critical look at the way that these systems are shaping our world. Previous Computer Science experience is helpful but not required. This course is a fall semester course that is offered online through the Arrupe Virtual Learning Institute. This course has a weekly synchronous meeting that is optional.