Executive Summary

Department personnel who have volunteered to create and maintain department web pages need graphics that can be used as buttons, illustrations or background to enhance design of web pages. Based on a needs-survey conducted at the district webmasters meeting, it was determined that relying on clipart that has been purchased is not a reliable means of dressing up web pages. Webmasters would like to be able to create their own titles, buttons, background designs and illustrations, but don't have the software skills to create their own. Based on budgetary restraints, Paint Shop Pro 8.0 was chosen as a relatively simple graphics program to implement into the webmaster set of tools. The survey indicated that most webmasters have above average understanding of computer usage and feel that 6 hours of training would be adequate to get started.

Introduction

The Birdville Independent School District is moving towards a new web site design. School and department webmasters have accepted the task of revitalizing their respective web pages with a new look and layout. Department webmasters have used MS Frontpage 2000 to construct their web sites. A move to Dreamweaver MX 2004 has left a gap in graphic availability. Webmasters want to be taught to construct simple button and banner designs and motify pictures taken with digital cameras to use on their web sites.

Background

Although department webmasters have had access to MS Photodraw, the district had not seen a need to provide training of that software package. Paint Shop Pro was chosen to use as a graphics package for it's ease of use, additional software package of Animation Shop included with PSP and it's low cost.

Audience

Students are adult learners, predominately at the administrative and mid-management level. All learners have prior experience at least at the beginning level of computer use and are familiar with Internet Explorer and in most cases, are familiar with creating web pages with MS Frontpage. Learners are expected to have found a need to create buttons and banners for web pages and modify digital photos. Participants will see advantages to creating buttons and banners that can have a consistent color scheme as their web page.

Goals and Objectives

Use Paint Shop Pro to create buttons and banners for departmental web pages.

Webmasters will be able to traverse the basic Paint Shop Pro application. Webmasters will be able to start a new file, choose an appropriate size, background color and create a simple navigation button. Department web pages will ready for modification to include new buttons as navigational aids.

By the end of the lesson:

Webmasters will have created at least a Home, Mail and Staff button.

Webmasters will have added the buttons onto their existing web pages.