Digital Layout I:
Adobe InDesign Training
Design Document
Susan Genden
Wayne State University
What is Adobe InDesign?
 InDesign is a page layout program
 Using it, we make professional files for high quality
documents that can be sent to a commercial printer or
distributed as pdf files
A sample of good design
InDesign allows you to combine text and graphics
and provides a wide selection of tools and formats
What is the current situation?
 A community college class meets for sixteen
weeks, twice weekly for three hours per class
 Students learn how to use the software, basics of
typography and page layout through demos, hands
on exercises, some page layout critiques, quizzes
and projects.
 Learners range from: new high school graduates to
seniors, a few have disabilities, all matriculate in
the graphics dept.
Introduction to the problem
 The lead graphic design professor rejected
new InDesign training materials for various
reasons.
 The training materials used were from extant
exercises from a different layout program,
QuarkXpress, and from an old version of
InDesign.
 The different instructors had no uniform
curriculum
 Part way through the course, I was told that all
instructors were to use the same midterm
exam and final project.
Needs assessment
 Since some exercises used by the instructors
were provided from an earlier version of the
software training, the instructions were not
always correct
 These exercises were complex and hard to follow.
 Because of few pre-existing materials, each
instructor created and tested course materials
during the course. This resulted in duplicate
curriculum development.
 Students came in at different competency levels
and worked at different rates.
Needs assessment – cont.
 When asked to perform independently,
many students could not transfer these
skills to new work without assistance
 Better organization would benefit the
students in ensuring good coverage of the
necessary subject areas
 One of the instructors prepared the exams
after training had begun without knowing
what other instructors were teaching. This
meant that all students might not have
learned the materials
Solution: Course redesign for Digital Layout I: Adobe InDesign
 More organized framework, clearer directions
 Exercises prepared in advance for the proper
software version used
 Creative exercises to apply knowledge at regular
intervals, not just follow exercises
 More critiques to give them design feedback
 Start with the basics to include students with no
background
Training Design - prerequisites
 The students must be able to
 follow visual demonstrations, to read printed
directions
 Students will have a basic understanding of
computer and operating system use
 They will know how to use the network and
jump drives for retrieving lessons and backing
up
 Students should have CD-Rs or jump drives to
back-up work.
Training Design
 Potential obstacles:
 A great deal of material to cover for a good
understanding
 Some students with special needs may need
to work without time limits. These students
should contact the instructor to make special
arrangements.
 Many students have jobs and must be able to
arrange enough lab time to finish the work.
 The application may freeze. Students must
learn to back up files frequently.
Objectives
The student will be able to:
 Describe and use the point system of measurement
 Classify typefaces
 Understand and use basic typographic principles in
page layouts
 Navigate through an electronic document in
InDesign.
 Create a simple layout in InDesign CS using frames
and by importing text and images
 Combine text and graphics in page layout
 Change application defaults that affect documents
created in this computer application
More Objectives
 Use the InDesign tools needed to create and
modify text in the electronic document
 Understand and be able to place and modify
graphic images in the document
 Use master pages to design and format page
layout
 Define and apply colors in the page layout
 Create and manage layers
 Output to various imaging devices as
appropriate for web and printed InDesign
documents and PDF files.
Materials
The instructor will need:
 A chair and a computer with a USB port and with Adobe
InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat installed to give
demonstrations and to modify associated graphics
 Network access to post data files
 Connection to overhead projector
 Overhead projector and screen
 Whiteboard an dry-erase markers
 Access to photocopier
 Color laser printer and printer paper
 Visual Quickstart Guide to InDesign CS – reference book
 Jump drive to bring in any files created elsewhere and post on
the network
 Instructor guide
Design
 The course was divided into nine modules
given over 16 weeks.
 The modules integrated more time for
creative work and transfer of exercise
skills to independent work
 The curriculum included more critiques of
work to help develop design skills
 All objectives were considered in the
development phase so students would be
prepared for the midterm and final projects
Development
 I will be the main person to develop the student
and instructor guides. Two other instructors will
assist and will help incorporate older materials
that meet the objectives
 The software used to develop the guides will be
Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe
Illustrator. The graphics will be imported into
InDesign. Print production of the final digital files
will be completed by school print department.
Development
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Instructor (5) and student guides (60) will be
developed and printed for the implementation
Guides must include CDs with exercises
Print examples in color and hand out separately
from the student guides. These will show
correct color use. They may be printed from
finished pdf files of the completed exercises on
the instructor CDs
Instructor guides must be written to
accommodate either a PC or Macintosh
Implementation
 The instructor will
Introduce topics
Review objectives
Demonstrate lessons on the computer
Assist students individually as they go through the
student guides and complete exercises.
 The instructor will make sure that students have data
files to complete the work and printed color samples
 Allow time for questions and answers, interactions,
conduct critiques
 Students with particular disabilities will be given extra
time to complete projects and to take quizzes or exams
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Formative Evaluation
 Materials should be tested on a small
sample of students who do not know the
program
 Pilot testing and feedback should indicate
likely success.
 All three instructors should try out the
materials for missing or confusing
directions and steps
Summative Evaluation
 All students will take surveys on software skills on
the first day of class
 A final evaluation by students (level 1)at the end
will show their assessments
 At least one quiz (short answers, multiple choice,
and/or matching) and possibly more will be given
during the course to assess skill mastery (Level 2)
 MidTerms and Final Projects show mastery
Summative Evaluations
 Portfolios will show transfer of learning
 Instructors (level 2) evaluate the course
 Follow up (level 3) evaluations with
supervisors in internship placements or job
placements.
 Did they transfer the learning to new job?
 Do their new skills help the company (level 4)?