• Open to all 9-12th graders

Enter the world digitally!

This course introduces students to techniques, principles and skills required to develop unique experiences and applications utilizing Augmented (AR), Virtual (VR), and Mixed Realities (MR) across a variety of use case scenarios. Participants will have access to state-of-the-art AR/VR technologies such as 360 degree video cameras, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift S, Oculus Quest, Oculus Go, PICO NEO, Windows VR, and Samsung Odyssey. Being able to develop VR and AR experiences gives each student cutting edge knowledge in an industry in need of talented staff. The average starting salary for a developer in this field is $75,000 a year. Learning in this field allows students to build technical literacy and express creativity in an immersive engaging computer aided design field.

• Open to all 9th-12th graders

Dive into your art…literally!

This class is equally applicable to those who are interested in understanding AR & VR technologies as well as those who want to use these as tools for solving real-world challenges.  Students are introduced to a variety of applications and experiences employing project-based learning techniques which will be used to develop solutions in such areas as societal, industry, academic and community challenges.  Working individually and as teams, participants will employ principles of Design Thinking, Project Management, Engineering and the Arts to create new and innovative solutions covering a variety of real-world topics.  Projects may include work with industry partners and commercial mentors.

• Open to all 9th-12th graders

Build it, play it, repeat!

This is an introductory course to video game programming, design, and video game art. Students will learn the principles and practice of modeling, applying textures and materials to those models, and rendering them with appropriate lighting. Additionally, students will be introduced to the game design theory behind designing an enjoyable, balanced game. At the end of the course students will have the opportunity to apply the skills they learned to build their own game.

• Prerequisite: CTE83230 Introduction to Game Design

Step up your game: build your own favorite video game!

Building on the skills learned in Introduction to Game Design, students will design, develop, and program games in Unity. Students will continue to refine their skills in modeling, game theory, and working with the Unity interface. At the end of the course students will have the opportunity to apply the skills they learned to build their own 3D games.

• Open to all 9th – 12th graders

Escape the 2nd dimension!

This course provides an introduction to creating, editing, presenting, and printing 3D models. Students develop foundational skills to explore and navigate 3D modeling platforms while creating 3D objects. Basic elements of 3D development will include modeling, texturing, lighting, animating, and rendering. 

• Open to all 9th-12th graders

Visualize your thinking! 

This course teaches the basics of design including: what design is, sketching, drafting, rendering, presentation, the critique process, concepting an idea and translating it to a design brief. In addition, this course will give students a taste of the various types of industrial design they can continue with – transportation and mobility, product, and Human Machine Interface. Students will be asked to keep a sketchbook which will be part of the course. 

• Prerequisite: CTE86110 Design Foundations

From your brain to their hands!

Introduction to Product Design builds on the Design Foundations Course in that it provides students the opportunity to continue building their design skills around the field of product design. Students will learn how to research, ideate, sketch, render, 3D model, and present concepts for products that would be used in everyday life. In addition, weekly critiques and showcases will allow students to participate in the critique process and learn from one another, learning how to be part of teams and collaborate on projects. Students will be asked to keep a sketchbook which will be part of the course. As design becomes an ever more important field in that it can add significant value to companies products and operations, this course seeks to enable students to get a head start in the field of design and learn more about it as a career opportunity. 

• Prerequisite: CTE86110 Design Foundations

Reinvent the wheel!

Imagine if you could learn how to design Cars, Bikes, Skateboards, Plane interiors, and more in high school! That is precisely the goal of this class. While the field of Transportation Design exists in colleges and universities around the world, it is not taught at the high school level. This class builds on the design foundations course taught at the Innovation Center to teach students how to design vehicle and vehicle interiors. Students would learn sketching and rendering techniques specific to vehicle design, as well as information about proper vehicle proportions, how to package a vehicle, how to think about cars from a design and engineering standpoint, and how to think about vehicle interiors.