BY PAIGE OGDEN & JULIA BROWN
A new take on Sheridan College news is now only one swipe away.
The college’s Journalism students are designing a tablet app as part of the new Sheridan Sun.
The app is a way for students to learn how to do layouts and design, since the Sheridan newspaper printed its final edition last year.
The college needed a new way to deliver news content. Enter the Sheridan Sun touch.
The tablet app partners with Sheridan’s online news website, which is also put together by the Journalism students.
“The Sheridan Sun touch app is a brilliant, environmentally friendly alternative to newspapers,” said Greg Chisholm, a student in the Journalism program.
The Journalism use Adobe InDesign softwareto produce creative and interactive news stories.
With the creation of the app, Sheridan becomes one of the first journalism programs in Canada to design an app for tablets.
The unique platform helps students to tell their news stories, and invites readers to interact more.
“I think that it’s great to offer tablet design to students. With how technology has advanced there’s always a need for more creative people when new niches such as tablet design open,” said Grant Jenkins, a second-year student in the Journalism program. “I think Sheridan is doing its part to show it is one of the revolutionary creative art schools.”
Students start by choosing a story that they want to turn into an interactive platform, then launch into the world of creativity.
With so many elements at their disposal the possibilities really are endless.
The creation of the app also benefits students by helping them learn new skills. The skills learned from layout and design are transferrable skills that will be useful in a world of technology.
The tablet app will be available for free download next year.