Spanish-American Institute

401 Office Practice 160 Classes

Prerequisite(s): Keyboarding (Basic Course) or the equivalent

Textbooks: Patsy Fulton-Calkins, Procedures for the Office Professional, South-Western Educational Publishing, 2000 (or comparable text).

Course Description: While developing English language skills, this course introduces students to the issues and trends affecting the 21^st Century office professional, including job searching, information processing, effective communication, records management, and team building.

Objectives: By the end of the course, students should be able:

• to read and better understand English language descriptions of issues and trends in the 21^st Century office that will affect office professionals, including workplace diversity, the global marketplace, and technological advances;
• to read about office practices and procedures and understand what is being discussed or described;
• to interpret the text's charts, graphs, and other visual material;
• to read, discuss, and write in English about cases illustrating typical office practice issues or problems; and
• to develop resumes, application letters, and other aspects of office professional career development.

Instructional Methods: Students will read, discuss, and write in English in response to:

situations described in the text; in reponse to charts, tables, and pictures; and in response to "cases."

Grading: The final grade is based on the following:

Class Participation	25%
Assignments	50%
Exams	25%
Total	100%

The grading scale is: A=90-100%, B+=85-89%, B=80-84%, C+=75-79%, C=70-74%, D=65-69%, F=60-64%

Course Outline:

Week	Topics	Assignments and Tests
1-2	Using the text: parts of the book, glossaries, profiles, visuals, charts, margin information, objectives, summaries, key terms, and other learning aids. Developing a weekly vocabulary log with complete sentence definitions and illustrations. Vocabulary guidelines: write two complete sentences for each word, one that describes its meaning and one that gives an example of its use. Today's changing workplace: lifelong learning and increased education, the information age office, increasingly diverse labor force, changing businesses, career opportunities and career paths, 21^st C. skills. Close reading of a case.	Read: pp. 1-26. Vocabulary log: Begin a weekly vocabulary log, following guidelines provided by the instructor. Activities: Office Procedures—pp. 25-26, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions. Office Applications—Chose either OA1-3 or OA1-5. Unannounced quiz:
3	The Office team and environment: the internal team, the external team, organizational communication, physical environment, and security. Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem.	Read: pp. 29-52. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 52, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions. Office Applications—Chose either O2-2 or O2-3.
4-5	Office productivity: stress and the office professional; time management, including techniques and systems. Close reading of a case.	Read: pp. 53-81. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 80, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions. Office Applications—time log activity, following instructor's guidelines.
6-7	Ethical behavior: business ethics, the ethical organization, ethical change, discrimination, and the ethical office professional. Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read: pp. 84-105. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 105, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions. Office Applications—choose one of the cases in OA4-3 and come to class prepare to make a brief oral presentation describing the case and answering the questions that follow it
8-9	Information processing: information creation, output, and processing; computer networks; future directions of computer technology. Close reading of a case. Review for test.	Read pp. 113-114, 117, 135-137, 139. Vocabulary log OA5-1 Test
10	Computer software: software programs, troubleshooting, computer ergonomics, and computer ethics. Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read pp. 142-143,152-159, 161, 163-166. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 165, questions 2-4, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions.
11	Reprographics: copiers, copy quality and maintenance; centralized and decentralized centers, copyright law and copying abuses, shredders, fax machines Close reading of a case.	Read pp. 168-169, 172-178, 182-184, 189-191. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 192, questions 1&3, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions Office Applications—OA7-3, summarize the situation and answer one of the questions that follow the problem
12	The virtual office: virtual office growth and setups, personal goals and personality traits, company expectations, professional growth. Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read pp. 195-196, 198-205, 215-218. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 192, questions 1,2, &4, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions Office Applications—Describe one of the cartoons in the chapter and explain how it illustrates an issue related to the virtual office and/or virtual office professional
13-14	The communication process: communication and self-concept, verbal and non-verbal communication, communication barriers, communication growth process. Close reading of a case.	Read pp. 222-240. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 240, questions 2-4, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more for each question
15-16	Written communication: types of written messages, collaborative writing, effective correspondence, e-mail memos and letters, reports. Close reading of a case. Review for test.	Read pp. 242-266. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 266, using complete sentences for all answers. Test
17-18	Presentations: presenting letters and reports, preparing and delivering oral presentations, presenting as a team. Close reading of a case. Individual/group oral presentations.	Read pp. 269-291. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—answer all questions, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking and Office Applications—work with one other person in the class to prepare a brief oral report of the critical thinking activity on p. 291. One person will summarize the report for the class and the other will present suggestions for improvement.
19-20	Telecommunication skills: communication yesterday and today, network connections, equipment and systems; telephone responsibilities; telecommunications and society. Close reading of a case.	Read pp. 294-324. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 324 questions using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions Office Applications—Work in groups of three to perform the skit in OA12-4. One person reads the commentary, one the part of Gloria, and one of Mr. Silva. Each person will also answer one of the three questions at the end.
21	Office Mail: US Postal mail services, private mail services, incoming and outgoing mail, future mail trends. Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read pp. pp. 328-352. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 352, questions 3&4, using complete sentences for all answers. Office Applications—OA13-2
22-23	Records management rules and procedures: importance of records management, indexing rules, storage, and retrieval. Close reading of a case.	Read pp. 358-391. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 391 questions using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions
24	Records management technology: information management systems and trends in records management. Close reading of a case. Review for test	Read pp. 394-395, 410 (record migration)-414. Vocabulary log. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions Test
25	Meetings and conferences: office professional's role in meetings and responsibilities for conferences and conventions. Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read pp. 420-421,427-431,434-443, 448-452. Vocabulary log. Activities: Office Procedures—p. 451, question 4, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Summarize the situation on p. 452 and write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions
26-27	Travel arrangements: office professional's responsibilities before the trip, while the employer is away, and when the employer returns. Close reading of a case.	Read pp. 454-479. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 478, questions 2-5, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions Office Applications—OA 17-2
28-29	Financial documents: electronic banking, banking records and procedures, accounting records, payroll laws, investments. Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read pp. 482-509 (top). Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p. 508, questions 2-5, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more in response to each of the three questions.
30-32	Employment and advancement: job information sources, job application process, performance and advancement, involuntary removal. Close reading of a case. Final exam	Read pp. 514-552. Vocabulary log Activities: Office Procedures—p.551, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking—Work with a partner. Write a dialogue for the situation described on p. 552. Prepare to perform it in class. (One half of the class will write dialogue for the situation as described and the other half will write dialogue for a situation in which Emily performs better.) Office Applications— Write a resume. Write an application letter for a job listed in the newspaper or some other source. (Submit a copy of the job posting with the letter and resume to the teacher.) Prepare a brief oral presentation to the class describing personal career goals and the steps needed to reach these goals. Final exam.

rev. 2/04