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 understand English language descriptions of issues and trends in the 21^st Century office that affecting 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 interviewing skills along with 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, including learning aids. Today's changing workplace. Close reading of a case.	Read: pp. 1-26. 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.
3	The Office team and environment Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem.	Read: pp. 29-52. 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. 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: Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read: pp. 84-105. 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: Close reading of a case. Review for exam, week 8..	Read pp. 113-114, 117, 135-137, 139. OA5-1 Bi-monthly exam, week 8.
10	Computer software: Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read pp. 142-143,152-159, 161, 163-166. 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: Close reading of a case.	Read pp. 168-169, 172-178, 182-184, & 189-191. 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: . Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read pp. 195-196, 198-205, 215-218. 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: Close reading of a case.	Read pp. 222-240. 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: Close reading of a case. Review for exam, week 16.	Read pp. 242-266. Activities: Office Procedures—p. 266, using complete sentences for all answers. Bi-monthly exam, week 16.
17-18	Presentations: . Close reading of a case. Individual/group oral presentations.	Read pp. 269-291. Activities: Office Procedures—answer all questions, using complete sentences for all answers. Critical Thinking and Office Applications—prepare a brief oral report with one other person of the critical thinking activity on p. 291. One person will summarize the report for the class; the other will present suggestions for improvement.
19-20	Telecommunication skills: Close reading of a case.	Read pp. 294-324. 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 each reads the commentary, Gloria’s part, and Mr. Silva’s part and will also answer one of the three questions at the end.
21	Office MailClose reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read pp. pp. 328-352. 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: Close reading of a case.	Read pp. 358-391. 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 Close reading of a case. Review for exam.	Read pp. 394-395, 410 (record migration)-414. Critical Thinking—Write a paragraph or more that answers one of the questions Bi-monthly exam, week 24.
25	Meetings and conferences: Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read pp. 420-421,427-431,434-443, 448-452. 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: . Close reading of a case.	Read pp. 454-479. 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: Close reading of a case. Individual oral presentations about approaches to critical thinking problem	Read pp. 482-509 (top). 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: Close reading of a case. Review for exam, week 32.	Read pp. 514-552. 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 for class. (One half of the class will write dialogue for the situation as described and the other half 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. Prepare a brief oral presentation describing personal career goals and the steps needed to reach these goals. Bi-monthly exam, week 32.

rev. 2/04, 2/07