PELLISSIPPI STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE MASTER SYLLABUS
OFFICE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT AND CERTIFICATION OST 2010
Class Hours: 1.0							Credit Hours: 1.0
Laboratory Hours: 0.0							Revised: Fall 08
NOTE: This course is not designed for transfer credit.
Catalog Course Description:
	An application-oriented assessment of students’ proficiency in business or medical office skills. Finalization of the portfolio is required.
Entry Level Standards:
	The student must have math, writing, verbal, and English language skills at the college level.
Corequisite:
		OST 2360 or 2935
Textbook(s) and Other Course Materials:
	1. Office Proficiency Assessment and Certification Software and Candidate Manual, Copyright 2003, International Association of Administrative Professionals (formerly known as Professional Secretaries International) and Biddle & Associates, Inc. (Copies provided by OST Department for use in Main Campus Testing Center during testing.) 2. Two 3.5-inch double-sided, high-density diskettes. (Required only if student desires national certification. Please format disks before giving to instructor.) 3. VHS tape used to record your mock interview. 4. A one-inch portfolio with protector sheets.
I. Week/Unit/Topic Basis:
	Week					Topic
	1					Orientation Introduction; certification standards; expectations; time-line requirements. Demo version practice testing over Keyboarding and Word Processing, Language Arts, Records Management, Financial Recordkeeping and Data Entry (optional).
	2-7					Administration, grading, and re-testing over the Office Proficiency and Assessment Certification exam. All testing will be completed at the Main campus testing center.
	7-8					OST Portfolio due.
	9-10					Revise OST Portfolio. Preview video in Media Center: "Job Interviewing for Your Future Career" presented by Laura Barron, MBA
	11-12					Mock Interview coordinated by Placement Office. Resubmit revised OST Portfolio.
II. Course Objectives*:
	A.			Perform file management, keyboarding and word processing activities at employable standards. (I, II, III)
	B.			Demonstrate the application of basic language arts skills to basic business documents at employable standards. (IV, VII, IX)
	C.			Understand and apply basic records management rules for both alphabetic and numeric filing. (X, XI)
	D.			Compute general office financial applications and recordkeeping activities. (X, XI)
	E.			Retrieve, edit, and print a spreadsheet and a database. (Database is optional for HCOA students. HCOA students required to complete Professional-Medical module.) (I, III)
	F.			Create, edit, and print a slide presentation using presentation software. (Required of Business concentration students only.) (X, XI)
	G.			Demonstrate and practice interview techniques through mock interview participation. (I, II, III)
*Roman numerals after course objectives reference goals of the OST program.
III. Instructional Processes*:
Students will:
	1.				Solve keyboarding and word processing problems based on real office documents until certification standards are met. Transitional Strategies
	2.				Solve language arts problems based on real office situations until certification standards are met.  Transitional Strategies
	3.				Solve records management problems based on real office situations until certification standards are met. Transitional Strategies
	4.				Solve financial record-keeping problems based on real office situations until certification standards are met. Transitional Strategies
	5.				Use technology to promote the objectives of the course; specifically, the Windows operating system, MS Office Professional, WordPerfect, and the OPAC testing software. Technological Literacy Outcome
	6.				Participate in the mock interview process arranged through the Placement Office for OST majors. Communication Outcome and Active Learning Strategies
*Strategies and outcomes listed after instructional processes reference TBR’s goals for strengthening general education knowledge and skills, connecting coursework to experiences beyond the classroom, and encouraging students to take active and responsible roles in the educational process.
IV. Expectations for Student Performance*:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
		1.			Demonstrate file management utilities using Windows at 75 percent accuracy. A
		2.			Keyboard at least 53 gross words per minute on a five-minute timed writing with 95 percent accuracy. A
		3.			Keyboard medical writings at least 53 gross words per minute on a five-minute timed writing with 95 percent accuracy. (HCOA concentration students-optional) A
		4.			Demonstrate the ability to use all of the following word processing functions at 100 percent accuracy: A bold block indent center copy delete hard hyphen hard page break hard return hard space insert move spell check printing underscore widow/orphan
		5.			Select appropriate paragraphs and merge them into a correctly formatted business letter style at 100 percent accuracy. A, B
		6.			Transcribe a letter (or medical report for HCOA students) from voice dictation at 75 percent accuracy level. A, B
		7.			Compose and format minutes to a meeting from rough draft copy at 75 percent accuracy level. A
		8.			Demonstrate the ability to use all of the following word processing function at 75 percent accuracy. A  decimal tab headers/footers pagination hard page break right justified tab spell check double underline global search/replace printing left justified tab superscript subscript
		9.			Demonstrate the proper use of grammar rules as found in a business letter based on 75 percent accuracy as validated by industry. B
		10.			Demonstrate the proper use of spelling as found in a business letter based on 75 percent accuracy as validated by industry. B
		11.			Demonstrate the proper use of punctuation rules as found in a business letter based on 75 percent accuracy as validated by industry. B
		12.			Demonstrate the proper use of capitalization rules as found in a business letter based on 75 percent accuracy as validated by industry. B
		13.			Index filing segments for both alphabetic and numeric methods at 75 percent accuracy based on ARMA Association of Records Managers and Administrators) standards. C
		14.			Code filing segments for both alphabetic and numeric methods at 75 percent accuracy based on ARMA (Association of Records Managers and Administrators) standards. C
		15.			Alphabetize filing segments for both alphabetic and numeric methods at 75 percent accuracy based on ARMA (Association of Records Managers and Administrators) standards. C
		16.			Reconcile an office bank statement. D
		17.			Prepare bank deposits involving credits, debits, and petty cash transactions. D
		18.			Demonstrate a 75 percent proficiency level on basic math applications as applied to business activities. D
		19.			Demonstrate ability to maintain an office petty cash fund with deposits and disbursements. D
		20.			Demonstrate ability to retrieve, edit, insert, and delete an Excel 2003 spreadsheet at 75 percent proficiency level. E
		21.			Demonstrate ability to save and print an Excel 2003 spreadsheet. E
		22.			Demonstrate ability to add, modify, delete, sort, and print records in an Access 2003 database at 75 percent proficiency level. (Optional for HCOA students) E
		23.			Demonstrate ability to create, modify, delete, and print slides in PowerPoint 2003 at 75 percent proficient level. (Optional for HCOA students) (F)
		24.			Demonstrate the ability to use correct medical terms, medical proofreading/language arts skills, and medical transcription production at 75 percent proficiency level. (HCOA concentration students only) (A, B, E)
		25.			Demonstrate appropriate interview techniques. (G)
*Letters after performance expectations reference the course objectives listed above.
V. Evaluation:
		A. Testing Procedures:
			TESTING PROCEDURES: Student will take the OPAC exam until standards are met or until 10 hours of test time has expired. All testing will be completed at the Main campus testing center where accurate time logs will be maintained. Standards for certification are set nationally by the International Association of Administrative Professionals (formerly known as Professional Secretaries International) based on a two-year comprehensive validity study that served as the foundation for the PSI Postsecondary Model Curriculum for Office Careers. (On some tests, higher standards have been set by the OST faculty.) Module testing will be done at the Main campus testing center ONLY. Student will have 10 hours to complete all test units. Any tests completed after the 10 logged testing hours will not be accepted. All testing must be completed by midterm in the semester (see Calendar of Course Events for exact dates). NO EXTRA TESTING TIME WILL BE GIVEN.
		B. Laboratory Expectations:
			N/A
		C. Field Work:
			Student will submit OST Portfolio during seventh week of this course, preview the job interviewing video in the Media Center during the tenth week of the course and will participate in mock interview as scheduled by the Placement Office during second half of semester. Failure to submit the portfolio, preview the interview video, or complete the mock interview during assigned times will result in an incomplete in the class.
		D. Other Evaluation Methods:
			If applicable, will be provided by instructor via syllabus supplement.
		E. Grading Scale:
			Grades are given for each unit of the five modules required. The following grading scales will be used for units passed as indicated below. You must pass all units required for your OST option (Business or HCOA) at certification level in order to receive a grade of "A" in the course. GRADING SCALE FOR MODULES 1, 2, 3, 4 AND 5 All units passed = A One unit not passed = B+ Two units not passed = B Three units not passed = C+ Four units not passed = C Five units not passed = D Six or more units not passed = F
VI. Policies:
		A. Attendance Policy:
			Pellissippi State expects students to attend all scheduled instructional activities. As a minimum, students in all courses (excluding distance learning courses) must be present for at least 75 percent of their scheduled class and laboratory meetings in order to receive credit for the course. Individual departments/programs/disciplines, with the approval of the vice president of Learning, may have requirements that are more stringent. In very specific circumstances, an appeal of the policy may be addressed to the head of the department in which the course was taken. If further action is warranted, the appeal may be addressed to the vice president of Learning.
		B. Academic Dishonesty:
			Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.  Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are immediately responsible to the instructor of the class.  In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions which may be imposed through the regular Pellissippi State procedures as a result of academic misconduct, the instructor has the authority to assign an F or a zero for the exercise or examination or to assign an F in the course.
	C. Accommodations for disabilities:
			If you need accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please inform the instructor immediately. Please see the instructor privately after class or in his/her office. Students must present a current accommodation plan from a staff member in Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD) in order to receive accommodations in this course. Services for Students with Disabilities may be contacted by going to Goins 127 or 131 or by phone: 694-6751(Voice/TTY) or 539-7153.
		D. Other Policies:
			In order for grades to be calculated, all testing must be completed in a timely fashion. Testing must be completed by date designated. Students must have a valid PSTCC ID to be presented on demand to gain access to PSTCC facilities. COMPUTER USAGE GUIDELINES: College-owned or -operated computing resources are provided for use by students of Pellissippi State. All students are responsible for the usage of Pellissippi State's computing resources in an effective, efficient, ethical and lawful manner.