OST 2010--Office Proficiency and Assessment Certification
1 credit hour
Syllabus updated: Fall 2002
Questions concerning course? Phone/Email lead instructor: Janice Rowland, 865-694-6487, jrowland@pstcc.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
An application-oriented assessment of entry-level skills for OST students. The course is an open-exit evaluation of students' proficiency in keyboarding, word processing, language arts skills, records management, financial recordkeeping, spreadsheets, and databases. Must be enrolled in final semester of OST and have filed an Intent to Graduate form.
CO-REQUISITES: OST 2300
TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER REFERENCE MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR COURSE:
- Office Proficiency Assessment and Certification Candidate Manual, Copyright 2000, International Association of Administrative Professionals (formerly known as Professional Secretaries International) and Biddle & Associates, Inc. (Copy provided by OST Department for use in Main Campus Testing Center during testing.)
- Two 3.5-inch double-sided, high-density diskettes. (Required only if student desires national certification. Please format disks before giving to instructor.)
I. WEEK/TOPIC BASIS:
- Week 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)
- Weeks 2-8
- Administration, grading, and re-testing over the Office Proficiency and Assessment Certification exam.
All testing will be completed at the Main campus testing center.
II. COURSE OBJECTIVES: (Referenced to OST Program Goals)
- Perform file management, keyboarding and word processing activities at employable standards. (I, II, III)
- Demonstrate the application of basic language arts skills to basic business documents at employable standards. (IV, VII, IX)
- Understand and apply basic records managements rules for both alphabetic and numeric filing. (X, XI)
- Compute general office financial applications and recordkeeping activities. (X, XI)
- 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)
III. PROCESS OBJECTIVES: (Referenced to General Education Competencies)The student will use the following processes to accomplish the objectives of this course:
- Solve keyboarding and word processing problems based on real office documents until certification standards are met. (III. Problem Solving and Decision Making Outcome, VIII. Transitional Strategies)
- Solve language arts problems based on real office situations until certification standards are met. (III. Problem Solving and Decision Making Outcome, VIII. Transitional Strategies)
- Solve records management problems based on real office situations until certification standards are met. (III. Problem Solving and Decision Making Outcome, VIII. Transitional Strategies)
- Solve financial recordkeeping problems based on real office situations until certification standards are met. (III. Problem Solving and Decision Making Outcome, VIII. Transitional Strategies)
- Use technology to promote the objectives of the course; specifically, the Windows operating system, MS Office Professional, and the OPAC testing software. (V. Technological Literacy Outcome)
IV. EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT PERFORMANCE: (Referenced to Course Objectives)At the end of this course, the student should be able to:
- Demonstrate file management utilities using Windows 2000 at 75 percent accuracy. (A)
- Keyboard at least 53 gross words per minute on a five-minute timed writing with 95 percent accuracy. (A)
- 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)
- 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
- Select appropriate paragraphs and merge them into a correctly formatted business letter style at 100 percent accuracy. (A, B)
- Transcribe a letter (or medical report for HCOA students) from voice dictation at 75 percent accuracy level. (A, B)
- Compose and format minutes to a meeting from rough draft copy at 75 percent accuracy level. (A)
- 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
- Demonstrate the proper use of grammar rules as found in a business letter based on 75 percent accuracy as validated by industry. (B)
- Demonstrate the proper use of spelling as found in a business letter based on 75 percent accuracy as validated by industry. (B)
- Demonstrate the proper use of punctuation rules as found in a business letter based on 75 percent accuracy as validated by industry. (B)
- Demonstrate the proper use of capitalization rules as found in a business letter based on 75 percent accuracy as validated by industry. (B)
- Index filing segments for both alphabetic and numeric methods at 75 percent accuracy based on ARMA (Association of Records Managers and Administrators) standards. (C)
- Code filing segments for both alphabetic and numeric methods at 75 percent accuracy based on ARMA (Association of Records Managers and Administrators) standards. (C)
- Alphabetize filing segments for both alphabetic and numeric methods at 75 percent accuracy based on ARMA (Association of Records Managers and Administrators) standards. (C)
- Reconcile an office bank statement. (D)
- Prepare bank deposits involving credits, debits, and petty cash transactions. (D)
- Demonstrate a 75 percent proficiency level on basic math applications as applied to business activities. (D)
- Demonstrate ability to maintain an office petty cash fund with deposits and disbursements. (D)
- Demonstrate ability to retrieve, edit, insert, and delete an Excel 2000 spreadsheet at 75 percent proficiency level. (E)
- Demonstrate ability to save and print an Excel 2000 spreadsheet. (E)
- Demonstrate ability to add, modify, delete, sort, and print records in an Access 2000 database at 75 percent proficiency level. (Optional for HCOA students) (E)
- 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)
V. EVALUATION:
- 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.)
GRADING: 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
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.
- Laboratory Expectations: N/A
- Field Work: N/A
- Other Evaluation Methods: If applicable, will be provided by instructor via syllabus supplement.
VI. 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.
- ATTENDANCE POLICY: Pellissippi State Technical Community College expects students to attend all scheduled instructional activities. As a minimum, students in all courses must be present for at least 75 percent of their scheduled class and laboratory meetings in order to receive credit for the course. [NOTE: No differentiation is noted for excused/unexcused absences. These will be treated as an absence.]
- VETERAN'S BENEFITS: Regular attendance is required to receive veteran's benefit pay. Instructors are required to report non-attendance to the Veterans Affairs Office which reports non-attendance to the Veterans Administration Regional Office. Payments are adjusted or canceled if attendance is not regular.
- ACADEMIC AND CLASSROOM MISCONDUCT: 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.
- Office Systems Technology
- Pellissippi State Technical Community College
- P. O. Box 22990
Knoxville, TN 37933-0990
- Phone 865-694-6400
Email comments to author: jrowland@pstcc.edu
All contents copyright (C) 2001, Janice Rowland. All rights reserved.
Revised: August 2002
URL: http://www.pstcc.edu/