Office Communications will equip today’s professional with skills that will be in demand well into the future. Fundamental topics include teamwork, cultural diversity, customer service, human relations, telephones, and ethics. Emphasis is placed on oral and written communication skills.

Prerequisites: None

Texts: (click here for purchasing information)

o Business Communication—Building Critical Skills Locker/Kaczmarek Second Edition, McGraw-Hill 2004
ISBN number 0-07-286571-7

o Customer Service Rokes, South-Western 2001 ISBN 0-538-69836-5

o Telephone & Voice Mail Massen, South-Western 2002 ISBN 0-538-43268-3

o Prentice Hall Reference Guide to Grammar and Usage Harris, Fifth Edition, Prentice Hall Inc. 2003 ISBN 0-13-102-5090

Course Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: (The book reference is listed where the outcome will be learned.)

· Define communication and explain the communication process. (BC)

· Use grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other mechanical aspects of communication properly while composing and editing correspondence.(BC + RG)

· Discuss the importance of oral communication and effective listening skills.(BC)

· Develop effective methods of improving interpersonal communications.(BC + CS + TV)

· Understand/discuss the importance of customer service and human relations.(CS + TV)

· Understand the importance of and interpretation of nonverbal communications. (BC)

· Compose business correspondence. (BC)

· Use advanced technologies to communicate.(all)

· Discuss the importance of cultural diversity in today’s global marketplace.(BC + CS)

· Research and discuss acceptable communication and business practices for other cultures.(BC + CS)

· Demonstrate the skills necessary to be a productive team member.(BC)

· Discuss/Demonstrate proper telephone etiquette.(TV)

Technical requirements for the course:

If you have never taken an online course before, this course will be different for you. Our primary means of communication will be through the Internet; therefore, you should be comfortable with using the Internet and email. You must have reliable Internet access (you must provide your own ISP), an email account, and a browser (Netscape 3.0 or higher or Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher).

If using a modem, 28.8 bps or higher is strongly recommended.

You are expected to have basic computer and Internet literacy skills. This includes the ability to work comfortably in a browser, send and receive email with attachments, use a search engine, and create and modify documents in MS Word or Corel WordPerfect. You will also need a Blackboard login account. I will assign that to you.

You may also want to:

· Take the online quiz to see if distance learning is for you.

· Take the online quiz to see if you have the technical skills to succeed at distance learning.

Please note: Technical difficulties do occur during a semester. However, technical difficulties do not excuse late or incomplete assignments.

Course content

Please see the course calendar for a week-by-week list of what topics will be covered in the course.

How the course is conducted

Welcome to the online version of Office Communications. This information is intended to help you get started. Since there will be no face-to-face class lecture, it is imperative that you are conscientious, motivated and self-disciplined. While the course is very flexible in terms of when you put in the time, you can expect to average about the same amount of time as a normal lecture course--about three hours total a week per credit. This comes out to nine hours per week. Note also that the course is NOT self-paced. Assignments are due by specific dates. You may work ahead if you like, but you may not “work behind.”

A list of all assignments and their due dates is included in the course calendar. I will NOT remind you of when assignments are due. You are expected to refer to the calendar and to complete all assignments on time. If you have difficulty with the assignments or have any questions, please contact me and I will be happy to assist you.

You will have opportunities to interact with other students enrolled in the course. You are encouraged to communicate with other students in the course by email, by use of the discussion board, or by phone. Interacting with other students in the course will enhance your learning experience.

Course Materials:

Textbook

Your primary resources are the textbooks listed at the beginning of this syllabus. If you don't want to come to campus to pick up the book, you can either order it from the Allegany College of Maryland bookstore and ask them to mail it to you (301-784-5348, there is an additional fee for shipping) or order it online from www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com. If ordering online, use the ISBN number indicated on the syllabus to be sure you order the correct textbook. If you choose this route, please be sure when you order that the textbook is in stock in order to avoid delays. The only book that may not be available from the above sites is the Prentice Hall Reference Guide.

Getting Started

You may start on the course as soon as you register, based upon the assignments indicated in the syllabus. As soon as you register for the course you should send me an email. Without your email address, I have no way of contacting you. This is one of your assignments for Week 1 on the calendar. My email address is thosselrode@allegany.edu Please be sure to send me the email from the account you will be using throughout the course. Blackboard will be the primary method for conducting the course.

Please include in the subject line “Office Comm-Enrollment”.
In the body of the email include:

Your full name

The college which you are attending, including the campus

Your full mailing address

Your e-mail address

Your preferred contact phone number

Your preferred testing site*

*You must take 2 tests (Midterm and Final) at a testing center. Remember to bring ID with you to the testing center. Each ACM campus has testing centers. Tell me which campus you prefer. If you don’t live near an ACM campus, tell me this in the email.

Grading and Testing

Assessments for the course will consist of quizzes (taken online), written assignments, a midterm exam (taken in the testing lab), and a final exam (taken in the testing lab). You may take the quizzes any time before the due date on the calendar.

Students will not receive mid-term grades in the US postal mail. However, all grades will be posted on the blackboard site, so students will always have the opportunity to review grades as soon as I have completed grading the assignments/exams. I will complete grading of written assignments within 1 week and will return the assignment to you using the “View/Complete” assignment link in Blackboard.

The midterm and final exams will be given by the testing center. Please contact the testing centers in advance to verify hours of operation. The exam may not be taken after the scheduled dates.

TESTING CENTER CONTACT INFORMATION

Cumberland campus: swilson@allegany.edu

Shirley Wilson, phone (301) 784-5551, fax 301-784-5060

Bedford campus: mclark@allegany.edu

Mary Ann Clark, phone 814-652-9528 ext. 6204, fax 814-652-9775

Somerset campus: tshaffer@allegany.edu

Tiffany Shaffer, phone 814-445-9848 ext. 6104, fax 814-445-8132

The final grading scale follows:

A = 93-100%
B = 85-92%
C = 74-84%
D = 65-73%
F = Less than 65%

Late assignments

No late assignments will be accepted. The online quiz feature will be programmed so that quizzes will be unavailable after the due date has passed. Any assignment that is not handed in on time will receive a grade of zero unless there are extenuating circumstances that can be documented.

You will have at least a one week period in which to take the midterm and final exams. This should allow everyone the flexibility to schedule the exam at a convenient time.

The exception to the “no late assignment” rule is the orientation assignments in Week 1. Since these are learning assignments designed to help you prepare for success in the class, there will be a grace period for these assignments. However, students must contact me if they are having problems completing these assignments so that they don’t fall behind.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Board

If you have a question or problem please check the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) discussion board first. If the answer is not there (or the answer was not posted by me and you aren’t sure if it is correct), contact me by email at thosselrode@allegany.edu. I check email daily (weekdays only). If the question is something that others may be wondering about I will also post the question and answer to the FAQ discussion board.

Contacting me

If you need to speak to me by phone please call my office number at (301) 784-5317. My office hours are listed on page 1 of the syllabus. If this is not convenient for you, please send me an email; and we can arrange a phone meeting at a mutually convenient time. You may contact me by email at thosselrode@allegany.edu

Blackboard

This course will be conducted using Blackboard software. You do not need to purchase software to use Blackboard; however, you will need a login and password to access it. I will provide you with this login and password.

After receiving your blackboard username and password you should immediately login to your Blackboard account and orient yourself with Blackboard. You should review the student manual by logging into Blackboard, clicking on the "Tools" button and then clicking on "Manual". You should also print a copy of the "Student Blackboard Handout" in the "Course Documents" section.

You should be able to perform the following functions in blackboard by the end of the first week of class:

Log into your blackboard account (remember to log out when finished!)
Find and read announcements
Find and read course assignments
Find and read course documents
Send email
Find the discussion board
Find the grades area

You may also preview Blackboard at http://blackboard.allegany.edu prior to beginning the class. At this site, click on Student Resources.

E-Mail Policy

Always use the following guidelines when sending e-mail to me.

In the subject area, enter “Office Communications” and clearly identify the topic of your e-mail:

Examples:         Office Communications – Question about …
                        Office Communications – Comments about….
                        Office Communications – Homework Assignment ….

I receive a lot of email. If you fail to put the words “Office Communications” in your subject line, it is possible that I may overlook your email. I check my email daily on weekdays. If your question requires a lengthy explanation/response from me, I will respond within 24-48 hours. If your e-mail is a quick question or comment, I will respond as soon as I read it.

Please send me e-mail from the account you listed in your initial email to me and please include your name on every email.

Submission of assignments as electronic files

Unless otherwise stated, all assignments that are submitted to me should be in the format of an MS WORD or COREL WORDPERFECT document file. IMPORTANT: Every document should have a header within the document that includes your name, course name, page number, and number of total pages in the document.

Files should be submitted using the “View/Complete” link for the assignment. In the event that blackboard is not working (for example, the Blackboard server goes down) and the due date is looming, you should submit the file as an email attachment along with a note describing the problem. If both Blackboard and email are down, send a fax to me at (301) 784-5022 indicating that you are experiencing a problem and supply a brief explanation of the problem. If your assignment is short (5 pages or less), you may also fax the assignment to me at that time.

Rules of conduct for participation in the Discussion Board

Students are encouraged to communicate with each other using the discussion board feature of Blackboard. Just because you cannot physically be in the same room as your classmates doesn’t mean you can’t communicate with them! The discussion board is provided so that students can get to know each other and discuss topics that are related to the course content. It can be a valuable source of information and support. However, please note that all messages are “public”, i.e. available for everyone in the class to view. When posting messages on the discussion board, please keep comments on a positive note and avoid “flaming” (verbally attacking someone else). Please provide feedback to other students in a kind and constructive manner.

Student Conduct and Plagiarism

The college has a strict policy on academic dishonesty. You are expected to abide by the policy as defined in the student manual.

Plagiarism is passing off someone else’s work or idea as your own. Academic Dishonesty also includes failure on your part to keep your current and past assignments out of the hands of other students who may misinterpret their origins. To receive credit for quantitative assignments, please show all calculations. It is also suggested that you keep a record and/or rough draft of written or other work until you have received your final grade.

Accommodating Disabilities

Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me personally as soon as possible, so I can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your educational opportunity.

A final note:

This course is still a work in progress. As the semester proceeds, tell me what is working, what is not working, and what else you think I could do to help you be successful in this course. Thanks, and I hope you will enjoy Office Communications!

Course Calendar

(Calendar is subject to change at instructor’s discretion)

61-106/Tentative Course Schedule**

Spring 2004

WEB

Jan 19

Week 1

Read introductory letter/materials mailed to you
*(As stated in letter) Send me email—remember to include the site where you will be taking your midterm and final
*(As stated in letter) Take online quizzes (if necessary)
*(As stated in letter) Log into Blackboard
*(As stated in letter) Update your personal information in BB
*(As stated in letter) Explore each button in BB
Read the course syllabus and calendar
Print all documents the letter suggests
Always Log out of BB when you are finished
*(As stated in letter) Complete the tutorial
Print and read the LIST OF INSTRUCTIONS document
Print and Complete Module 1 Assignments
Take Week 1 Quiz

Due Jan 25

Jan 26

Week 2

Print and Complete Module 2 Assignments
Print and read Reference Book Instructions
Print and Complete Ref Book Section 7
Read at least 3 memos written by students in Week 1 (Found in Course Documents—Students’ Work Folder)
Send email to the people above (whose memo you read) introducing yourself. Ask them a question and/or comment on something you found interesting. You MUST include my address on the email as a second recipient of the email
Take Week 2 Quiz

Due

Feb 1

Feb 2	Week 3	Print and Complete Module 3 Assignments Research slang Print and Complete Ref Book Section 8 Take Week 3 Quiz	Due Feb 8
Feb 9	Week 4	Print and Complete Module 6 Assignments Print All Customer Service Assignments and Notes Complete Customer Service Workshops 1 and 2 Take Week 4 Quiz	Due Feb 15
Feb 16	Week 5	Complete Customer Service Workshops 3, 5, 6, and 9. Take Week 5 Quiz	Due Feb 22
Feb 23	Week 6	You must go to your testing site between Feb 25-Mar 3 to take the Midterm Exam. Your testing site/Midterm Exam is located at the site you requested in your first email to me. Print and Complete Module 14 Assignments Take Week 6 Quiz Notice that there is less work this week to allow you time to travel to take the test. Take advantage of this and complete the test this week. Nothing from Week 6 or 7 is on the midterm.	Due Feb 29
Mar 1	Week 7	Remember that the Midterm Exam is due by March 3 Print and Complete Module 15 Assignments Print and Complete Ref Book Section 27 Take Week 7 Quiz	Due Mar 7
Mar 15	Week 8	Print and Complete Module 16 Assignments Print and Complete Ref Book Section 28 Take Week 8 Quiz	Due Mar 21

Mar 22	Week 9	Print and Complete Module 17 Assignments Print and Complete Ref Book Section 39 Take Week 9 Quiz	Due Mar 28
Mar 29	Week 10	Print and Complete Module 18 Assignments Take Week 10 Quiz	Due Apr 4
Apr 5	Week 11 *short week Easter Week	Print All Telephone & Voice Mail Assignments Complete Telephone Lessons 1-3 Take Week 11 Quiz	Due Apr 11
Apr 12	Week 12	Complete Telephone Lessons 4-8 Take Week 12 Quiz	Due Apr 18
Apr 19	Week 13	Complete Telephone Lessons 9-10 Start Culture Research Take Week 13 Quiz	Due Apr 25
Apr 26	Week 14	Work on Culture Research/Project
May 3	Week 15	Complete Culture Research/Project—Due in my office by May 7 at 10 a.m. Please allow time for shipping, etc. as you look at your schedule this week. Complete the Final Exam at your testing site between May 3 and May 11. GOOD LUCK!!!	Due May 7
May 10	Week 16	Comprehensive Final Exam Due before May 11 at 10 a.m.	Due May 11
**The instructor has the right to change the course schedule/requirements at any time.