PROGRAM REVIEW REPORT – SPRING 2010
FINAL REPORT – 6/29/10
SHORELINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM REVIEW
SPRING 2010
Prepared by Karen Demetre, Consultant
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Purpose.................................................................... 3
Methodology.......................................................... 4
Report Elements
1. Assessment of Learning……………………….. 6
2. Program Information…………………………… 7
3. Student Data Trends……………………………. 9
4. Access/Success - Under-Represented Stds. 21
5. Curriculum………………………………………. 22
6. Faculty……………………………………………..25
7. Resources…………………………………………26
8. Revenue Potential………………………………. 28
9. Partnerships………………………………………28
10. Schedule of Classes……………………………..29
11. Support Services…………………………………30
12. Facilities……………………………………………31
13. Program Budget Overview…………………….. 31
14. Comparison with Programs in Region………. 32
15. Employment Prospects………………………… 35
16. Analysis of Findings……………………………. 36
17. Recommendations………………………………. 38
Appendix: Summary of Responses
1. Students…………………………………………… 41
2. Faculty………………………………………………49
3. Advisory Committee…………………………….. 56
4. Comparison of Group Ratings………………… 58
5. Industry Focus Group…………………………... 60
PURPOSE
The purpose of the program review process at Shoreline Community College is continuous quality improvement. This process is scheduled on a five year cycle across all instructional areas at the college.
This process also serves to meet standards established by the State Board for Community and Technical College Education and the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Relevant accreditation standards are listed below:
4.A Assessment
4.A.1 The institution engages in ongoing systematic collection and analysis of
meaningful, assessable, and verifiable data – quantitative and/or qualitative, as appropriate to its indicators of achievement – as the basis for evaluating the accomplishment of its core theme objectives.
4.A.2 The institution engages in an effective system of evaluation of its
programs and services, wherever offered and however delivered, to evaluate achievement of clearly-identified program goals or intended outcomes. Faculty has a primary role in the evaluation of educational programs and services.
4.A.3 The institution documents, through an effective, regular, and comprehensive system of assessment of student achievement, that students who complete its educational courses, programs, and degrees, wherever offered and however delivered, achieve identified course, program, and degree learning outcomes. Faculty with teaching responsibilities are responsible for evaluating student achievement of clearly-identified learning outcomes.
4.A.4 The institution evaluates holistically the alignment, correlation, and integration of programs and services with respect to accomplishment of core theme objectives.
METHODOLOGY
First Committee Meeting
(Orientation to process with full-time faculty, division dean, workforce dean, institutional researcher, and consultant)
Qualitative Information Collected
• College website, planning guides, brochures
• Schedule of Classes
• Class Cancellations and Wait Lists
• Full-Time Faculty Input (written assignment)
• Samples: Course Syllabi + Master Course Outlines
• Student Focus Group (current students)
• Student Surveys (online + former students)
• Full-Time Faculty Interviews
• Division Dean Interview
• Advisory Committee Interview + Meeting Minutes
• Employment Information and Projections
• Programs at Other Colleges (degrees/certificates/schedules)
Quantitative Information Collected
• Faculty teaching loads (full-time and part-time)
• Division budget figures
• Annualized FTES, Headcount, and % of Enrollment
(by program and by certificate + degree)
• Student demographics (age, gender, ethnicity, academic
disadvantage + economic disadvantage)
• Completion of degrees and certificates
• Student grade distributions
• State comparative data on S:F ratios
• State employment data on former students
METHODOLOGY (continued)
Consultant Preparation of Report
• Compile/analyze data + information
• Write findings/recommendations
• Email draft report to committee for review
• Meet with committee to discuss draft report
• Finalize report and distribute to committee
PROGRAM REVIEW REPORT
Business Technology – Spring 2010
ELEMENTS REVIEWED, FINDINGS, + ANALYSIS
1. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING
TOOLS TO ASSESS PROGRAM OUTCOMES
1. At the present time there is no formal system for measuring and tracking aggregate data to assess achievement of program outcomes. Faculty monitors student performance in their classes and receives feedback informally from advisory committee members and graduates to assess program outcomes. Faculty indicates that class outcomes support program outcomes and thus passing a class is an indicator for assessing program outcomes. The capstone class provides helpful samples of student work for this purpose, but it was cancelled this year. Faculty wants to reinstate this class in the future. Student respondents gave favorable reactions when asked how well their learning needs were met and how well prepared they were for employment in the field.
Follow-up with former students consists of occasional conversations or contacts. Both faculty and advisory committee representatives expressed interest in using student exit surveys or interviews as well as graduate surveys (3 to 6 months after leaving) to research perceptions about meeting program outcomes.
Faculty has not received much helpful information about student data trends; and find it necessary to keep their own enrollment statistics for review. The recent hiring of a new institutional researcher may provide institutional data that better supports assessment of program outcomes.
TOOLS TO ASSESS GENERAL EDUCATION OUTCOMES
2. There is uncertainty about how to best approach this task. Master course outlines identify general education outcomes addressed in each course. Business technology faculty are experienced in assessing student learning in their discipline; and they utilize a variety of assessment methods including:
written assignments, demonstration documents and projects, discussion board posts, quizzes and tests. Since many courses and assignments or projects include multiple learning outcomes it is sometimes difficult to isolate and collect assessment data on the individual general education outcomes. Specific guidelines/criteria or performance levels for assessing achievement of general education outcomes have not been defined by the college. Although it is assumed that passing grades demonstrate satisfactory achievement of general education outcomes, this area of assessment could be further refined.
Faculty is concerned that the college does not provide clear criteria for content that fulfills the human relations requirement in professional-technical programs. This makes it difficult to ensure that content meets accreditation standards for related instruction (general education in prof-tech courses) and it compromises meaningful assessment in this area. Further, this situation raises questions about curriculum committee processes, since there is no panel of content experts for the human relations requirement (one exists for the multicultural requirement).
EVIDENCE OF ACTION BASED ON ASSESSMENT FINDINGS:
3. Faculty continually evaluates student learning in their courses and program. They have made progress in assessing the general education outcome for communication. Faculty reviewed the college description of this outcome, compared it to samples of student work (papers and assignments) and then changed instructors and revised curriculum based on their findings.
2. PROGRAM INFORMATION
(Website, catalog, planning guides, program descriptions, and
promotional materials)
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS:
1. Faculty is uncertain about college processes for updating program information on the website or revising the program brochure. Website updating does not involve faculty and they do not know how or when they can address concerns about accuracy, relevancy, currency, congruence, and accessibility of program information. It appears the college does not have enough resources devoted to keeping the website up-to-date. Many links do not work, some pathways are awkward, and there is no trained webmaster.
2. The apparent lack of a clear and consistent system at the college for improving program information hampers student advising and program promotion. College marketing efforts for the program seem minimal. Most student respondents learned about the program through word of mouth from counselors, advisors, financial aid staff, Work Source or Worker Retraining offices.
ACCURACY
3. The website states book costs for every degree and certificate as variable and approximately $200 per quarter. Curricula vary greatly among degrees and certificates, thus individualized cost estimates would be more helpful to students.
RELEVANCY
4. Program descriptions on the website and brochure provide clear and helpful information about career pathways from certificates to degrees. The Bus Tech degree is described as offering a selection of elective courses from Accounting, Business Technology, Computer Information Systems, Visual Communications Technology or other approved areas. An unmentioned distinction is that required courses give more background than a certificate in communication, computer skills, multicultural factors, and work experience which can increase employability.
2.5 The Office Assistant/Receptionist Certificate is very similar to the Customer
Service Specialist/Receptionist Certificate. Differences between these should be highlighted to help students easily distinguish the two certificates.
6. The college website includes Payroll Clerk Certificate under the Business
Technology Program offerings, but state coding assigns this certificate to the Accounting Program. Thus, it is not included in this report.
7. Program prerequisites are clearly described for all degree and certificate
options in the website. The Excel class (Bus Tech 150) is required for many of these, but there is no mention that Math 080 placement is a prerequisite for this class. Students’ academic planning would be enhanced by placing this reminder in the curricular planning guides for the Bus Tech AAAS as well as certificates in Bus Tech, Business Software Applications, Customer Service Specialist/
Receptionist, and Microsoft Software applications. Also, the program brochure describes prerequisites but does not mention that BusTech 100 or the equivalent for keyboarding is required for Word courses.
2.8 Footnotes alert students to courses offered once per year, which helps with
their academic planning.
CURRENCY
2.9 Website content provides salary information with some sources. This is helpful
for students, although content for 2006 is getting out-of-date.
CONGRUENCY
2.10 Website content provides a consistent presentation of headings for each
program option (i.e. quarterly costs, program description and outcomes, etc.). General education requirements are consistently identified.
11. Inconsistent references for job and wage information were noted in the
Website. Many certificate options do not provide these sources and variability is apparent in sources cited ( versus WOIS).
ACCESSIBILITY
12. Program information was easily accessed in the college website A-Z directory
and also the link to professional-technical programs. Most students give high ratings for helpfulness of program information, although older students with less computer skill prefer printed material over the website. A number of student comments described hearing about the program by word of mouth from advisors, counselors, Work Source, and the college Workforce Education Office.
2.13 The college catalog is in limited supply and presents more abbreviated content
than the website. Printed information is available in the form of program
brochures and curriculum planning guides available in the Advising Center and other offices across the campus.
3. STUDENT DATA TRENDS
(demographics, quarters and degrees/certificates, grades, transfer)
NOTE: Issues affecting accuracy of students’ program intent codes may
affect some institutional data used in this review.
Three-Year Enrollment - Annualized FTES
1. The Business Technology Program enrollment (annualized FTES) increased
each year from 2007-08 to 2008-09.
3.2 Factors supporting enrollment include: (1) a weak economy that prompts more people to attend college, (2) a broad and favorable job market for applicants with business technology skills, (3) development of online and hybrid courses with high demand, (4) clustering of course sections, (5) changing the program name from Office Administration to Business Technology and (6) updating titles of some positions and courses.
[pic]
| |A67 |A78 |A89 |
|Bus Tech All |27.71 |38.83 |42.98 |
STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIOS FOR PROGRAM
3. Official figures from the State Board identify student-to-faculty ratios for the last
three years in the Data Processing category, which includes Business Technology. The Shoreline Community College Business Technology Program has shown an upward trend between 2006-07 and 2008-09 and remains significantly above the state average for student-to-faculty ratio.
| |06-07 |07-08 |08-09 |
|Shoreline CC | 20.09 |20.03 |22.12 |
|State average |16.54 |16.43 |18.28 |
DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES: ENROLLMENT COUNT AND PERCENTAGE OF PROGRAM ENROLLMENT
4. About half (51%) the enrollment in 2008-09 was in the Business Technology
Certificate option (which has the strongest 3-year growth rate). The second
highest area (37%) was the Business Technology AAAS degree option.
5. Enrollment for the other certificates was dramatically smaller: Business
Software Applications (7%) and Bilingual Office Assistant (2%). Demand for other certificate options (Microsoft Applications, Customer Service, and Office Assistant/Receptionist) appears minimal.
[pic]
[pic]
|EPC_TITLE |A67 |A78 |A89 |
|AAAS-BusTech |14.71 |11.84 |17.16 |
|Cert- BusTech |6.47 |22.99 |21.25 |
|Cert-BusSoftApps |4.38 |2.53 |2.67 |
|Cert-CustService | |0.67 |0.156 |
|Cert-OffAsst/Rec | | |0.711 |
|Cert-BilingOffAsst | | |0.89 |
|Cert-MSApps |2.16 |0.80 |0.156 |
|Bus Tech All Total |27.71 |38.83 |42.98 |
STUDENT GENDER: ENROLLMENT COUNT AND PERCENTAGE
3.7 Female students constitute a vast majority in the Business Technology Program (around 81% in 2008-09). During the three years between 2006-07 and 2008-09 the number and percentage of females continued to increase, while the number and percentage of males declined to around 19% in 2008-09. Gender equity for males is steadily declining in the program.
[pic]
[pic]
|Gender |A67 |A78 |A89 |Gender |A67 |A78 |A89 |
|F |58 |75 |80 |F |75.32% |77.32% |81.63% |
|M |19 |22 |18 |M |24.68% |22.68% |18.37% |
| Totals |77 |97 |98 | | | | |
STUDENT ETHNICITY: ENROLLMENT COUNT + PERCENTAGE
3.8. In 2008-09 white students comprised the largest percentage (around 51%) of
student headcount in the Business Technology Program, followed by Asian/Pacific Islander (17%) and African American (15%).
3.9 The percentage of non-white students increased about 12% since 2006-07
indicating a positive trend for student diversity. During that time the largest increase for a non-white group was Asian/Pacific Islanders.
3.10 Declines occurred for international and Native American students.
[pic]
[pic]
|Ethnicity |A67 |A78 |A89 | |
|BTPAll |Cert_OffClrk |4 |5 |2 |
| |Cert-OffAsst/Rec |6 |3 | |
| |Cert-CustService |4 |5 |5 |
| |AAAS-BusTech |4 |2 |7 |
| |Cert-WordProc |9 |8 |10 |
| |Cert-BusSoftApps |15 |20 |15 |
| |Cert- BusTech |3 |3 |9 |
| |Cert-BilingOffAsst | | |9 |
| |Cert-MSApps |10 |8 |12 |
|BTPAll Total |55 |54 |69 |
FORMER STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
.
19. State estimates for 2007-08 indicate variable employment rates of 55% and
100% for two groups of program completers (a total of 16 former students) A group of early leavers (11) had a 71% employment rate for 2007-08. These rates indicate the majority of former students find employment in the field, although they experience varying degrees of success.
20. Compared to the previous year (2006-07) the 2007-08 state estimates indicate
higher employment rates for both early leavers and program completers.
STATE ESTIMATED EMPLOYMENT RATES
| |Early Leavers 06-07 |Early Leavers 07-08 |Completers 06-07 |Completers 07-08 |
|Bus Tech |67% |71% |37-83% |55-100% (16) |
| |(8) |(11) |(14) | |
4. ACCESS AND SUCCESS OF UNDER-
REPRESENTED STUDENTS
1. The Business Technology Program has established I-BEST courses to serve
under-represented students (ESL). Enrollment has been modest (under 10 per
class) but these students are benefiting from this opportunity and several
eventually earned degrees. The number of ESL students in regular business technology classes appears to be declining.
2. CEO students are also served by this program. These academically
disadvantaged students seem to succeed in their classes.
3. Although male students are under-represented in this field and program, faculty
notice more male students are earning degrees.
5. CURRICULUM
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
1. The program offers a variety of educational options for students including an
AAAS degree and 7 short-term certificates that provide professional upgrade for incumbent workers as well as entry-level skills for new graduates. The curriculum is well integrated with core courses serving both the degree option and various certificates. This helps enrollment and gives students flexibility.
5.2 The Business Technology degree has 90 credits total. Bus 101 is not a core
requirement for this degree, but adding this as a possible elective would serve students seeking to advance their education or find broader job opportunities.
5.3 Human relations required for the Business Technology Certificate is listed as 5 or
2 credits. For any certificate of 45 credits or more it is generally expected that 30 hours of human relations content are needed to meet accreditation standards.
4. The majority of student responses indicate they perceive the program has done well in meeting their individual learning needs and preparing them for employment in the field. Program structure is viewed favorably due to the balance of relevant technical skills and related instruction (communication, human relations, etc.). Many students expressed satisfaction with the distance learning opportunities.
5. Some students mentioned the need for more help in highly technical courses
(Excel and Access) and thought the workload was excessive. Also, some expressed concern about numerous textbook errors for the WORD course
6. Advisory committee representatives gave ratings of 3 to 4 (out of 5) for program
alignment with industry needs. They believe the curriculum has a rationale sequencing of courses and reflects trends in the field as permitted by the budget.
One deficiency mentioned is the inability to teach a commonly used calendaring and email program (Outlook), which they see as a disservice to students. This would require the college to provide a dedicated exchange server. As an interim remedy, faculty has moved to G-mail for the Office Procedures course.
7. Advisory Committee members have emphasized the importance of teaching
students about soft skills such as critical thinking, working with diverse cultures, teamwork, good work habits, preparation of resumes and letters of application, web research, and evaluation of online information. This was mirrored in feedback from the recent industry focus group. Faculty has responded in a variety of ways to address these needs.
8. Advisory committee members emphasize the importance of internship experience; and faculty sees a need for more Internship opportunities off campus.
9. The recent industry focus group recommended adding basic accounting to the curriculum., which will be considered by faculty.
DISTANCE LEARNING (online + hybrid course offerings)
10. Distance learning is very prominent in this program. Fully online and hybrid
courses are scheduled each quarter. The program offers an online degree, which provides convenience and accessibility for students.
5.11 Student feedback shows these courses are generally well received, especially for
the fully online classes. Students appreciate the flexibility and independence of online instruction and seem to do well. They think teacher feedback is good, although some want more immediate responses and more interaction in class. Faculty finds it challenging to teach soft skills and provide effective group work in the fully online courses.
5.12 In hybrid courses the older students experience some difficulty because they
want more teacher interaction and individual assistance, especially when facing gaps in their computer skills. Hybrid classes provide up to 12 hr/wk in lab with a teacher or tutor (supported by Perkins funds).
13. Clustering of courses is a common practice in the program. Although this is
generally satisfactory, it reduces the amount of time and attention the instructor can give to individual students due to the variety of learning needs in the class.
ASSESSMENTS BEING USED
5.14 Many strategies are used to assess student learning including quizzes, tests,
timed skill exercises, production of documents, writing assignments, research
reports, and group presentations. Authentic assessment of student abilities and
job-related performance is prevalent and provides faculty and students with
feedback about attainment of key competencies needed in the workplace.
RECENT COURSE MODIFICATIONS
15. All master course outlines for the program have been revised and are in the
electronic format. The following chart reveals extensive curriculum revision to update content and serve under-represented or disadvantaged students over the last three years.
|NEW COURSES |TITLE |NOTES |EFFECTIVE DATE |
|BUSTC |110 |Beginning Filing |I-Best |Su 2009 |
|BUSTC |114 |Human Relations in the Office |I-Best |Su 2009 |
|BUSTC |149 |Beginning Excel |I-Best |Su 2009 |
|REVISED COURSES | | | |
|BUSTC |103 |Speed Keyboarding 1 | |Sp 2006 |
|BUSTC |104 |Speed Keyboarding 2 | |W 2007 |
|BUSTC |185 |Publisher | |F 2007 |
|BUSTC |115 |Fundamentals of Business Communications | |W 2008 |
|BUSTC |215 |Professional Communications | |W 2008 |
|BUSTC |128 |Word 2007, Level 1 |Changed to newer version of |Su 2008 |
| | | |software | |
|BUSTC |129 |Word 2007, Level 2 |Changes to new version of |Su 2008 |
| | | |software | |
|BUSTC |150 |Excel 2007 |Changed to newer version of |Su 2008 |
| | | |software | |
|BUSTC |160 |PowerPoint 2007 |Changed to newer version of |Su 2008 |
| | | |software | |
|BUSTC |170 |Access 2007 |Changed to newer version of |Su 2008 |
| | | |software | |
|BUSTC |112 |Filing | |Su 2009 |
|BUSTC |270 |Office Procedures | |Sp 2009 |
|BUSTC |100 |Beginning Keyboarding | |Sp 2010 |
|BUSTC |102 |CEO Keyboarding/Computer Survival |Career Education Opportunity – |Sp 2010 |
| | | |CEO | |
|BUSTC |107 |Electronic/Ten Key Calculator | |Sp 2010 |
|BUSTC |135 |Applied Word Processing | |Sp 2010 |
|DEGREES/CERTIFICATES | | | |
|Certificates of Completion | |1. Bilingual Office Assistant | Awarded 503 certificates last |Update each year. |
| | |(I-BEST) |year; second highest for the | |
| | |2. Business Software Application |college. | |
| | |3. Customer Service Specialist | | |
| | |4. Microsoft Software | | |
| | |Applications | | |
| | |5. Office Clerk | | |
| | |6. Word Processing | | |
| | |7. Receptionist-Office Assistant | | |
|AAAS & Cert. of Proficiency | |Business Technology |Combine AAAS & Cert of Prof |W 2010 |
| | | |into one Planning Guide; add | |
| | | |Bus 103; remove PE | |
NOTES:
Bilingual Office Assistant (I-BEST) - 19 credit certific. (low income, mostly ESL)
• Career Education Opportunity (CEO) - class developed for at-risk young students
who have not completed high school.
• Non-traditional delivery of courses includes:
- Clustered classes in individualized learning center.
- Almost all face-to-face classes are hybrid – use Blackboard.
- Online courses – fully online certificate and degree.
- Mostly online – courses have a few meetings with remainder online.
PLANNED COURSE CHANGES/ADDITIONS
5.16 Anticipated changes include updating to Windows 7 in summer 2010 and moving to Office 2010 in summer 2011, which are needed for program currency.
5.17 There has been some mention about exploring a certificate option for health occupations office support, but this is not presently a program goal.
5.18 Faculty report that a moving to open source, open textbooks as suggested by the Gates Grant and Seattle Foundation King County Consortium for Business Technology would be a major impact on the Business Technology Program.
6. FACULTY
SUFFICIENCY OF FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME FACULTY
1. Faculty report that resources are very limited for business technology faculty. In 2007 one of three full-time faculty retired and the position was not replaced. Then teaching assignments were shifted and the program lost full teaching capacity for one of the two remaining full-time instructors. An annual contract for an associate faculty member was requested, but was not approved. As a result many business technology courses have been staffed by three or four part-time faculty and the tenured faculty has taught moonlight classes.
2. Reduced teaching by full-time faculty in the program has been problematic, but it will improve next year when one of the tenured instructors teaches more business technology classes (improving the ratio of full-time to part-time faculty). In 2009-2010 the total annualized load taught by two tenured instructors was 1.22 AnFTEF. Including part-time faculty, a total of 3.6 full-time equivalent faculty taught classes in the program. The overall percent of full-time faculty has been only 35% to 34%, which means the majority of the teaching effort has been conducted by part-time faculty. Ideally more than 50% of the teaching should be assigned to full-time faculty in a program.
|FACULTY |FALL 2008 – SPR 2009 |FALL 2009 – SPR 2010 |
| | Annualized FTEF |Annualized FTEF |
| Full-Time Faculty - 2 | 1.33 /yr | 1.22 /yr |
| Part-Time Faculty- 3 | 2.46/yr | 2.38 /yr |
| Total FTF + PTF (FWS) | 3.79 An FTEF/yr | 3.60 An FTEF/yr |
| | | |
|Ratio FTF to PTF (FWS) | 35% FTF (65% PTF) | 34% FTF (66% PTF) |
| | | |
| |SUM 2008 |SUM 2009 |
|All Faculty - Summer | 2.7 AnFTEF | 1.9 AnFTEF |
RESOURCES FOR COORDINATION WORK
3. Due to college budget reductions, the release time and position for assistant dean was eliminated and a program coordination stipend was discontinued. Thus, Marcia Liaw has been performing coordination work on a volunteer basis.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY
4. Business technology faculty attend conferences and seminars off campus, seek to advance their knowledge of new texts and software for business technology courses, and continue to learn technologies for online instruction.
5. Professional development funds are protected by the faculty negotiated
agreement ($ 450 per year for each full-time instructor) and some funding is available from the Workforce Education Office. This provides financial support for local workshops and seminars, but it is not enough for national conferences or other costly workshops. Increased funding would enable more continuing education in their discipline.
7. RESOURCES
ADEQUACY OF FISCAL RESOURCES
1. Fiscal resources are tight due to ongoing budget reductions for the college.
This limits expenditures to the bare necessities. Faculty believes that support
staff for the program is adequate, but finds that overall fiscal resources for the program are inadequate. A full-time faculty position was eliminated as well as stipends for program coordination; and fiscal constraints may also lead to more class cancellations in the future.
2. Continuing budget cutbacks result in administrative restructuring that
negatively impacts faculty. Over the last several years, the dean to whom the Business faculty report has changed. As division structure has been consolidated the business programs have been moved from one divisional unit to another. Once again for 2010-2011, the business technology program will be merged with another division. With each change in administrative leadership comes the challenge for faculty to help the new administrator learn enough about the program to understand its needs and serve as an informed advocate.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
3. Faculty make every effort to retain currency of curricular content, but limited
resources for purchasing new software and hardware impedes this effort. Fortunately, the college has continued to support the Microsoft campus agreement along with the MSDNAA program. There appears to be a trend to higher utilization of the campus computer classrooms which may lead to scheduling difficulties in the future.
4. Faculty gives low ratings for technical support services (TSS), which was
scaled way back. Now repairs cannot be completed in a timely way, which hampers proper functioning of the class computer lab. However, faculty is pleased with hardware upgrade which has been very good.
5. Faculty believe the campus servers need to be upgraded or replaced and the
budget for online instruction needs to be fortified so there are fewer downtimes. Advisory committee members express concern about the inability of the program to teach current calendaring skills. They suggest the college find a way to save on technology costs in order to purchase an exchange server.
SPACE AND LAB EQUIPMENT
6. Business technology students benefit from 12 hours per week of access to a
dedicated computer lab with a tutor (supported by Perkins funds). Some students want the lab to be open more hours per week, including Fridays. This may be due in part to dissatisfaction with the library computer lab, which is noisy and poorly managed. Also, students cannot print assignments for Pro-Key Deluxe in the library computer lab.
PURCHASE PLANS
7. New hardware will be installed in the computer labs this summer. Also, planned
upgrades include a change to Windows 7 during summer 2010 and a change to Office 2010 during summer 2011.
NEEDS
8. The Business Technology program would benefit from access to a dedicated
exchange server so that students can learn current calendaring skills.
8. REVENUE POTENTIAL
POSSIBILITIES FOR REVENUE GENERATION
1. At this time business technology faculty does not have suggestions for additional revenue generation by their program. They are short-handed and doubt part-time instructors would seek extra employment in contract training.
9. PARTNERSHIPS
ACTIVE PARTNERS
1. Faculty gave average ratings for advisory committee effectiveness and noted members tend to give the same feedback from year to year. Committee representatives gave higher ratings, but mentioned the committee is a rather passive group. They suggested the committee would be more productive if presented with more issues, problems, and questions for review and comment.
2. The Business Technology Program Advisory Committee consistently meets twice per year with variable attendance (3 to 7 participants from outside the college). The 2009-10 membership roster lists 7 members, including one employer, one labor representative, and 5 employees. While these are excellent members, participation is inconsistent. This should be addressed by expanding committee membership, especially the number of employers, to increase attendance and input. Establishing a system of rotating membership terms would ensure a mix of experienced and new members in the future. Faculty report difficulty finding new members, since there are no major employers in the Shoreline area; and thus they seek input from larger employers outside the immediate area. Advisory committee members recommended appointing people who are responsible for hiring (i.e. from human resources or temporary placement agencies).
3. It is difficult to get all members to attend meetings; and thus online meetings might be worth consideration. Faculty is interested in having one joint meeting per year with business technology and business administration representatives to discuss the state of the industry (possibly held at a company site).
TARGETED NEW BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY PARTNERS
4. The Workforce Collaborative College is an initiative supported by local foundations seeking to establish a consortium of colleges that offer an online business technology degree for low income adults in this region. The proposal is problematic for Shoreline CC because an online degree already exists, but the Collaborative is promoting its own curriculum. Negotiation will be necessary to resolve this matter with minimum disruption and duplication; however, faculty is uncertain about how this problem will be addressed.
5. Faculty sees the need to develop other funding sources and industry support/ partnerships; however, they feel unprepared to do this because their time is limited and businesses prefer talking to people with administrative responsibility.
10. SCHEDULE OF CLASSES
ALIGNED WITH NEEDS OF TARGET POPULATION
1. Student feedback on class scheduling is overwhelmingly positive. All classes
are offered online and almost all have hybrid options. Many students are interested in distance learning due to the convenience and accessibility of classes; and online students seem to do well. Evening classes are also available.
2. Students offered a few suggestions about class scheduling:
• Offer more online classes at all times, not just select quarters
• Provide more online courses and hybrid classes in late afternoon or evening
• Offer daytime option for the most technical courses, such as Excel
• Avoid combining Word and Keyboarding in one class, because it reduces
Instructor time and help for students
3. The annual class schedule indicates one course (BUSTC 270) is offered once
per year, but it was recently cancelled due to low enrollment. Canceling a capstone course that is only offered once per year is problematic.
4. A significant number of course cancellations occurred during the 2009-10
academic year (Fall = 7; Wtr = 19; Spr = 4). It appears that the quarter class schedule is overbuilt and then cancelled courses are clustered when possible to preserve enrollment. Faculty indicates this prevents class cancellations and ensures student progression. A cluster of courses typically combines up to 8 different sections in the computer lab. Most students do fine with this, although it limits time for the instructor to address content in each section and thus students must be more independent. Student comments on clustered courses included:
• Less contact and guidance from teacher (attention divided between courses)
• Students not aware of classmates in their section may feel isolated.
ANNUAL COST
5. The 2008-09 annual instructional costs (faculty salary and benefits) for the
Business Technology Program totaled approximately $ 250,097.
| |Salary |Benefits |Salary + Benefit Totals |
|FTF Annual Contracts - 2 |$ 63,549 |$ 18,086 |$ 81,635 |
|FTF Moonlight + Summer |$ 28,914 |$ 4,359 |$ 33,273 |
|PTF Teaching (SFWSp) |$ 101,813 |$ 33,376 |$ 135,189 |
|Total FTF + PTF |$ 194,276 |$ 55,821 |$ 250,097 |
| | | | |
11. SUPPORT SERVICES
COORDINATION WITH SUPPORT SERVICES
1. Advising from the Work First and Worker Retraining offices sometimes needs improvement. One student seeking assistance from both reported a lack of communication between these areas. Some students were encouraged to make quick decisions without awareness of prerequisite computer skills needed or the workload for some class combinations. Thus, they were ill advised about the number of classes to take in the same quarter and became overloaded.
EFFECTIVENESS OF SUPPORT SERVICES
2. Students are predominantly quite pleased with individual advising they receive from program faculty; and quarterly group advising sessions seem satisfactory.
11.3 Students generally report that e-learning support services are highly effective.
GAPS IDENTIFIED
4. Many students now opt for self-advising, which sometimes leads to problems that
are not discovered early enough. Occasionally faculty encounter self-advised students who are off-track on their academic planning. Future implementation of automated degree audits at the college may help to prevent these situations. Also, some older students need more guidance in navigating the college system.
5. Students report significant concern with a lab tutor who is unclear, unhelpful,
and impatient. Another common complaint is the poor learning environment in
the library computer lab.
6. Financial aid for textbooks is a significant problem for students. Gaps in
funding at the start of the quarter can cause students to wait one to three weeks before purchasing textbooks. Faculty wants a solution for this problem and wonder if vouchers could be allowed for students to purchase books. A related problem is faculty being encouraged to use complementary desk copies as reserve items in the library, which is not an appropriate use of these books.
7. A disabled student commented that shuttle vans run by the college lack proper
hand rails and are not ADA compliant. As a result, she fell and was injured.
8. Students express overwhelming agreement that parking on campus is a
significant problem. This difficulty causes frustration and tardiness to class.
9. Career guidance seems to be threaded through various classes. Some
students are satisfied while others want more information and help with career planning and job search. Students on a 2-quarter fast track indicate they need more help finding job opportunities.
12. FACILITIES
12.1 Refer to Resources section (7.3 – 7.8) for detailed information about adequacy of program facilities. There are plans to improve classroom technology in the upcoming academic year.
13. PROGRAM BUDGET OVERVIEW
FTES EARNED
13.1 Refer to the section on Student Data Trends (3.1).
SOURCES OF INCOME
2. The primary source of income is the state general fund operating budget.
Periodically the program or faculty receive supplemental support from federal workforce funds (i.e. Carl Perkins allocation).for a variety of purposes including tutor services, faculty professional development, and curriculum development.
I-BEST funding provides more money per full-time equivalent student.
3. College budget reductions affect course offerings in the program and lead to
administrative restructuring of the division. Declining resources have impacted negatively on the program and faculty.
PAST YEAR COSTS VERSUS FTES EARNED
4. For the most recent complete academic year (2008-09) instructional costs in the
Business Technology Program totaled approximately $ 250,097. Detailed information is provided in the previous section 10.6 (Annual Cost).
13.5 Based on a total of 42.98 annualized FTES generated in state-funded courses during 2008-09, the estimated instructional costs (i.e. total faculty salaries and benefits divided by the total AnFTES) was around $ 5,819 per annualized FTES. (Note: Uncertainty about accuracy of student intent coding warrants caution when drawing conclusions based on this data).
6. The annual operating budgets and balances for goods and services are
shown in the chart below for 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10. This operating budget combines two programs (Business Technology and Computer Information Systems) and individual program expenses are not evident in this format. The budgeted amount for goods and services was reduced in 2008-09, but a higher year-end balance resulted at that time.
| |2007-08 | |2008-09 | |2009-10 |April 2010 |
| |Budget |Year End Balance |Budget |Year End Balance |Budget |Current Balance |
|Goods + Services |$ 6,500 |$ 2,086 |$ 6,300 |$ 3,179 |$ 6,300 |$ 4,301 |
14. COMPARISON WITH OTHER PROGRAMS
STRENGTHS
1. Reasons that students select this program instead of similar programs at other colleges in the region include convenient location, good reputation, online courses, helpful faculty advising, and referrals from Work Source.
14.2 Faculty indicates the diversity of business technology options provides students a range of employment opportunities. Also, the program offers many online and hybrid courses which are in demand.
3. Students gave many positive responses about recommending the program to
others. Some older students have reservations about fast track options and technology skills required for success.
4. Competition for students is high due to close proximity with community
colleges which offer many of the same options. The following chart compares 2008-09 student-to-faculty ratios for business technology at local community colleges. Shoreline CC has the highest S:F ratio (well above the state average):
|College |S:F Ratio for 2008-09 |
|State CTC average |18.28 |
|Shoreline CC |22.12 |
|Everett |20.96 |
|Seattle Central |20.92 |
|Bellevue |20.91 |
|North Seattle |18.99 |
|Edmonds |17.62 |
|Lake Washington Technical |17.38 |
|Cascadia |14.45 |
5. Business Technology degrees + certificates vary among local colleges:
(refer to following chart)
COLLEGE DEGREES CERTIFICATES
|BELLEVUE |AA- Office Manager |Cert – Admin Asst (48-50 cr) - ONL |
| |(online) |Cert– Adv. Bus Software Spec (48 cr)-ONL |
| | |Cert – Bus Software Spec (30-31 cr) - ONL |
| | |Cert – Desktop Publishing for Print and |
| | |Web (43-44 cr) |
| | |Cert - Database User Spec (18-20 cr) -ONL |
| | |Cert – Human Resources Asst (48 cr) |
| | |Cert – Integrated Office Asst for ESL (42 cr) |
| | |Cert – Marketing Communic.Asst (56-57 cr) |
| | |Cert – Office Asst (23-25 cr 24-27 cr)- ONL |
| | |Cert – Web Marketing Spec (58-60 cr) |
|CASCADIA |None |Cert – Computer Applications Spec (38 cr) |
| | |Cert – Office Skills Integ w/ABE (19 cr) |
|EDMONDS |ATA – Office Technology |Cert – Office Technician (50 cr) |
| |ATA – Office Superv/Mgt |Cert – Medical Info Technology (44 cr) |
| |ATA – Med Info Tech |Cert – Medical Office Clerk (44 cr) |
| |ATA – Legal Office Spec |Cert – Basic Office Skills (38 cr) |
| | |Cert – Advanced Office Skills (35 cr) |
| | |Cert – Basic Office Asst (19 cr) |
| | |Cert – Basic Technician (15 cr) |
| | |Cert – Basic Medical Office (15 cr) |
| | |Cert – Basic Dental Front Office (15 cr) |
|EVERETT |ATA – Bus Technology |Cert – Administrative Support(74-76cr)ONL |
| |ATA – Bus Tech (Legal |Cert – Office Support (48 cr) ONL |
| |Office Support) |Cert – Legal Office Asst (84 cr) |
| |ATA – Bus Tech (Med |Cert – Legal Office Support (43 cr) |
| |Admin Support) |Cert – Med Admin Support (75 cr) ONL |
| | |Cert – Med Receptionist (43 cr) ONL |
|LAKE WASH |AAS – Bus Admin Support |Cert – Bus Admin Support (78 cr) |
| | |Cert – Project Mgmt Support (44 cr) |
| | |Cert – Customer Serv/Prod Support (43 cr) |
| | |Cert – Office Asst (41 cr) |
| | |Cert – I-Best Bus Adm Support (32-40 cr) |
| | |Cert – Publication/Sales/Mktg Suport(35 cr) |
| | |Cert – Health Office Occup (31.5 cr) |
| | |Cert – MS Office Applications (27 cr) |
| | |Cert – Office Occupations (19 cr) |
|NORTH SEATTLE |AAS – Admin Asst |Cert – Admin Asst (62-63 cr) |
| | |Cert – Legal Admin Asst (45 cr) |
| | |Cert – Adv Customer Service (41 cr) |
| | |Cust – Basic Customer Service (21 cr) |
| | |Cert – Admin Specialist (15 cr) |
|SEATTLE CENTRAL |AAAS – Bus Info Tech |Cert – Bus Info Tech (60 cr) |
|SHORELINE |AAAS – Bus Technology |Cert – Bus Technology (47-50 cr) |
| |(online) |Cert – Bilingual Office Asst (19 cr) |
| | |Cert – Bus Software Applic (19 cr) |
| | |Cert – Customer Serv Spec/Recept (19 cr) |
| | |Cert – MS Software Applic (19 cr) |
| | |Cert – Word Processing (19 cr) |
| | |Cert - Office Clerk (16 cr) |
6. Although many colleges in the region offer similar degrees and certificates, the
Shoreline CC Business Technology program distinguishes itself by being one of only two community colleges in the area to offer an online business technology degree (Bellevue College also does). Another unique feature is clustering of course sections during the day which prevents cancellation of courses. Both Edmonds and Everett offer health occupations administrative support courses, whereas Everett is only local college that offers an option for legal office support.
7. Following is a comparison of Fall 2010 class schedules for local colleges that
offer business technology courses (note: class titles differ across schools):
Comparison of Class Schedules: Fall 2010
|College |Online Sections |Hybrid Sections |Campus Only Day |Campus Only Eve |Total Sections |
|Bellevue |24 |3 |10 |4 |41 |
|Cascadia |0 |0 |0 |28 (incld 3 ind proj |28 |
| | | | |+ | |
| | | | |I-BEST) | |
|Edmonds |10 (incld 3 HeaMed) |13 (incld 3 HeaMed) |0 |5 |28 |
|Everett |2 |12 (5 eve) |0 |5 (all hybd) |14 |
|North Seattle |0 |0 |10 |7 |17 |
|Lake Washington |1 (WAOL) |0 |15 |0 |16 |
|Seattle Central |4 |0 |15 |0 |19 |
|Shoreline |12 |10 (5 eve) |(incld 3 |18 (incld 5 hyb + |50 (incld 8 indep |
| | | |CEO) |8 indep proj) |proj) |
WEAKNESSES
8. The Shoreline Community College Business Technology Program faces distinct
competition from Edmonds, Everett, and Bellevue colleges (the latter offers twice as many online courses, plus an online degree).
14.9 The proposed Cooperative College supported by the Seattle Foundation may be problematic. They are promoting their own online curriculum which has not solicited input from the business technology faculty. Shoreline already has its own online degree, so this potential duplication needs to be addressed
PLANNED CHANGES/PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
14.10 Refer to Curriculum section 5.16 – 5.18.
15. EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS
INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES
1. Advisory Committee members indicate the outlook for graduates in business technology seems fairly good because workers in this field are always needed by businesses. Skills learned in the program promote employability and professional improvement
15.2 The recent industry focus group pointed out that job experience is needed to
compete for positions in the current labor market. Internships are important to improve employability of program graduates. Also, they stated that job applicants with basic accounting knowledge as well as soft skills will be more likely to secure and retain employment.
8. Additional feedback from the industry focus group indicated the position title of
secretary is being replaced by the titles of administrative associate or assistant.
STATE AND LOCAL EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS
15.4 The Washington State industry outlook projections from the WTEB High
Skills/High Wages Report 2008 identify service industries among the fastest growing (projections to 2030). Professional and business services are predicted to increase by approximately 4.5%.
a. identifies professional and business services among the top four growth areas in Snohomish County. A favorable job outlook in King and Snohomish counties is reported for most positions associated with Bus Tech AAAS degrees or certificates.
b. Positions identified as high demand in King County are: Office Assistant,
Receptionist, Office Clerk, and Administrative Assistant (the latter is also
high demand in Snohomish County).
c. Exceptions to this favorable outlook are the following three positions identified as low or no demand in both King and Snohomish counties: Data Entry Clerk and Shipping/Receiving Clerk.
CONSULTANT’S ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS
Analysis of programmatic findings are included throughout this report and referenced in the following section entitled Consultant’s Recommendations.
Institutional issues are reflected in some of the program findings. The following items warrant administrative attention at the college:
• Accuracy of student intent codes for validity of statistical data
• Access to program data for annual review by VP, dean, and faculty
• Criteria and tracking system to assess general education outcomes
• Curriculum Committee criteria for human relations requirement
• System for follow-up of former students (workforce and transfer)
• Personnel + system to maintain currency, accuracy, and functionality
of college website
• Technical Support Services difficulty in making timely repairs
• Management of learning environment for the student computer lab in the library
• Customer service provided by the Financial Aid Office
• ADA compliance for college shuttle vans
Program strengths are numerous and include (but are not limited to):
• Faculty have strong expertise in their discipline, are effective classroom teachers, and regularly pursue professional development. They demonstrate dedication through active program development, service on college-wide committees, and leadership roles on campus.
• Program enrollment has been increasing for three years (2006-2009) and the student to faculty ratio is the highest in the region (well above state average).
• Comprehensive development of online curriculum offers classes both online and hybrid face-to-face (day and evening) during all four quarters.
• Development of I-BEST instruction and CEO courses supports under-served
students. Student diversity is increasing in the program.
• Faculty continually update curriculum as college resources permit. All master
course outlines have been updated. New hardware in the lab is helpful.
• Faculty provide individualized student support and quarterly group advising
• The program has a good reputation, attracting both transfer and workforce
students. Bus Tech degree and certificate completion is increasing.
.
• The Business Computer Tutoring Center is staffed with a professional tutor
who helps students with their homework 12 hours per week all four quarters.
CONSULTANT’S RECOMMENDATIONS
(cross-referenced with elements)
ASSESSMENT (Section 1.1 – 1.3)
• Create and implement a system to assess program outcomes (including follow-up on former students) and document actions taken based on findings. Investigate availability of Perkins funds to support this effort.
• Create and implement a system to assess general education outcomes and document follow-up actions based on findings
PROGRAM INFORMATION (Section 2.1 – 2.12 + 3.5 + 3.21)
• Provide administrative assistance to help faculty address findings on accuracy, currency, congruency, and accessibility of program information on the website. Regular updating of information is needed to better serve students.
• Provide support from the Workforce Education Office for updating program brochures (incorporating faculty input).
• Increase publicity for certificates with minimal demand (Office Clerk and Office Assistant/Receptionist) with help from the Workforce Education Office.
STUDENT TRENDS (Section 3.7 + 3.18)
• Explore strategies to attract more male students (possibly use Perkins funds)
• Investigate reasons for the increase in V, W, and Z grades and explore possible early alert system or interventions if needed
CURRICULUM (Section 5.4 + 5.6 + 5.8 + 5.9)
• Examine human relations content to ensure that certificates with 45 or more credits have sufficient hours of instruction to meet accreditation standards
(embedded content is permitted, as long as it is clearly identified)
• Add accounting basics to curriculum (as suggested by industry focus group)
• Develop more internships off campus (with advisory committee assistance)
• Continue to explore possibilities to teach calendaring skills with Outlook (if exchange server can accessed)
CONSULTANT’S RECOMMENDATIONS (Cont.)
FACULTY (Section 6.2 + 6.3)
• Increase full-time faculty teaching in the program to at least 50%
• Provide coordination stipend if possible (a modest one is better than nothing).
If college resources will not support a stipend, then consider providing other privileges or trade-offs for this extra work (consult with faculty union).
RESOURCES (Section 7.4 + 7.8)
• Provide administrative help in consulting with technical support services personnel about the need for timely repairs in the class computer lab, as well as possible options to enable teaching Outlook to students
PARTNERSHIPS (Section 9.2 + 9.4)
• Address the dwindling number of active advisory committee members by appointing new members who agree to attend regularly. Utilize a tracking system to identify inactive members. Establish membership terms that ensure rotation to provide a mix of former and new members each year (including more persons who make hiring decisions). Also, explore use of technology to conduct meetings (i.e. conference calls, video conferencing, etc.).
• Provide administrative support to address issues of concern with the proposed College for Working Adults Initiative including duplication of curriculum, severe budget constraints, and faculty rights protected by the negotiated agreement.
SCHEDULE OF CLASSES (Section 10.3 + 10.4)
• Seek feedback from students about course clustering to determine if any combinations pose difficulties and consider feedback when planning quarterly class schedules. In clustered hybrid courses, consider informing students of their section classmates and encouraging mutual support and collegial learning.
• Retain the capstone class or find alternative learning experiences to replace it
SUPPORT SERVICES (Section 11.1 + 11.4-11.6)
• Monitor frequency of problems with student self-advising and if necessary implement email reminders encouraging students to check planning guides
• Inform Work First and Worker Retraining staff about advising needs for business technology students
• Consult with director of financial aid about support for student textbooks.
APPENDIX
SUMMARY OF RESPONSES
• STUDENT SURVEY + FOCUS GROUP
• FACULTY INTERVIEW
• ADVISORY COMMITTEE INTERVIEW
• COMPARISON OF GROUP RATINGS
• INDUSTRY FOCUS GROUP
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
SUMMARY OF STUDENT RESPONSES
SPRING 2010
Notes: Some students did not respond to every item. This
resulted in a variable number of ratings and comments
for different questions. DL = online students; F2F =
face-to-face (std. focus group); Grad = former students
Number of quarters student attended Shoreline CC:
| |13-15 qtr |10-12 qtr |7-9 qtr |4-6 qtr |1-3 qtr |
|DL | | | |1 |2 |
|F2F |3 | | | | |
|Grad | |1 |1 |3 | |
| | | | | | |
|Total |3 |1 |1 |4 |2 |
How well has the program met your individual learning needs?
|Rating |5- high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low |
|DL |2 |2 | | | |
|F2F | |2 |1 | | |
|Grad |5 |1 | | | |
|Total |7 |5 |1 | | |
• I want more definition of info; must be insistent to get clarity from lab tutor
• Everyone taking hybrid classes wants contact with a teacher, but this is very limited in combined classes (students do not know who is in their particular class so colleagial learning is absent unless they aggressively seek out others). One tutor has a very abrupt style, which is a problem for non-native speakers.
• There is a presumption that students have certain knowledge about the college system and computers in general, but this is not always the case. Example: I asked the tutor a question and was told I should not be in the class (“You should be taking another class”), even though I was advised to take the class. Sometimes the teacher is absent without a substitute and administrative assistant does not give help if topic is ACCESS or EXCEL. You either get no help or wait a long time for help. Without teacher contact there is no introduction or framing of the material. Significant textbook errors for WORD, some have been identified and some have not. Textbooks for advanced WORD and POWERPOINT are better)
• Teacher is clear when in class, but tutor is not as clear and claims instructor says to not give away answers to students – this is denying us an education when we can’t get reinforcement or questions answered in lab.
How well does the program prepare you for employment in the field?
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low |
|DL |3 |1 | | | |
|F2F | |2 |1 | | |
|Grad |3 |1 |1 | | |
|Total |6 |4 |2 | | |
• I am using information in field already
• I am starting internship and get helpful info there
• Word and Powerpoint are very useful
• Access and Excel have too much homework to do – I wasn’t forewarned that so much homework would be required and there isn’t much help for my gaps in knowledge
• Online and hybrid courses are not good if your learning style requires
more interaction with people
How helpful is program information on the college website or in printed materials you have seen? How could it be improved?
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low |
|DL |2 |2 | | | |
|F2F | |2 | | | |
|Grad |4 |1 |1 | | |
|Total |6 |5 |1 | | |
• I received information after entering the program – training money available/I had to act quickly two weeks before starting
• Website is OK, but a problem if students are not computer savvy.
I am concerned about sending email questions – no privacy.
• Provide more college catalogs – need printed information if no computer access or power outages.
How did you hear about this program + get needed information?
• DL Std: Counselor when I was trying to find out what I wanted to do.
• DL Std: Went looking for it, and financial help, on campus.
• DL Std: About this program I heard from Lyubov Braga over 1400 building and she advised me to make appointment with Marcia Liaw and after that I enrolled to Business Technology Program.
• Through my advisor, Marcia Liaw
• In person, talked to an advisor
• I heard about the program from Worksource and they recommended I go to Shoreline.
• College advisor told me
• Workforce Office helped me
• I checked the website
How effective are online and hybrid courses in this program?
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low |
|DL |3 |1 | | | |
|F2F |1 |1 |1 | | |
|Grad |4 |2 | | | |
|Total |8 |4 |1 | | |
• DL Std: I have been happy with all of my classes except for Access. When I had problems in that subject, the instructor was the only person on campus who could help, but she is rarely on campus. Even the tutor told me to ask the instructor.
• After taking math online though I do not think that should be done online. I have way too many issues with it, or at least more forewarned that it will take longer than any online course, which is already time consuming.
• I am learning, but not as much as I want (refer to my earlier answer) due to delays in getting answers from teacher
• Problems encountered when you can’t always get back into your saved work from class (I hunted and wasted time trying to find my work – later found it was saved to a back-up file)
• When no one is available to help with problems in online or hybrid class, it is traumatic (other students have said this also)
• Responses from online teachers are good, but we are not certain how long it will take to get an answer
• I think online courses are better than hybrid courses because they are flexible and you get extra help from students in online discussion and bulletin board
What do you like about the program structure and courses?
• DL Std: I like that most of the teachers are willing to help. They are very understanding about problems that come up and are willing to work with you. It is all right there for you by the click of a button. Blackboard is very user friendly it is easy to navigate through.
• DL Std: I like that I can work from home, when I am ready to work. I like that the focus is on learning rather than taking tests.
• I liked the fact that you could work on your own and the assignments were very clear cut.
• The online program offers the necessary flexibility to structure class around my schedule
• I think both the program structures and courses were well balanced as far as the primary goal of the degree mixed with courses such as Human Relations and Multicultural studies.
• I like courses that relate to skills most needed in the job market – I would like to see these offered every quarter. The program gives practical preparation for training respected by employers
• DL Std: I like the quick responses I receive from instructors
What aspects would you like to change?
• I would like more interaction for online courses, since you are just reading all of the lectures.
• DL Std: I am happy with it.
• Less required homework assignments, more extra credit assignments.
• I can’t think of any at this time
• DL Std: More information about taking math and/or English classes online.
I do not live near Shoreline at all. Instructors need to know what to tell students about this. I still do not have an answer to this question.
How adequate are the program resources and facilities (information technology, lab equipment, space, supplies)?
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low) |
|DL |2 | |1 | | |
|F2F | | |3 | | |
|Grad |3 |2 | | | |
|Total |5 |2 |4 | | |
• DL Std: The computer lab is TOO noisy! Too many students using computers to watch videos and play games. And, again, a tutor who can give help in Access is needed.
• I only used the resources a few times as I preferred and was able to go home and study
• All 3 students agree on a rating of 3
• I go to the library computer lab when they kick you out of the Bus Tech lab, which has limited hours that vary and no Friday time is available. The library computer lab has good equipment but it is noisy and not a good study environment. Monitoring is weak and students use computers to play games, etc. The library computer staff give good technical help but don’t help with content in computer applications
• Bus Tech students need a dedicated Bus Tech computer lab on Friday - staffed with people who can help
• Technical System problem printing in library lab for Pro-Key Deluxe (OK in computer lab in 1300 bldg)
• DL Std: N/A – all my classes are online
Based on your experience in the program, how well does the class schedule meet student needs?
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low |
|DL |4 | | | | |
|F2F | |1 |1 | | |
|Grad |6 | | | | |
|Total |10 |1 |1 | | |
• DL Std: I think the class schedule is perfect. It was great for me. I only had to see a counselor once and set up the schedule for the classes I wanted and needed.
• DL Std: During school almost all classes scheduled was flexible
• Except for the first quarter and 1 class in the second quarter which was a hybrid all my classes were on-line. This suited me fine.
• Classes outside the technical lab are not spread out enough
(example computer class and bus communication overlap)
Combining Word + keyboarding in one class tends to reduce
the instructor time and help that you get
What changes in the class schedule are needed?
• DL Std: I would like more classes on this schedule. I needed online classes, or hybrid classes that meet in late afternoons or evenings.
• DL Std: I think the class schedule is perfect. It was great for me. I only had to see a counselor once and set up the schedule for the classes I wanted.
• More online classes offered at all times, not just select quarters.
• I like the on-line classes as when I start to learn and study I like to “hunker” down for up to two hours. 50 minutes for a class at the school for me is barely enough time to dig into the subject, but I guess that depends on your class load, work schedule and home life.
• I want an alternative to night classes for the most technical courses (such as Excel). A daytime option would enable students to be more refreshed for this tough class.
How effective is the system of student advising?
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low |
|DL |2 |1 | | | |
|F2F |2 | |1 | | |
|Grad |4 | | | | |
|Total |8 |1 |1 | | |
• DL Std: I have only met with my advisor once, although I have communicated with her by e-mail a few times
• Good to have someone to hear you and give feedback to, however I did not know I had an adviser until the second quarter
• Advising office referred me to the workforce office – I had to make a quick decision and was not aware of or prepared for the workload required for three classes per quarter
• Worker retraining office gave very good advising
• I received good faculty advising for my certif. + /degree
Which support services are highly effective for students?
• DL Std: I could email Marcia Liaw and right away she would answer any question that I have. If I was lost on what to do she always had great suggestions. I never had to wait for her to respond. She made it easy for me. I could just e-mail her and ask her a question.
• DL Std: Blackboard and e learning support services are highly effective.
• Personal advising, online registration
• I am not familiar with support services
• Great service is availability of PE 200 on campus (wellness offering – l cr. Per quarter)
• Advising office referred me to the workforce office – I had to make a quick decision and was not aware of or prepared for the workload required for three classes per quarter
• Worker retraining office gave very good advising – I received good faculty advising for my certif. + /degree
Where do you see gaps or unmet needs in services?
• DL Std: As an older adult returning to school, I am often confused about what I need to do when: when should I be registering, do I need to see my advisor, what do I do next, etc. Since a majority of the Bus Tec students are in similar categories, perhaps some extra support/information can be made available.
• DL Std: I did not have any problem with services, so for me it is hard to give any suggestion on that question.
• More access to online classes, broader selection of online classes.
• Bus Tech tutoring program is a life-saver – the designated tutor is very good and responsible. The writing center is very helpful for ESL students
• I had a bad experience with tutoring for BUS English (2nd or 3rd
week of qtr ) – I saw the tutor only once and sent emails 3 times
without getting any responses
• Shuttle Program at Sears – busses not set up for people with disabilities – they need railings (white and tan busses) – not ADA compliant – I was injured trying to enter one of them
• Lack of on-campus parking is a real problem –need more spaces. Can’t find parking places – all students present had been late to class when couldn’t find place to park (all stds agree); Lack of lines on the dirt lots cause people to take more space than they should
How helpful was information you received about the field when you were deciding to enter the program?
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low |
|DL |4 | | | | |
|F2F | | | | | |
|Grad |3 |1 |1 | | |
|Total |7 |1 |1 | | |
• N/A
• Decided on my own
• I decided my own
What career guidance have you received while enrolled in the program?
• DL Std: Almost in each class a teacher would recommend a site or guide us in what we want to do with our degree. How to put your resume together, each class at the end had some little project to do which makes you really think what you want to do.
• So far, I haven't received any from SCC or the program, except for my initial visit with my advisor when we were deciding which classes I should take.
• I didn’t really receive any career guidance. That was one of the things that disappointed me – you had to be part of a program (such as Worker Retraining or WorkFirst, etc.) in order to receive career guidance.
• Did not request any
• I think I could have done something more managerial or “defined”. This degree just brought my skills up to current. I have been unable to transfer my skills to this job market as an office assistant.
• Limited career guidance – it is spread throughout the program in
bits and pieces
How informed are you about employment opportunities in this field and how to approach your job search?
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low |
|DL |2 |1 |1 | | |
|F2F | | |1 |2 | |
|Grad |1 |2 |1 |1 | |
|Total |3 |3 |3 |3 | |
• Not really discussed in the beginning, I have been unsuccessful in getting into this job market. Started “interning” in Personnel at the school and this would have been a better lead in to the job market before I got a job at Microsoft and left the internship. The internship would have been a better choice as many job opportunities want someone with “EXPERIENCE” .
• I haven’t done much research yet and haven’t had guidance
Internship is where you learn about job opportunities - no job search
help has been received in the program. Other classes may have
some of this – resumes, interview skills. This is very subtle and not
much is given if you are on a 2-quarter fast track.
Why did you select this program instead another college?
• DL Std: I was going for nursing and then when I found out nursing was not for me. I heard this program was great and when talking to counselors we set up a plan that worked for me and I slowly followed it.
• Location, location, location.
• I enrolled at Shoreline Community College, because I think that it has the best program in our state.
• Convenient location
• Shoreline's enrollment + advising office is more helpful than Edmonds CC
• Worksource suggested it
• I needed the job skills offered here, and location was convenient
• The ability to get my Accounting degree all online since I am a new mother.
Based on your experience, how likely are you to recommend this program?
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low |
|DL |4 | | | | |
|F2F |2 |1 | | | |
|Grad |4 |2 | | | |
|Total |10 |3 | | | |
• DL Std: I think this is a great program. I am so happy to find something I like and something I am good at. I never thought I would get this far in my education but so happy that I have.
• I would recommend anyone get their skills up to current levels. I see that as I am an older student I am still way behind in the technology aspects and may never catch up. Older students need this but also a defined field.
• It is hard to do this as a fast track student
Other comments:
• Internship has really helped me with filing and use of Excel
• I was urged to apply for Pell Grant by worker retraining office which was very helpful in securing finances
• DL Std: who do I contact about math and English questions?
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY FACUTY RESPONSES
May 5, 2010
Faculty: Marcia Liaw, Professor
Karen Toreson, Professor
Interviewer: Karen Demetre, Consultant
Assessment of Student Learning
How do you evaluate attainment of program outcomes ? (tools/measures used and performance levels expected)
• Class outcomes meet program outcomes, so passing the class is an indicator to assess whether program outcomes are met.
• We need the capstone class which was cancelled this year
(probably prematurely). In the future I will recommend that
we keep this class no matter what enrollment it has.
• Faculty are interested in using an exit survey and exit interview
of students to get their perceptions of how well they have achieved program outcomes
What are your perceptions or thoughts about assessment of general education outcomes in your program?
• Criteria for human relations content is not well clarified at the
college. No one knows who should be a content expert or the
basis for approving courses to fulfill this requirement in
prof-tech programs at the college
What are some examples of follow-up action taken by faculty based on findings from assessment of student learning?
• Bus Tech faculty are making progress on the Communications
general education outcome. We reviewed the college’s general
education outcomes, compared those to what students are doing (we looked at student papers and assignments) and then changed some instructors and revised some curriculum.
Program Information
How could program information be improved in the website or promotional materials? (accuracy, relevance, currency, congruency, accessibility) - Rating 5 to 1 (high to low)
• Rating: 2?
• The college does not have enough resources to keep the website up to date. Many links don’t work and there is no
formally trained webmaster. Current staff are spread thin.
• Faculty are not aware of how curriculum or program information is updated on the website.
Student Data Trends
What information have you received about student data trends?
(enrollment, retention, success, completion, employment)
• Faculty have not received much program-specific data on students, and so they keep their own enrollment statistics.
• When we have asked for data in the past we were given data that was difficult to understand and wasn’t useful.
• Follow-up surveys of former students has been done by the
Workforce office in the past, but faculty are not sure if it will be
done in the future. Online surveys might be useful to send to
former students.
What factors are supporting enrollment and what factors are negatively impacting enrollment?
• Enrollment is supported by students seeking more education during the economic downturn.
• The job market is broad and favorable for applicants with
these skills
• More online and hybrid courses have helped to increase
enrollment, as well as changing the name from Office
Administration to Business Technology and updating titles of some positions and courses
• Enrollment is hampered by increasing college costs, which are
prohibitive for low-income populations
Where in the curriculum do students experience the most success and where are they the least successful?
• Clustering of classes saves students and the program. Without this option more classes would be cancelled, students would be turned away, and the program might not survive
• A cluster of courses might typically involve up to 8 different
sections in the computer lab. This limits the time that the instructor has to address content in each section, so students must be more independent. Most students do fine with this.
• The computer center tutor is excellent (funded 12 hr per week
by Perkins funds) and is a great factor in student success
• Online students seem to do well in the program
• Hybrid classes spend up to 12 hr/wk in lab with a teacher or tutor (tutor is not a teacher)
• The library lab is run by students and the environment is poor
Access + Success of Under-represented Students
What are the special groups of students served by your program and how successful are they?
• I-BEST is one group (ESL students) – several of these eventually earned degrees. This is taught by ESL instructor and a part-time Bus Tech instructor.
• CEO program is another group of students; the instructor is excellent and the students get a good start
• Overall in regular classes we see a decline of international and ESL students
How have your students changed in recent years? (characteristics and preparation for program)
• More males students are getting degrees
• We see a mixture of students, some come with good technical skills and some have very basic skills
• An increasing number of students need financial aid and the majority of them are employed
Curriculum
What are your perceptions about the effectiveness of online and hybrid courses in your program? - Rate 5 to 1 (high-low).
• Online classes - Rating 5 - students like flexibility and responses from teacher and classmates, but faculty do find it more difficulty to teach soft skills and do effective group work
(sometime use telephone for one-on-one help to students)
• Hybrid classes – Rating 4 (because of challenges with clustering different sections)
What changes are planned for courses or program curricula including DL, hybrid, pre-requisites, and co-requisites?
• Summer 2010- change to Windows 7
• Summer 2011- change to Office 2010
• Based on recent feedback from the industry focus group, we should consider adding basics of accounting (5 credits)
Faculty
How adequate are institutional resources for faculty and what are your unmet needs? (number full-time and part-time faculty, coordination work, and professional development) - Rate 5 to 1.
• Rating 2 - resources for faculty are limited
• Program coordination is done by Marcia without pay, although a stipend was given in the past for this extra work
• A few years ago teaching assignments were shifted and the program lost full teaching capacity for 2 of the 3 full-time instructors. An annual contract for an associate faculty member was requested, but it was not approved.
• Reduced teaching by full-time faculty in the program has been problematic, but it is expected to improve next year
• Professional development funds are protected by the faculty negotiated agreement ($ 450 per year for each full-time instructor) and some funding is available from the Workforce Education Office. Faculty have support for one local conference per year, but it not enough for national conferences.
Resources and Facilities
How adequate are program resources (information technology,
space, lab equipment, supplies, support staff) and what are your
unmet needs? - Rate 5 to 1
• Rating 2 for technical support, which was scaled way back and now repairs cannot be completed in a timely way. This affects the class computer lab.
• Rating 4 for other resources. The plan for hardware upgrade is good and other supoort staff for the program is adequate.
What are the plans for future facility or equipment upgrade, if any?
• New hardware will be installed this summer in the labs.
Revenue Potential
What ideas do you have for developing revenue potential via continuing education, contracts, or grants in your area?
• No ideas – faculty are short-handed and no other part-time instructors available for extra work.
Partnerships
How well does the technical advisory committee function and what improvements would you suggest? – Rate 5 to 1.
• Rating - 3
• Committee members give the same feedback from year to year.
• We face difficulty finding new members, since there are no major employers in the Shoreline area. We do get some feedback from larger employers outside the immediate area.
• It is difficult to get all members to attend meetings. It might be helpful to try some online meetings as well
• Faculty are interested in having one joint meeting per year with Business Tech and Business Admin representatives to focus on state of the industry (possibly held off-campus at company site).
What other industry contacts and partnerships are currently utilized by faculty in this program or are targeted for the future?
• We are not strong in that area.
Schedule of Classes
Based on your experience in the program, how well does the class schedule meet student needs? – Rate 5 to 1.
• Rating of 5
• All classes are offered online and almost all have hybrid options. Many students are interested in distance learning.
• Evening classes are also available.
Student Support Services
How effective is the system of student advising? – Rate 5 to 1.
• Rating: 3?
• Many students now opt for self-advising, which sometimes leads to problems that are not discovered early enough
• Some students are ill advised about the number of classes to take in the same quarter, and they become overloaded.
• Advising from the Workfirst and Worker Retraining offices sometimes needs improvement. They have occasionally encouraged tough combinations of classes for students.
Which support services are highly effective for students and where do you see gaps or unmet needs?
• Other offices (Workfirst and Worker Retraining) may not be adequately informed about the program
• Financial aid for textbooks is a significant problem for students. Gaps in funding at the start of the quarter can cause students to wait one to three weeks before purchasing textbooks. There is a disconnect between the financial aid office and the faculty in solving this problem for students. Perhaps vouchers could be allowed for students to purchase books?
• Another problem is faculty being encouraged to use their complementary desk copies as reserve items in the library.
Comparison with Other Programs
What makes your program unique or different from similar programs in the surrounding area?
• Shoreline is one of the few community colleges that offers an online business technology degree (Bellevue also does)
• Clustering of course sections during the day is a unique feature
• Other programs tend to offer similar courses but titles vary
What competition does your program face from other institutions?
• Many other colleges offer these programs
• The proposed Cooperative College supported by the Seattle Foundation is problematic. They are promoting their own online curriculum which has not solicited input from the business technology faculty. Shoreline already has its own online degree, so this duplication needs to be addressed. Faculty is concerned that the proposed population (low income adults) may not be very successful in a fully online curriculum.
Prepared by Karen Demetre, Consultant
Program Review, Spring 2010
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
ADVISORY COMMITTEE RESPONSES
May 5, 2010
Participants:
• Justin Kellogg (committee member 3 yrs)
• Linda Knight (committee member 5 yrs)
• Karen Demetre (interviewer)
Assessment of Student Learning
How is attainment of program outcomes assessed? (tools/measures used and performance levels expected)
• Completion of courses, grades, and employment are indicators
• We have not reviewed student data for the program
• A 3-month follow-up of former students would be helpful
Curriculum
What are the major strengths of this program?
• Rationale sequencing of courses
• Keeping up with trends in the field, as permitted by the budget
• Creative on clustering courses to preserve enrollment
Based on your experience as a TAC member, how well is the program curriculum aligned with industry needs? - Rate 5 to 1 (high-low).
• Rating - 3
• Rating - 4
• The curriculum meets industry needs except that it is not able to teach a commonly used calendaring and email program. The college lacks technical ability to deploy Outlook for use by students. This is a big disservice and G-mail is not sufficient.
What recommendations do you have for the program to better meet emerging industry needs?
• An exchange server is needed to address this deficiency.
Resources and Facilities
How adequate are program resources (information technology, space, lab equipment, supplies) and what are the unmet needs? - Rate 5 to 1.
• Rating – 4 (both members)
• I haven’t been into the lab
• It has been a long time since I have looked at a computer lab, but I know that technical support services staff try hard to be helpful
• The greatest concern is the inability to teach calendaring skills
The college should investigate a cost-effective way to save on technology costs so that they can afford an exchange server
Partnerships
How well does the technical advisory committee function and what improvements would you suggest? - Rate 5 to 1.
• Rating – 4 (both members)
• The committee seems like a rather passive group
• It is hard to recruit members, but the committee needs more people responsible for hiring (i.e. members from human relations or a temporary placement agency)
• The committee would be more productive if the faculty would bring issues, problems, and questions to us for review and comment
Comparison with Other Programs
What makes this program unique or different from similar programs in the surrounding area?
• I am not familiar with other programs in the region
Employment Prospects
How would you describe the regional employment outlook for graduates of this program? (high and low demand areas)
• The outlook for graduates in business technology seems fairly good
• Workers in this field are always needed by businesses
• The skills learned in this program focus on employability and professional improvement
Prepared by Karen Demetre, Program Review Consultant
Shoreline Community College – Spring 2010
COMPARISON OF GROUP RATINGS
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
SPRING - 2010
Curriculum:
How well is the program curriculum aligned with industry needs?
Rate 5 to 1 (high to low)
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low) |
|FAC |1 |1 | | | |
|TAC | |1 |1 | | |
• Faculty and advisory committee ratings are mixed, but fall in a positive range.
What are your perceptions about the effectiveness of online and hybrid courses in your program? - Rate 5 to 1 (high-low).
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low) |
|STD |8 |4 |1 | | |
|FAC | |2 | | | |
• Student ratings on the effectiveness of online and hybrid courses are somewhat higher than faculty ratings for this element.
Resources and Facilities:
How adequate are program resources (information technology, space, lab equipment, supplies, support staff) and what are your unmet needs? - Rate 5 to 1
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low) |
|STD |6 |2 |4 | | |
|FAC | | | |2 | |
|TAC | |2 | | | |
• Students ratings are mixed, but generally fall in a favorable range. Advisory committee ratings fall within this range. Faculty, however, give much lower ratings indicating dissatisfaction with resources and facilities. .
Partnerships:
How well does the technical advisory committee function and what improvements would you suggest? – Rate 5 to 1.
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low) |
|FAC | | |2 | | |
|TAC | |2 | | | |
• Advisory committee members believe that the committee functions fairly well, whereas faculty ratings are lower, indicating room for improvement.
Schedule of Classes:
Based on your experience in the program, how well does the class schedule meet student needs? – Rate 5 to 1.
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low) |
|STD |10 |1 |1 | | |
|FAC |2 | | | | |
• Faculty and student ratings of class scheduling are fairly well aligned. A couple students gave somewhat lower ratings.
Student Support Services:
How effective is the system of student advising? – Rate 5 to 1.
|Rating |5 - high |4 |3 |2 |1 - low) |
|STD |8 |1 |1 | | |
|FAC | | |2 | | |
• Faculty and student ratings of student advising are not well aligned.
Faculty ratings are lower, indicating issues that require attention.
Business Technology Program
Business Focus Group
April 30, 2010
Focus Question:
“How closely aligned is our Business Technology program with the needs of local employers and what adjustments – if any need to be made?”
Agenda:
1. Welcome , introductions
2. Overview of the focus question and the plan for the group
3. Introduction of Karen Demetre
4. Conversation on trends in business
5. Review of the Program
✓ Intent
✓ Core competencies
✓ Occupations
✓ Wages
✓ Other
6. Wrap – up and reflection
Participants:
1. Susan Collins Principal and head Coach, Empowerment enterprises
2. Alok Chakrabarti, Senior Executive, SarangSoft Corp
3. Jeff King, CEO, Cascade bank, Shoreline
4. Pam Gee-Oliver, Director of Human Rsources, BIO-RAD Corporation, Redmond
5. Cathy Capers, Director Business Operations, First Choice Health
6. Marcia Liaw, Faculty
7. Karen Toreson, Faculty
8. Bob Shields, Faculty
9. Dave Cunningham, Dean of Workforce and Continuing Education
10. Kenny Lawson, Academic Dean
11. Mark McVeety, Small Business Accelerator
12. Karen Demetre, Consultant for Program Review project
13. A delegation of five visiting Chinese College Presidents
Introduction:
The focus group began with introductions and a general discussion on matters of current concern for small businesses. This discussion finally settled on entry-level competencies that employers expect and on some of the related issues that concern employers in these times. These are summarized in the following chart.
|Required Core Competencies and Base-Line Knowledge |Additional Competencies required |
| |Of the entry-level admin assistant |
|Knowledge of current business practices |Demonstrate how to gain cooperation through careful management of emotions |
|Proficient in use of standard office technologies |Demo basic skills in negotiation and presentations |
|A capacity to prioritize work assignments and work |Able to discern differences in preferred communications styles of others. |
|schedule | |
|Ability to organize work, time and electronic files |Being goal oriented |
|efficiently | |
|Able to plan office work carefully |Values difference |
|Proficient in standard MS Office software |Being progressive and forward thinking in work practices |
|Able to manage information effectively |Shows active listening skills |
|Demonstrated ability to work well with others |Know that respect for others is non-negotiable |
|Solid interpersonal skills |Manage expectations of others |
|Abel to communicate clearly in writing, electronically, |Understand confidentiality and why discretion is important |
|and face to face. | |
| |How to tactfully say “No.” |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|Key: | |
| |How to be pro-active in interpersonal communications |
| |Recognize value of giving positive feedback |
| |Basic Software includes PDF and being current with current versions |
| |Knowing about the breadth of software applications available and what is coming |
| |Aware of standards being used by others |
| |Recognize ‘different types of talk,’ between different company departments |
| |Deal with stress in communications |
| |Know how to standardize services |
| |Recognize value of having standardized processes |
| |Describe role of personal networks in problem solving |
| |Know that not everyone has emotional intelligence |
| |No complaints = + feedback! |
| |Appreciate importance of propriety information |
| |Know about intellectual property – if not yours, don’t share it. |
| |Know about different personality styles |
| |Practice patience |
|Most important |Know about company’s use of language |
Valid Target Occupations:
Office Assistant: Customer Service Rep: Receptionist: Office Worker: Business Office Specialist
Administrative Assistant with company CEO. (Secretary – no longer a valid title)
The group did emphasize that entry-level workers without some business experience were at a big disadvantage since most companies do have the pick of the field at this time. Some focus group members made it clear that a job applicant without experience would not be considered for interview. If this attitude is reflected across industry, then it would appear that some internship credits should be introduced into this program – if only to increase the chances a graduate will be hired on completion of the program.
Starting wages: $10-$12/hr; New hire must demo ability to keep a job; later prospects $16-$24/hr.
Based on the discussion about wages it seems clear that any new office hire must first demonstrate their work ethic is strong and that they can do the job according to the company’s expectations before they can expect any raises or other commitments. The mean wage in Washington State for entry level office workers is just over $15.00/hour.
Some general comments from the discussion:
Some issues of note include the new healthcare legislation and its potential impact on small businesses; the tension between the new ‘texting’ generation and the Baby Boomers who communicate in more traditional ways; lots of anxiety and uncertainty in the labor market; many lower paid workers are seeking two to three jobs to get by; this population has difficulty fitting in classes to a busy life style.
Message for young people who are about to enter the workforce:
1. Know how to learn and be willing to learn.
2. Be flexible and realize you must deal with the public face to face.
3. Your attitude and tact with others are paramount attributes
4. Teamwork will be expected of you.
5. You usually must prove yourself, your capabilities and your work ethic before you can expect improved pay and benefits.
To the older worker:
1. You may need to work harder to communicate with younger workers.
2. The blackberry may be the new medium for communication. Get one.
3. Team work and project work are the new norms in the workplace and that may mean working alongside and with the new ‘texting’ generation
4. Online distance education is going to become a new norm for all workers.
5. Without the soft skills, new employees will not last. Relationships with the all important customer, inside or outside the company are paramount.
6. Most companies want experience as well as a college degree so get used to starting at a lower wage until you establish yourself as a valued employee.
7. Accounting is needed at least in basic format, Acct 101. It should be a requirement for this program.
Other general comments:
New hires should be able to research a company prior to interview and be able to read and adjust to the company’s culture. Style, language, hidden meanings, values, dress, expectations of management and communication styles are all important aspects of the culture that can determine if a person will last or leave early. Each company and state agency has its own culture and until a new hire gets oriented to the new norms – their future with the employer must be in doubt. Those that adapt, prevail and grow. Those that don’t – move on.
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