Date of Award
9-1-1991
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Center for the Advancement of Education
Advisor
Peter Mills
Committee Member
Walter A. Browere
Committee Member
Diane L. Paul
Committee Member
Ross E. Moreton
Keywords
administration, adoption, appendix c, assessment, assignments, associate dean, attendance policy, business division, businesses, calendar, capstone course, case study, characteristics, classrooms, college of southern nevada, communication skills, community colleges, community college of southern nevada, components, conclusions, course content, course description, course structure, curriculum, desk skills, development, employees, employment, employers, faculty, features, final course, graduates, grading policy, grade scale, homework, instruction, instructors, interviews, investigation, job market, knowledge, lecture notes, literature review, local businesses, marketability, methodologies, model course, needs assessment, objectives, office administration, oral presentations, outside speakers, personal traits, procedures, professionalism, programs, research, research questions, results, role models, role playing, samples, schedule, simulated office procedures, skills, students, study, syllabus, teachers, techniques, textbook requirements, traits, visits, word processing
Abstract
The office administration faculty members at the Community College of Southern Nevada (CCSN) recently completed a business community needs assessment. After reviewing the needs assessment, the faculty determined that the present curriculum did not address many of the skills that employers listed as being important to their businesses.
The present curriculum has a highly advanced word processing course as the final course in the curriculum. Although the students learn many advanced word processing features that businesses indicate as important, none of the personal traits and characteristics that businesses indicate that they need their employees to have are included in the course. Therefore, graduates enter the job market without those traits and characteristics and without the knowledge that they need them.
The purpose of this case study was to investigate the essential office administration and word processing skills and personal traits and characteristics that should be included in a capstone course for office administration student. A model course was developed based on the needs assessment and on the results of the investigation. There were two research questions that were answered: 1. What are the essential components of a capstone office administration course? 2. How can the essential components of a capstone office administration course best be taught using what techniques and methodologies?
The case study methodology was the research technique used. Extensive literature review was conducted to gather information on the subject. A recently completed needs assessment was used as a basis for course content. Additional businesses were contacted to discuss specific needs. Visits were made to other community colleges and interviews with business and teachers were conducted to obtain reviews and samples of their curriculum materials.
A model course was developed that contains the essential components of a Capstone Office Administration course as well as the techniques and methodologies that should be used to teach those components. The final model was presented to the Business Division Associate Dean at CCSN for adoption into the Office Administration curriculum.
The results of the study helped to determine the essential components of a capstone office administration course and allowed a model to be developed that includes a syllabus that contains the course description, objectives, course structure, textbook requirements, grading policy, attendance policy, and grade scale. Classrooms, procedures, are also explained in the second document that includes a class schedule or calendar with homework assignments, class segments, and lecture notes for use in the course. These items can be found in Appendix C. As a result of the adoption of the model course, students will be more marketable to local businesses and businesses will have available to them employees who more closely meet their needs. In addition, the relationship between local businesses and CCSN will improve.
It was concluded from this study that instruction in the improvement of personal skills and characteristics is lacking in the office administration curriculum in community colleges across the nation. Students are not graduating from office administration programs without the skills necessary for employment. Businesses are utilizing their own resources to bring graduates up to their standards.
The recommendations derived from this study are as follows: CCSN should advise the Office Administration curriculum to include a capstone course in particular communication skills and desk skills, and should provide well-office administration courses. Instructors should be positive role models for their students; addition of professional secretaries can provide positive role models. Addition should play as important part in the development of the curriculum. Students should receive more instructions through the use of outside speakers, role-playing activities, simulated office procedures, research and written reports, and oral presentations to develop professionalism.