OST 110: Document Formatting and Introduction to Word Processing
COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course provides experience in word processing including the mastery of touch typing with speed and accuracy using industry standard software.

Course Credits: 3 Credit Hours

Contact Hours: 45 Contact Hours

Prerequisites/Co-requisites: RDG 020 and Consent of Instructor (OST 101 equivalent skills)

This course contains 3 Modules:

Module Name

Credit Hours

Module 1:   Word Processing Functions

1.0

Module 2:   Document Letters Memoranda

1.0

Module 3:   Document Tables and Reports

1.0

Total Credit Hours:

3.0

Instructor Information

To view information (including contact information) about your course module instructor, click on "Meet Your Instructor" option from the menu on the left in your Blackboard course.

Course Communication

If you need to schedule a phone conference or an in-person visit with your instructor, click the link located in Email Your Instructor menu option to email your instructor (select all instructors) to email your instructor about making an appointment. Ensure that the course and section appear in the subject line of your email and adhere to netiquette while communicating with your instructor. Your instructor is here to guide you through the content and with any questions you may have. Responses are generally given within 24 hours (at the most 48 hours).The instructors profile provides contact and other information. If you have questions about the course, please do not hesitate to contact the instructor. If you are having technical problems with the course, be sure to contact the Blackboard Help desk, click Help and Support on the menu, or click the Help Tab at the top of the Blackboard page.

KCTCS Email information: http://kctcs.edu/en/email.aspx

For this course you are required to use your KCTCS email account when communicating with the instructor and other students.

Schedule/Calendar

Each student's time in the course will vary from 5 to 16 weeks depending on your course start and end date. In Blackboard you will be provided a course checklist that lists items for completion in the course and that will allow you to determine your personal calendar for completing course activities, assignments, and quizzes.

Access the the Course Checklist

*You may need your KCTCS credentials to access.

Refunds and No-Show's

Below you will find a refund schedule. The refund schedule gives you important dates on when you are eligible and how much you are eligible for a refund if you plan to withdraw from the course. Additionally, the refund schedule also lists the timeframe for completing the no-show activity. The no-show activity is your initial check to verify attendance for the course. For example, if your course is a 10 week course, you must complete the no-show activity within the 4th day from the course start date to verify your attendance in the course. To complete the no-show activity, you will start by reading the syllabus then take the syllabus quiz that will verify your attendance at the beginning of the course. To make sure you are not reported as absent or not attending the course, you will need to make sure to complete the syllabus quiz on or near your start date.

Timeframe for Refunds*

 

Session

100% and No-Show Activity
Completion Timeframe

 

50%

 

No Refund

15 week

Within 7th day

8th-27th days

After 28th day

14 week

Within 6th day

7th-25th days

After 25th day

13 week

Within 6th day

7th-24th days

After 24th day

12 week

Within 5th day

6th-22nd days

After 22nd day

11 week

Within 5th day

6th-20th days

After 20th day

10 week

Within 4th day

5th-18th days

After 18th day

 9 week

Within 4th day

5th-16th days

After 16th day

 8 week

Within 4th day

5th-15th days

After 15th day

 7 week

Within 3rd day

4th-13th days

After 13th day

 6 week

Within 2nd day

3rd-10th days

After 10th day

 *Dates for 100%, 50% and no refund are from the start date of the course.

Attendance is verified throughout the course until you reach your end date. You will need to make sure you are accessing the course and completing course requirements (listed in the course calendar) on a consistent basis as attendance must be verified through out your time in the course until a grade is posted (A, B, C, E, or W)

COURSE INFORMATION

Learner Competencies and Outcomes

Upon completion of this course module, the student will be able to:

  1. Use software to create, edit, and print documents.
  2. Identify steps in the word and information processing cycle.
  3. Key and format personal letters.
  4. Edit documents using spell check and grammar program.
  5. Key and format business letters and format multiple page letters.
  6. Create and format memoranda and format multiple page memoranda.
  7. Format basic headers and footers.
  8. Key and format small, large, and interoffice envelopes.
  9. Key and format address labels.
  10. Fold and prepare correspondence for distribution.
  11. Create tables using tabs and table features.
  12. Use reference materials.
  13. Key and format outline.
  14. Key and format unbound, leftbound, and topbound reports.
  15. Key and format report references.
  16. Insert and format page numbers.
  17. Proofread and edit copy using proofreaders' marks.
  18. Key and format rough draft copy.
  19. Key three five-minute timed writings with a minimum of 35 WAM.
  20. Use touch method to operate numeric keypad to develop speed and accuracy.

Outline

 I.   Word Processing Functions

      A.     Steps in Word Processing Cycle
B.     Format Menu and Codes
      C.     Text Enhancemen
      D.     Edit Feature

II.  Letters and Memoranda

      A.     Personal Letters
      B.     Business Letters
      C.     Special Features

III. Tables

      A.     Table Features
      B.     Entering Text into Tables
      C.     Special Formatting Functions

IV. Reports

      A.     Formats
      B.     Outlines

V.  Miscellaneous

      A.     Timed Writings
      B.     Proofreading
      C.     Numeric Timings

General Education Competencies

Students should prepare for twenty-first century challenges by gaining: 

1. Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural worlds through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts.

2. Intellectual and practical skills, including

3. Personal and social responsibility, including

4. Integrative and applied learning, including synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized skills.

 

GRADING CRITERIA 

This course contains three (3) modules to complete. The contents and grading for each module are listed below. The grades for each module will be averaged based on grade received and the credit hour of each module to determine the final grade for this course.

First you will complete a course pre-test, based on your score you will either move to the credit for prior learning section (see below), or you will proceed to the first module. Each module contains a module pre-test (where you can also obtain credit for prior learning—see below). Each module has various reading assignments, videos and website, chapter assignment(s), learning activities, and a chapter post-quiz.

Course Components, Assignments, Quizzes

This course will be evaluated on the homework assignments, chapter quizzes, and the final post-assessment exam for each module. You will take a pre-test to evaluate your knowledge of the course materials.  A pre-test allows you to see how much knowledge you already have about a topic. Books and searching on the Internet are not to be used as this is not your knowledge, its someone else's and doing this is a form of cheating. Homework assignments will make up 30%, unit quizzes 10%, timed writings, 20%, and the final post-assessment exam 40%.

Course Components, Assignments, Quizzes

This course will be evaluated on the assignments, timed writings, unit quizzes and the final post-assessment exam. You will take a pre-test to evaluate your knowledge of the course materials. 

Pre-Assessment Exam

The course will have one pre-assessment to determine any prior learning of content. Each module will also require the completion of a Module Pre-Assessment Exam. This will allow you to see what areas you are strong in and what areas need additional work. If you complete the Module Pre-Assessment Exam with an above-average score, you will have the option of proceeding to the post-test for this module which if passed successfully will allow you to obtain credit for this module and proceed to the next module to gain credit for prior learning. In order to achieve credit for prior learning you must score a 90% on both the module pre- and post-assessment. If you do not achieve the required score, you will be directed to complete the entire module. All pre-assessments ARE NOT calculated in the overall grade for each module and for the overall grade of the course.

Credit for Prior Learning

KCTCS Online open-entry course modules are based on the goal that students will demonstrate mastery of content. Through KCTCS Online, students have the opportunity to receive credit for prior learning. To receive this credit, students must demonstrate mastery of the course module competencies through the following steps:

Post-Assessment Exam

Learners are required to score 70% or higher of the total points. If learners score below 70% of the total points on the Module Post-Assessment, they will be directed to areas of weakness for restudy in order to master subject topics, prior to reattempting post-assessment exam. Learners will have three tries to successfully pass the Module Post-Assessment Exam; however, the last score will be used. The Final Post-Assessment Exam of each module is worth 40% of your overall grade for the module. Learners will be given opportunity to take a practice exams as well as any unit exams before attempting the Module Post-Assessment Exam. In order to achieve credit for prior learning, learners must score a 90% on both the pre- and post-assessment.

Summary of Tasks

Task

Percentage

Assignments (3)

30%

Unit Quizzes (2)

20%

Timed Writings (3)

30%

Final Post-Assessment Exam

20%

Total

100%

All assignments, projects, and assessments will be graded within 24-48 hours of submission. See Final Grading Calculation for how the score received for this module will calculate into the final grade for the full course.

Final Grading Calculation

This course is presented as a full (or parent) course with chunks of content called modules (since these modules can be taken separately). You will receive a score for each module. The score for each module is averaged together (determine by credit hour of each module) to determine your final grade for the full (or parent) course. The percentage score received for each module will be multiplied by the credit hours of the module to give a total module percentage. Each of the total module percent scores will be added together then divided by the total credit hour of the full (or parent) course to obtain a final percentage score for the course. Based on where the final percentage score falls on the grade scale will determine the final letter grade to be posted for the student.

 

Module

Percentage Score Received for each Module

Credit Hours

Total Percentage

OST1101: Word Processing Functions

 X    1.0

 

OST1102: Document Letters Memoranda

 X    1.0

+

OST1103: Document Tables and Reports

 X    1.0

+

 

Total Credit Hours>

3

+

 

Final Percentage Score>

=100

Grading Scale

The following grading scale will be used to assess your overall average for all course related assignments and exams.

A - 90 – 100%

B - 80 – 89.9%

C - 70 – 79.9%

E - 69.9% or below

Incompletes are not given for this course. You are expected to work at a consistent pace
throughout the course and complete all course work by the course end date.

 

POLICIES

Plagiarism Statement

Plagiarism and cheating are serious academic offenses. The KCTCS regulations pertaining to plagiarism and cheating can be found in Section 3.1.1 (page 6) of the KCTCS Code of Student Conduct at:

https://kctcs.edu/Current_Students/Code_of_Student_Conduct.aspx

Penalties for violation of these policies can be found in Section 4.B.ii (page 11).

Disability Statement

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System would like to help students with disabilities achieve their highest potential in academic studies. In order to receive accommodations on assignments or examinations, proper documentation must first be provided to the Office of Disability Services at your home campus. You must then self-identify and conference with the Director of Disability Support Services or Manager of Disability Services to begin receiving accommodations in the course/module. For more information, contact the KCTCS Online Help Desk:

https://kctcs.edu/Current_Students/Disability_Services.aspx

Financial Aid

Financial aid for the KCTCS Online program functions differently than financial aid for courses on campus or online through Distance Learning. Please contact the KCTCS Online Student Services Help Desk  for more information.

Dropping a Course

The student can receive an A, B, C, E, or W in this module. For information about how dropping this course will affect your grade and future financial aid, please view your academic calendar in Student Self-Service or contact the KCTCS Online Student Services Help Desk  for more information.

 

HELP AND SUPPORT

The Blackboard Support Center

The Blackboard Support Center can help provide support via Frequently Asked Questions, email, chat, and phone regarding Blackboard 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Student Services

The KCTCS Online Student Services Help Desk provides Frequently Asked Questions, email, chat, and phone service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Student Services staff can help you with any question you have about the application process, financial aid, registering for classes, tuition payments, and other student services.

Course-Specific Questions

If you have a specific question about the course or the content, please contact your instructor as soon as possible. Your instructor's contact information is under the "Meet Your Instructor" link or :"Email Your Instructor" on the course menu. Please allow 24-48 hours for your instructor to respond to your questions.

Starfish

Starfish is a student support tool that can help you succeed in your course. Your instructor can raise flags if there's a concern about your progress, give you kudos for good performance, or make to-do items for you that will help you succeed. You can also use Starfish to schedule appointments with your instructor or your Virtual Student Success Coach. Be sure to click on "Starfish" from the menu list in your Blackboard course to learn more and to create your student profile! 

 

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS 

Required eResources

Course Resources :   This course covers the material in Units 1-4, 7 and 9 along with the Skillbuilding Unit.   Units 1-4 will be used as a review.

Gregg College Keyboarding & Document Processing (GDP); Lessons 1-60 text Kit (includes GDP website access and Word 2013 Manual)

11TH EDITION By Scot Ober and Jack Johnson and Arlene Zimmerly, Copyright: 2011, Publication Date: Apr 02 2010, ISBN 10: 0077319362, ISBN 13: 978007731936

Note: These eResources are available in Blackboard. You do not need to purchase them at the bookstore.

Minimum technical requirements:

Software Requirements

Did you know image

All currently enrolled KCTCS students are eligible to install the full version of Office 365 Pro on up to 5 devices for free?

This includes PC, Mac, Apple tablets and phones, and Android tablets and phones. The software will continue to work as long as you are enrolled in at least one class at a KCTCS college. This gives you access to Outlook (for email), Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Read more at: https://kctcs.edu/Current_Students/Software_Discounts.aspx

Office 365 Logo

Learners will need to make sure appropriate software and plug-ins are installed on your computer. Be sure to review, and if necessary, install appropriate software and plug-ins listed in the software section of the Start Here >>>>> area in the Blackboard module shell.

  * Disable any pop-up blockers on your system while using Blackboard. 

Browsers

It is recommended learners have more than one browser installed.   At times it may be necessary to access certain web applications using various browsers.   These browsers are free to download and install.     

Be sure you understand how to disable any pop-up blockers on your system. This may be necessary while using Blackboard. 

Other Resources

To assist with communication it is recommended that you purchase a microphone/headset/webcam.

Additionally, if you have a smart phone or tablet, you can download and use the Bb Mobile Learn App. 

Disclaimer

This product was funded in part by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership.