Course
Description

This course allows students to gain the knowledge, skills and abilities to apply principles of information research to their academic, work and professional lives. They gain ability to analyze problems, research and select relevant information from print and electronic sources, create an effective presentation, and publish it in print or electronic form.

The class will meet on site at Roche Brothers

Classes will be held:
Wednesday evenings
January 16, 23, 30 and February 6, 13, 20
February 27 (final presentations)**

Location: All classes will meet at Roche Brothers Headquarters Conference Room

Time:
6:00 - 10:00 pm

The purpose of this course is to enable the student to understand, appreciate the importance of, and apply Internet technology to improve productivity in the workplace. The focus of the course will be fourfold: to enable the student to:

1. gain professional level competence in researching information on the Internet and to be able to use technology to analyze and present the results of their research.

2. understand how the Internet may be used to improve communication and collaboration in work groups and within the organization, and improve their skills in using this technology

3. understand the integral role of modern internet technology in the present-day organization; and how it functions as an element of business or organizational strategy

4. using your ILP – understand the research project cycle, including project planning, timelines, documentation and the steps in completing a project portfolio

5. have fun with technology and its applications!

The course will involve extensive out of class use of the Internet for communications, research and group work. Students will be required to have access to the Internet for this course. The course will prepare the student to use the Internet for future courses in the Management Program at Cambridge College.

1. Understand how Internet and other "new" technologies are changing the way business is being done, and identify how these technologies can be utilized in organizations in which they might work.

2. Attain a level of professional competence in on-line research for management topics.

3. Attain a level of competence with various tools (spreadsheet, document processing, presentation tools, webpage, and project management) and demonstrate the use of those tools to support business objectives.

4. Improve ability to communicate electronically with other users and work in virtual groups to complete projects.

5. Understand the research project cycle, including project planning, timelines, documentation and the steps in completing a project portfolio.

6. Discuss some of the legal, ethical and security issues surrounding the increased use of computer-based technology in the workplace.

7. Build an online research ILP ePortfolio and BLOG.

2. All reading, homework and project assignments are due on time.

3. Class sessions will be a mixture of lecture, discussion, and hands-on exercises, both group and individual. The first two are important to improve your understanding of the concepts, in order that you can apply them more effectively.

4. Assigment Percentages:
Class attendance and participation 20%

Research Homework assignment 10%
Each student will select a topic and present information on that topic. The assignments will be handed out and discussed in more detail in class, and must be turned in (hard copy) and/or presented in the next class session. I also request an email copy be sent to me via email.

ILP Research Project 45%
A research paper that will use online research and basic computer applications will be due. The student will identify a topic, frame the research focus, use on-line sources to gather information, synthesize the data and prepare a paper using WORD and EXCEL, and develop a presentation in POWERPOINT intended for a work or professional audience.

Project BLOG ePortfolio 35%
Students will use on-line communication tools to complete a project that relates to the content of their ILP. The result will be a BLOG ePortfolio of documents. Each student will make a final presentation.

Students are encouraged to build in their own interests and workplace needs into the design of their term project

Note: Please submit all assignments in hard copy form at the class in which it is due. I also request file copies be sent to me via email.

TOPICS

Overview of the course
Technology – next steps
BLOGGING
ePortfolios
Searching & Beyond

Getting Started
ILP status – how can this course help
- ILP Update
- What’s needed for completion?

Topics depending on interest:
- BLOGGING
- Basic and Advanced MicroSoft Office Skills

Micro Soft WORD
- Intermediate and Advanced Micro Soft WORD
- Creating and Editing a Document
- Formatting a Document
- Creating a Report or Research Paper
- Creating Tables
- Table of Contents
- More Word & Email

Micro Soft EXCEL
- Applications of spreadsheets and EXCEL
- Analyzing Data
- Using Excel functions and formats
- Creating Charts to represent data

1. Managing and Analyzing a Complex Workbook

Micro Soft POWERPOINT
- Advanced presentation software and Micro Soft PowerPoint
- Enhancing a Presentation
- Beyond Bullet Points

ILP and APA
- Understanding APA
- Formatting and citations
- Zotero and other tools
- PERLA tips and tools

Final Presentations
- Presentation of PowerPoint slideshows
- Presentation of BLOG

Wrapping it all up
- Review & Course Evaluation

Catherine Seo is founder and president of Synergistic Solutions: Evolving Beyond Chaos, headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. The consortium, founded in 1989, offers support to organizations and industry in dealing with turbulence, change, and crisis impacting the workplace.

She received a Bachelor of Science in communications and education from Emerson College, and a Masters of Science in Strategic Technology Management from the Graduate Center of Technology at Marlboro College.

Catherine has certification and/or training in advanced mediation, systems thinking, and relational dynamics, as well as a technical background in computer programming and systems analysis.