Orientation
 

Orientation
Blackboard Course SiteThompson Homepage

Welcome to POFT 2303
Speed and Accuracy Building

This course provides a complete individualized skillbuilding system designed to improve both your speed and your accuracy in keyboarding, resulting in higher accurate speeds.  If you are paid on production or earn raises/promotions for producing more and better in less time, then this course should result in "money in the bank" for you.

Research indicates building speed and accuracy skills require different actions and mindsets and are best improved separately.  Therefore, lessons focus separately on speed, accuracy, and technique, allowing you to develop all aspects of your keyboarding skills, or allowing you to focus on the skill you most need to improve. 

The software for the course is entirely Web-based, meaning you can complete course work from anywhere you have Web access.  As with most business software, it's designed for use on a PC (not a Mac).  This unique course is designed to individually review, correct, improve, and/or perfect touch-keyboarding techniques (without looking at fingers) for the purpose of increasing speed and improving accuracy.  The course goal is for you to improve individual performance by ten accurate words per minute.  The software allows backspacing for corrections in drills and timings!

POFT 2303 Speed and Accuracy Building is an electronic, interactive class with an professor, students, and assignments. This means you will need Mozilla Firefox  or Microsoft Internet Explorer (NOT Google Chrome, which does not always save lesson sections).  If you do not have one of these browsers, you can download one from the Internet (or use college computers for your course work).  You will access the course through the Internet from a computer at home, work, or on campus--anytime, day or night, that you have access to the Internet. Even this Orientation information is online, and there will be NO face-to-face orientation meeting or requirement to come to campus.

How do I get started?

Because your course Web site is on Blackboard, you will not have access to your course until classes begin.  Once classes begin, go through CougarWeb (and bookmark the URL  http://elearning.collin.edu as a backup access option) and follow the login instructions there for accessing your Blackboard course site.  Once you have Blackboard access, all course communications must be within Blackboard for your convenience and privacy.

You should review everything in this Collin Learning Center (eLC) link, which will include a Contact Information link.    Please do take advantage of the tutorials offered there by clicking through all the helpful links.  If you are an experienced online student, the material should be fairly familiar but include a few new tips and the important contact information.  Be encouraged that many students take this course as their first online learning experience and do well.  Your professor can be more available to you online than within a traditional class that meets on campus only at certain times.

You will be expected to check your Blackboard course often for announcements, discussions, and Mail messages.  Frequent communication between professor and student is important to your success in this course. 

TEXTBOOK:  Important:  If you choose to delay acquiring course materials to seek a discount, understand that the academic price will be earning ZEROS for work not completed on schedule.  Also, not having materials does not exempt you from completing startup assignments in Blackboard.

Improving Speed and Accuracy in Keyboarding, 1st edition, by Scot Ober, McGraw-Hill publisher, ISBN-13 9780077804749 for the text and access card bundle (access card required), ISBN-13 9780077657406 for a separate access card for use with a used textbook (separate textbook should be ISBN-13 9780073397016).  You MUST have both for the class!

Below is a picture of the textbook; the ISBN number would be on the back cover (not shown).

SUPPLIES:  None

EQUIPMENT: In order to do course work from home, you will simply need a good Internet Service Provider (ISP).  However, you also have the option of doing all the work for your online course by using equipment provided by the college.

Technical support for the Web software is available by calling 1-800-331-5094 or by going to http://www.mhhe.com/support during the following hours: 6 to10 p.m. Sunday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday.  Calling is faster and best done while sitting at your computer, so the tech support team can guide you to solutions.  They are great!

SYSTEM/TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Review technical information from the Collin Learning Center (eLC) link.  Click the Contact Us link at the top of that page if you have questions or need help with getting your system to work smoothly for your online course.

COURSE FORMAT:  Your online classroom includes a schedule to keep you on track for assignments and guide you concerning completing assignments for your professor's review.

Your professor will work with you using Blackboard to evaluate your assignments and to help you with questions or problems.  Your course work will be reviewed and graded by your professor, with feedback provided through My Grades in Blackboard.  Grading will include professor comments, if appropriate and/or helpful.  Class discussions may be conducted electronically, as appropriate.  Even this Orientation information is online, and there will be NO requirement to come to campus for any assignment. 

You will be able to monitor your confidential progress report on Blackboard during the latter part of the term.  This will allow you opportunity to communicate with your professor concerning any differences between your records and your individual progress report -- prior to your final course grade posting.  Most of the course credit depends on your satisfactorily completing and submitting all assignments and the IMPORTANT skill improvement demonstration.  The unique software will guide you to improved accuracy and speed skills.

How do I access the POFT 2303 Speed and Accuracy Building class?

First, you must be officially enrolled.  Once classes begin, go through CougarWeb or to http://elearning.collin.edu and follow the login instructions there for accessing your Blackboard course site.  Your username should be your Cougarmail username, and your password should be the last six digits of your CWID (college-wide identification number). 

Once classes begin, you will be expected to check your Blackboard Discussions and Mail often.  Frequent communication between professor and student is important to your success in this course.

What is the POFT 2303 Speed and Accuracy Building course like?

After registering for the class and purchasing the course materials, you will:

• study the Blackboard course site information
• set up your Web account for using the software
• follow the schedule of assignments
• complete all assignments in a timely manner
• focus on improving overall speed and accuracy

YOU are responsible for scheduling your study time and  completing your assignments. You are responsible for keeping up to date with the course schedule, matching the course weeks with your calendar, and keeping a record of the assignments you have submitted. You will be encouraged to communicate with other class members through the Blackboard discussion forum. Your professor is available to help you through the course using Blackboard Discussions (group) and Mail (private) features; please do not hesitate to contact your professor. Your professor acts as a facilitator to help you master the course goals.

Realize that this course requires YOUR motivation, commitment, organization, and self-discipline. YOU must supply those success factors. Effective learning results only when students become active participants in control of their learning and take the initiative to do what is necessary. Learning the skills necessary to communicate in an online course format will be a valuable bonus to you in preparing for working in high-tech offices.

POFT 2303 Speed and Accuracy Building is a competency-based course. You are expected to meet certain performance objectives, which are found in the course syllabus. The generic syllabus (containing objectives) is posted at http://iws.collin.edu/syllabus.  Your professor's syllabus (including how you will be graded) will be posted on the Blackboard course site.  Your final grade will be based upon your participation and performance.  Following instructions accurately and submitting assignments in a timely manner will be important aspects of course success.

Again, welcome to the class!