Professional Communications 801-128 TW: Forms Design
801-128 TW: Forms Design
Spring 2015 Syllabus
Instructor Information
Instructor: Rick BarribeauOffice: R222D
Address: Gateway Technical College
Attention: Rick Barribeau
1001 S. Main St.
Racine, WI 53403
Phone: 262.619.6822
Email: / Office Hours: / M / 1:00–2:00 Virtual
T / 1:00–4:00
W / 5:00–6:00
TH
F
S
Course Information
Key Dates: Class Day/Time: Combo: Internet/Mondays 2:35–3:35 p.m.
Start/End Date: 01.12.2015–03.02.2015
Financial Aid Census Date: 01.25.2015
Last day for Students to Drop: 01.21.2015
Instructor Drop Period: 01.22.2015–01.28.2015
Midterm Grade Date: None
Last Date for Students to Withdrawal: 02.19.2015
See the Gateway Student Handbook ( PDF) for details about how the financial aid census date, student drops, instructor drops, and student withdrawals affect financial aid and potential refunds.
Check-in: To check in prior to the Financial Aid Census Date and to acknowledge your understanding of the syllabus, campus students must be present in class, and Internet students must post their Assignment i-d Introduction to the Discussion Board on Blackboard.
To maintain enrollment in the course during the Instructor Drop Period, students must have submitted required course assignments.
Description: Students are provided the skills and practice to create effective and user-friendly forms. Emphasis is on identifying and meeting the needs for the form by all users. Using computer software, students produce both paper and electronic forms.
Competencies: The following competencies are promoted and assessed in this course:
q Apply the skills of audience analysis to ensure that the form meets the design and content requirements for all users.
q Apply the skills of purpose analysis to ensure that the form meets the design and content requirements for all users.
q Apply the graphic design skills needed to produce an efficient and user-friendly form.
q Apply the skills of computer software to produce paper and/or electric forms.
q Apply the principles of unbiased, non-sexist, multicultural, and global communication.
Credits: 1
Prerequisites: None
Textbook: None
Materials: USB drive | Notebook/paper | Pens/pencils
Microsoft Word (Free as part of Office 365 at http://office.gtc.edu)
Acrobat Reader (Free download at http://get.adobe.com/reader/)
Core Abilities: Gateway Technical College believes students need both technical knowledge and skills and core abilities in order to succeed in a career and in life. The following nine core abilities are the general attitudes and skills promoted and assessed in all Gateway programs:
q Act responsibly
q Communicate clearly and effectively
q Demonstrate essential computer skills
q Demonstrate essential mathematical skills
q Develop job-seeking skills
q Respect self and others as members of a diverse society
q Think critically and creatively
q Work cooperatively
q Value learning
Policies and Procedures
The following policies will be followed in this class. Additional college policies can be found in the Gateway Student Handbook. Printed and PDF copies of the handbook are available in the bookstore and on Gateway’s website (www.gtc.edu), respectively.
DSS: Disability Support Services (DSS) offers a variety of accommodations and support services to assist students in their academic success. Students with disabilities who believe they may need reasonable accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact DSS instructors as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Accommodations are not retroactive and course standards will not be lowered; therefore, students are encouraged to connect with the DSS instructors early using the information below:
Burlington/Elkhorn / Kenosha / RacineLearning Success Center
North Building
262.741.8020
262.741.8492 (TTY) / Learning Success Center
Academic Building, A111
262.564.2006
262.741.8492 (TTY) / Learning Success Center
Lake Building, 1st Floor
262.619.6216
262.741.8492 (TTY)
Due Process: If you have an issue with the class, instructor, or grades, please follow the Student Due Process Rights outlined in the Gateway Student Handbook ( PDF).
Internet Use: The Internet and social networking sites, including but not limited to Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook, are not controlled by Gateway Technical College. While there can be educational value to these sites, there is potential for offensive language, adult content and situations. If you have concerns, please talk with your instructor.
Pandemic: Should there be a public health pandemic emergency, students are responsible for the following:
q Being prepared and able to adapt if there is an unplanned absence (pandemic emergency). Students should be present when classes are in session and manage their time so that they can complete assignments and assessments on or before the date they are due.
q Completing work missed due to an absence within the time frame determined by the instructor.
q Participating in an alternative delivery method of instruction as determined by the instructor. The alternative delivery method that will be used for this course is Blackboard.
Netiquette: All students are expected to maintain a professional tone in all messages or discussions posted to the Discussion Board or to email. It is imperative that the rights of all users of the Discussion Board and email are respected, and no one should be degraded, insulted, or discriminated against as a result of their comments or beliefs expressed as part of this course. All Discussion Board or email messages must contain the name of message originator. If you are using someone else's email account, your name must be included in the body of the message since it will not be part of the automated "From" line of the email. Failure to respect the rights of other students or the instructor will be dealt with following the policies presented in the Gateway Student Handbook.
Responsibility: The Gateway District recognizes that in order to operate a meaningful educational program and a safe environment for students and staff, the Student Code of Conduct in the Gateway Student Handbook ( PDF) will be followed. The Gateway District believes every student has the right to pursue an education free from disruption, harassment, illegal activities, threats, or danger. Every student is expected to comply with the standards set and to be familiar with all the rules, regulations, and policies of Gateway Technical College. On a daily basis, any student or group of students may be denied access to the classroom upon the instructor’s determination that their behavior impedes student learning, the health and safety of peers, self, or the staff. The instructor will notify the student(s) of their denied access. The dean of campus affairs will also be notified by the end of the working day.
The District further believes that academic honesty and integrity are fundamental to the educational mission of this College. Dishonesty, which includes, but is not limited to, knowingly furnishing false information to the College, plagiarism, or any form of cheating, will be punished. For a first violation, the instructor will issue an “F” for the assignment or exam. For a second violation, the instructor will issue an "F" for the course. All violations will be reported to the dean of campus affairs or designee, who will follow the discipline procedure in the Gateway Student Handbook ( PDF).
Student Support: Gateway offers a variety of free support services and support programs to help students succeed in their studies. Services include tutoring, supplemental instruction, and disability support services in the Learning Success Center. Programs include the Learning Success Coaching, Multicultural Program, Non-Traditional Occupations Program, StepUp Program, and TRiO Support Services. For details, see the “Services for Students” section of the Gateway Student Handbook ( PDF).
Tech. Support: If there is a technology problem, please contact the instructor or the Gateway Technology Support Center by doing the following:
q entering a support request on the ticketing system at https://support.gtc.edu
q telephoning 1.262.564.3695 or 1.800.353.3153
Grading
An understanding of the grading guidelines is critical to the successful completion of this course. Please read carefully, and contact the instructor if you have any questions.
Final Grades: Final grades will be calculated based on the following:
Category / Points / PercentageAttendance / 00 / 00%
Deadlines / 35 / 14%
Assignments / 200 / 80%
Discussion Board / 15 / 06%
Total / 250 / 100%
Attendance: This is a combo course offered through the Internet and on campus, so attendance will be tracked using multiple methods. The instructor will base attendance on weekly participation on the Discussion Board (Assignment i-db) and on completion of assignments. If a student fails to participate on the Discussion Board for more than three consecutive weeks and fails to submit two consecutive assignments by their deadlines without instructor approval, the student will be dropped from the class with an F final grade.
In addition, poor attendance in class or poor participation on Blackboard is likely to affect your final grade indirectly since you will miss notes, directions, deadlines, and personal help on the various assignments. As a result you may complete assignments that do not meet required criteria, resulting in a lower assignment grade.
Deadlines: Since deadlines are an integral part of a professional communicator’s occupation, deadlines have been established for all assignments. In order to meet the deadline, assignments must be in the instructor’s possession by the assigned date and time.
All assignments handed in after the deadline will be marked late, and the point(s) per calendar day will be subtracted from this score based on the following formula: the first late assignment will be assessed one (1) point for each day late; the second late assignment will be assessed two (2) points for each day late; the third late assignment will be assessed three (3) points for each day late; and so on.
If at the end of the course any assignments have not been handed in, the final deadline grade will be a zero (0).
Assignments: Assignments include the review and creation of forms. See Blackboard for assignment requirements, notes, and videos.
Discussion Board: Using the Discussion Board is part of the final grade. You can post to it in response to questions or comments by other students or the instructor, or you can post your own questions or comments. Each student will start with a score of 15/15 for this grade. For each week that a student does not post, three (3) points will be deducted from this grade. A week runs from Monday at 1:00 p.m. to the next Monday at 1:00 p.m.
Portfolio: Since this class finishes at midterm, the portfolio is not required. Be sure to include one (1) sample from this course in your portfolio the next time you are scheduled to have your portfolio evaluated.
Grading Scale: The following grading scale is used in this class:
Grade
/ Percentage / Grade / PercentageA / 95 – 100 / C / 79 – 82
A- / 93 – 94 / C- / 77 – 78
B+ / 91 – 92 / D+ / 75 – 76
B / 87 – 90 / D / 72 – 74
B- / 85 – 86 / D- / 70 – 71
C+ / 83 – 84 / F / < 70
Note: Professional Communications students must earn a "C" or higher in the class or retake it.
Grading Rubric: The Professional Communications grading matrix explains the basic evaluation areas for this course. The instructor will give students a grading rubric for each assignment.
Assessed Areas / GradeA / B / C / D/F
Project
Planning / Writer has clear goals based on audience’s needs and client’s expectations. Plan accounts for time, scope, and resource concerns. Quality research is conducted. / Writer has clear goals based on most of the audience’s needs and client’s expectations. Plan mostly accounts for time, scope, and resource concerns. Some research is conducted. / Writer has somewhat clear goals based on some of the audience’s needs and some of the client’s expectations. Plan somewhat accounts for time, scope, and resource concerns. / Writer does not have clear goals and does not recognize the audience’s needs or client’s expectations.
No plan is evident, or a plan fails to account for time, scope, and/or resource concerns.
Written
Communication / Communication product is accurate, ethical, and detailed. It is organized logically. It uses proper style and diction. It recognizes a multicultural audience. It uses research in the text and design to meet all goals. / Communication product is accurate, ethical, and detailed. It is usually organized logically. It usually uses proper style and diction. It usually recognizes a multicultural audience. It uses research in the text and design to meet most goals. / Communication product is usually accurate, ethical, and detailed. It is at times organized logically. It at times uses proper style and diction. It at times recognizes a multicultural audience. It uses research in the text and design to meet some goals. / Communication product is not accurate, ethical, and detailed. It is unorganized. It often fails to use proper style and diction. It fails to recognize a multicultural audience. It fails to use research in the text and design to meet the goals.
Visual Communication / Comm. product is aesthetically pleasing and is designed for usability. It includes all relevant text, graphics, or media. / Comm. product is usually aesthetically pleasing and is usually designed for usability. It includes most relevant text, graphics, or media. / Comm. product is sometimes aesthetically pleasing and is sometimes designed for usability. It includes some text, graphics, or media. / Comm. product is not aesthetically pleasing and is not designed for usability. It lacks relevant text, graphics, or media.
Project
Management / Writer collaborates effectively with others. Writer makes significant improvements to the comm. product based on a review and/or usability test. Writer uses technology effectively. Writer provides meta-documentation. / Writer collaborates with others. Writer makes many improvements to the comm. product based on a review and/or usability test. Writer usually uses technology effectively. Writer provides most meta-documentation. / Writer collaborates minimally with others. Writer makes some improvements to the comm. product based on a review and/or usability test. Writer uses technology. Writer provides some meta-documentation. / Writer fails to collaborate with others. Writer fails to improve the comm. product and/or fails to conduct a review and/or usability test. Writer does not use appropriate technology. Writer fails to provide meta-documentation.
Production / Writer submits the required paper and/or electronic copies. Comm. product fulfills goals. / Writer submits the required paper and/or electronic copies. Comm. product fulfills most goals. / Writer submits the required paper and/or electronic copies. Comm. product fulfills some goals. / Writer doesn’t submit the paper and/or electronic copies. Comm. product fails to fulfill goals.
Incomplete Grades: An incomplete grade is given only in extenuating circumstances. To request an incomplete grade, a student must have already completed 80% of coursework and have a passing grade at the time of the request. The instructor and student will come up with a plan and timetable when unfinished work will be due. The incomplete grade can hold up a student’s financial aid for the next semester, resulting in financial aid probation until the course is completed and a final grade is given.