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52.0400 Administrative Support and Information Processing Cluster
Combines 52.0400 Information Processing & 52.0401 (Administrative Assistant/Secretarial
Science and General Office programs)
This cluster offers a sequence of planned educational classroom and laboratory experiences designed to prepare individuals to create, store, retrieve, and disseminate information to staff and clients, make travel arrangements, schedule meetings and appointments, organize and maintain paper and electronic files, prepare presentations, manage projects, and provide information via the telephone, postal mail, and e-mail. It will also prepare individuals to key, sort, file, and copy documents, perform receptionist duties, operate computers and other office equipment, make and answer telephone calls, maintain inventory and order supplies, perform basic accounting activities, maintain records, and verify and proof information/records. At the same time, it will prepare office workers to handle more complex responsibilities such as conduct research, prepare statistical reports, train employees, and supervise other clerical staff.
As the use of technology continues to increase in the workplace, so will
the role of the office professional. The office professional will increasingly
use personal computers, and advanced computer operations and technology
to create spreadsheets, compose correspondence, take minutes, create and
prepare presentations, manage databases, and create reports and documents.
In addition,
they will use the internet as well as facsimile machines, scanners, photocopiers,
and telephone systems to complete daily tasks.
This program includes a sequence of planned educational classroom and laboratory experiences which will develop competencies in the following duty areas:
Creating, editing, and correcting documents, records
and files
Performing information processing activities (e.g, word processing,
spreadsheets, database entry, desktop publishing, etc.)
Filing materials manually/electronically
Maintaining records
Writing reports
Maintaining inventory
Ordering supplies
Preparing documents using presentation software
Performing routine equipment maintenance |
Receiving, distributing, printing, and copying documents,
records or files
Processing mail
Performing administrative activities (e.g, making travel arrangements,
answering correspondence, preparing statistical reports,
composting & distributing
meeting notes and reports, etc.)
Performing telecommunications activities (sending facsimiles, scheduling
V-Tel meetings, arranging conference calls, etc.)
Receiving visitors, patients or clients
Organizing and planning office activities
Performing basic accounting activities
Conducting research using internet and intranet |
Employment opportunities available to workers with competencies in the Administrative Support and Information Processing Cluster include banking institutions, manufacturing companies, educational institutions, government offices, insurance companies, retail and wholesale companies, accounting firms, hotel-motel firms, real estate firms, savings and loan institutions, medical offices, legal offices, transportation firms, advertising companies, and computer firms. Through entrepreneurship, other employment opportunities are also available.
The following are examples of occupations for which instruction may be provided at the secondary level:
- Office Assistant
- Administrative Assistant
- Information Assistant
- Accounting Clerk
- Data Entry Specialist
- Information Specialist
- Microcomputer Support/Software Specialist
- Secretary
The following occupational listing shows examples of occupations which may require additional training in a specialized program at the post secondary level.
- Information Processor Manager
- Officer Manager
- Medical Office Assistant
- Legal Office Assistant
- Executive/Administrative Assistant
- Office Specialist
- Administrative Aide
- Administrative Secretary
In addition to those occupations already noted, there are other occupations of a professional nature requiring extensive education beyond that received at secondary and post secondary levels.
Workplace skills, as well as 1) skills used in work performance
that are transferable across jobs and occupations and that are instrumental
to job and classroom success, 2) skills used to manage life's transitions,
and 3) skills employed in the resolution of interpersonal, information
or task-related problems or problems related to behavior in cooperative
group settings, should be included in this curriculum. Leadership
skill development is an integral part of this program and is delivered
through career and technical student organization activities (e.g,
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Business Professionals
of America (BPA). Individualized instruction and learning reinforcement
are provided through cooperative career and technical education programs,
as well as classroom instruction. Communication skills (thinking,
listening, composing, revising, editing, and speaking) will be integrated
throughout the course.
COURSE SEQUENCE
| Course Title |
Credits per Semester |
Length in Semesters |
Grade Level |
| Orientation |
| Business and Technology Concepts |
0.5 |
2 |
9, 10 |
| Keyboarding and Formatting I |
0.5 |
1 |
9, 10 |
| Computer Concepts and Software Applications |
0.5 |
1 |
9, 10 |
| |
|
|
|
| Preparation |
| *Information Processing I |
0.5 |
2 |
11 |
| Information Processing II |
0.5 |
2 |
11, 12 |
| Business Technology & Procedures (Replaces Office Procedures) |
0.5 |
2 |
12 |
| **Accounting |
0.5 |
2 |
11, 12 |
| Cooperative Office Education |
*variable |
2 |
12 |
* Required Course for this program sequence
** Accounting will be approved as part of the sequence when the following courses are offered as part of the program:
Information Processing I
Information Processing II or Business Technology & Procedures |
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY CONCEPTS
Length of course: 2 Semesters
Credits per semester: 0.5
Grade level: 9, 10
This orientation-level course will provide an overview of all aspects
of business marketing and management, including the concepts, functions,
and skills required for meeting the challenges of operating a business
in a global economy. Topics covered will include the various forms
of business ownership, including entrepreneurship, as well as the
basic functional areas of business (finance, management, marketing,
administration and production) .
Students will be introduced to a wide range of careers in fields
such as accounting, financial services, information technology, marketing,
and management. Emphasis will be placed on using the computer while
studying applications in these careers along with communication skills
(thinking, listening, composing, revising, editing, and speaking)
, math and problem solving. Business ethics as well as other workplace
skills will be taught and integrated within this course.
This course is not intended to meet the consumer education requirement, but rather to provide preparation for the skill level courses that make up the Business, Marketing and Management occupations programs.
KEYBOARDING AND FORMATTING I
Length of course: 1 Semester
Credits per semester: 0.5
Grade level: 9, 10
Keyboarding and Formatting I is a course designed to develop basic skills in touch keyboarding techniques for entering alphabetic, numeric, and symbol information found on computers and terminals. Students will learn to edit and format text and paragraphs, change fonts, work with headers and footers, cut and paste text, create and use tab keys, create labels, and work with multiple windows. Students will format documents such as letters, envelopes, memorandums, reports, and tables for personal, educational, and business uses. During the second half of the course, major emphasis is placed on formatting documents, improving proofreading skills, and increasing speed and accuracy,
COMPUTER CONCEPTS AND SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS
Length of course: 1 Semester
Credits per semester: 0.5
Grade level: 9, 10
Computer Concepts and Software Applications is an orientation-level course designed to develop awareness and understanding of application software and equipment used by employees to perform tasks in business, marketing and management. Students will apply problem-solving skills to hands-on, real-life situations using a variety of software applications, such as word processing, spreadsheets, database management, presentation software, and desktop publishing. Students will explore topics related to computer concepts, operating systems, telecommunications and emerging technologies. The development of employability skills, as well as transition skills, will be included in the course as well as an understanding of the ethical considerations that arise in using information processing equipment and gaining access to available databases.
INFORMATION PROCESSING I
Length of course: 2 Semesters
Credits per semester: 0.5
Grade level: 11
Information Processing I is a skill-level course that includes the
concepts and terminology related to the people, equipment, and procedures
of information processing as well as skill development in the use
of information processing equipment. Students will operate computer
equipment to prepare memos, letters, reports, and forms. Students
will create rough drafts, correct copy, process incoming and outgoing
telephone calls and mail, and transmit and receive messages electronically.
Students will create, input, and update databases and spreadsheets.
Students will create data directories; copy, rename, move, and delete
files, and perform backup procedures. In addition, students will
prepare files to merge, as well as create mailing labels and envelopes
from merge files. Students will learn to locate and retrieve information
from hard copy and electronic sources, and prepare masters for
presentations using presentation software. Students will apply proper
grammar, punctuation, spelling and proofreading practices. Accuracy
will be emphasized. Workplace skills as well as communication skills
(thinking, listening, composing, revising, editing, and speaking)
will be taught and integrated throughout this course.
INFORMATION PROCESSING II
Length of course: 2 Semesters
Credits per semester: 0.5
Grade level: 11, 12
Information Processing II is a skill-level course for students who have completed Information Processing I.
Students will create and update documents using word processing
and desktop publishing programs and put together slideshows, speaker
notes and handouts using presentation software. Students will revise
data in a stored database and use queries to create customized reports.
Students will edit and utilize calculation functions in spreadsheets,
integrate graphics, spreadsheets, tables, text and data into documents
and reports, and create graphs and charts from spreadsheets. Students
will learn to conduct research on the internet and/or intranet, prepare
and answer routine correspondence, organize and
maintain a filing system, maintain an appointment calendar, make
travel arrangements, prepare itineraries and expense reports, and
prepare and process timesheets. In addition, students will maintain
inventory, order equipment and supplies, and perform routine equipment
maintenance.
Students will apply proper grammar, punctuation, spelling and proofreading practices to documents and reports. Accuracy will be emphasized. Workplace skills as well as communication skills will be taught and integrated throughout this course.
A simulated information processing center or work based learning experience may be used to provide students with the experience of working in the environment of an information processing center.
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY & PROCEDURES
(Replaces Office Procedures)
Length of course: 2 Semesters
Credits per semester: 0.5
Grade lever: 12
Business Technology & Procedures is a skill-level course that is designed to prepare students for entry level employment in a technology-based office setting. Integrated software applications will be included in this course.
Instruction will focus on office etiquette, office management, telephone
and communications procedures, time management, records management,
and proper business behavior and attire. Students will perform clerical
duties, create, edit and correct documents, records and files, perform
information processing activities (e.g. spreadsheets, database entry,
desktop publishing) and prepare documents using presentation software.
Students will discuss appropriate procedures for receiving visitors,
patients or clients, and organize schedule and plan meetings. In
addition, students will file materials manually and electronically,
make travel arrangements, perform financial activities, process mail,
transmit messages electronically, and maintain office supplies and
equipment. Students will organize and plan office activities, compose
and distribute meeting notes and reports, answer routine correspondence,
input information from voice recordings, conduct research using the
intranet and/or internet, and supervise and train other employees.
Students will apply proper grammar, punctuation, spelling and proofreading
skills. Accuracy will be emphasized. Students will apply new skills
as well as skills learned in other courses to complete a series of
realistic office assignments, or participate in an office work based
learning experience. Workplace skills as well as communication skills
(thinking, listening, composing, revising, editing and speaking)
will be taught and integrated throughout this course.
ACCOUNTING I
Length of course: 2 semesters
Credits per semester: 0.5
Grade level: 11, 12
Accounting I is a skill level course that is of value to all students pursuing a strong background in business, marketing, and management. This course includes planned learning experiences that develop initial and basic skills used in systematically computing, classifying, recording, verifying and maintaining numerical data involved in financial and product control records including the paying and receiving of money. Instruction includes information on keeping financial records, summarizing them for convenient interpretation, and analyzing them to provide assistance to management for decision making. Accounting computer applications should be integrated throughout the course where applicable. In addition to stressing basic fundamentals and terminology of accounting, instruction should provide initial understanding of the preparation of budgets and financial reports, operation of related business machines and equipment, and career opportunities in the accounting field. Processing employee benefits may also be included. Practice sets with business papers may be used to emphasize actual business records management.
COOPERATIVE OFFICE EDUCATION
Length of course: 2 semesters
Credits per semester: variable
Grade level: 12
Cooperative Office Education is a capstone course designed to assist
students in the development of effective business skills and attitudes
through practical, advanced instruction in school, and on the job
through cooperative education. Approximately half the school day
is spent taking classes at school and the other half in on-the-job
training supervised by the designated training sponsor, and coordinated
by the teacher-coordinator. The related class at school is planned
to develop skills and attitudes that are applied on the job. A training
plan is developed jointly by the teacher-coordinator, training sponsor
and student that identifies training to be provided. Training in
the related class at school focuses upon the student's career and
technical education, with additional assignments based upon areas
where on-the-job performance indicates a need. Related instruction
also includes workplace skills such as seeking and applying for employment,
communicating on the job, maintaining professionalism, workplace
ethics, etc.
Current generation equipment is utilized in this course to develop information management competencies required for employment in this cluster of careers. Instruction involves the use of simulations and computer-assisted instruction, as well as specific application software for database management, accounting, word processing, business graphics and communications between information processing systems.
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