12/21/2024 4:59:27 AM	BGN 111 Course Outline as of Fall 2024	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  BGN 111	Title:  SOFT SKILLS FOR BUSINESS
Full Title:  Soft Skills for Business
Last Reviewed:4/13/2020

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  BOT 56A

Catalog Description:

Critical workforce issues including the evolution of the workplace environment; the worker's changing roles, responsibilities, and opportunities; and development of 21st century workplace skills such as ethics, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, innovation, and individual responsibility. Throughout the course students will work in teams and examine and practice communication and soft skills.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 OR EMLS 100 (formerly ESL 100) or equivalent

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Critical workforce issues including the evolution of the workplace environment; the worker's changing roles, responsibilities, and opportunities; and development of 21st century workplace skills such as ethics, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, innovation, and individual responsibility. Throughout the course students will work in teams and examine and practice communication and soft skills.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 OR EMLS 100 (formerly ESL 100) or equivalent
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.   Identify and discuss the worker's changing roles, responsibilities, and opportunities.

2.   Develop and display workplace skills such as ethics, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, innovation, and individual responsibility.

3.   Apply effective communication skills and other soft skills when working in teams.

 

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

1.   Use a daily calendar or planner to schedule appointments, work hours, and/or other time demands.

2.   Record all details of assigned tasks, activities, and projects on a daily calendar or planner.

3.   Evaluate and assess time management skills on a monthly basis.

4.   Examine the evolution of the workplace and changes in organizational structures.

5.   Compare and contrast employer expectations of workers in the 20th versus 21st century.

6.   Analyze critical issues impacting workers.

7.   Assess and evaluate current soft skills and develop a plan for acquiring or improving skills.

8.   Identify personal learning styles and develop a plan to improve learning potential.

9.   Discuss personality types and their impact on the work environment.

10. Explain the elements that make up the communication process.

11. Explain how barriers can interfere with effective communication.

12. Examine the impact of technology on communication.

13. Compare the stages of team development.

14. Participate in organization of a team.

15. Use critical thinking skills to solve problems.

16. Explain how cultural diversity affects communication styles.

17. Compare and contrast the four generations in the workplace.

18. Discuss the key principles related to verbal and nonverbal communication.

19. Use active listening skills.

20. Use word processing, spreadsheet, email, Web-based programs, and other technologies used in business to complete assignments.

Topics and Scope

I. Operating Efficiently

    A. Daily calendar or planner

    B. Time management techniques

    C. Project management skills

    D. Moving from dependent to interdependent to independent

II. Evolution of the Workplace

    A. Changes in organizational structures

    B. Critical issues affecting today's workers

    C. Employer expectations  

III. 21st Century Workplace Skills

    A. Historical background

         1. A Nation at Risk

         2. SCANS Workplace Knowledge (Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills)

    B. Soft skills versus technical skills

    C. Employer expectations

    D. Employee's roles and responsibilities

IV. Learning

    A. Types of learning styles

    B. Assessment of learning styles

    C. Techniques to increase learning

    D. Lifelong learning

V. Communication concepts

    A. Communication process model

    B. Communication and ethical choices

    C. Communication barriers

    D. Impact of technology on communication

VI. Teamwork

    A. Benefits of teams

    B. Stages of team development

    C. Organizing a team

    D. Effective team meetings

    E. Problem solving skills and critical thinking

VII. Digital and social media

    A. Media vs. face-to- face communication

    B. Selecting appropiate medium for message/audience

    C. Reputation management - personal and business

VIII. Speaking and presentations

    A. Step-by-step approach

    B. Panic vs. confidence

     C. Using visual aids

IX. Generations and diversity

    A. Traditionalists (veterans)

    B. Babyboomers

    C. Generation X (Gen X)

    D. Generation Y (Millenials, Generation Next, Net generation)

    E. Impact of four generations in workplace

X. Verbal and nonverbal communication

    A. Language defined

     B. Principles of verbal communication

    C. Nonverbal communication

    D. Language and technology

XI. Listening

    A. The listening process

    B. Listening principles

    C. Listening at school, work, and home

    D. Responding skills and styles

XII. Workplace relationships

    A. Elements of sustaining a positive relationship with co-workers and supervisor

    B. Elements of managing difficult relationships

    C. Steps to resolve conflict

Assignments:

1. Weekly readings of 25-40 pages from textbook, articles, other written materials, and Web resources

2. Maintain calendar or planner and 3 written reports evaluating time management skills

3. Written reports (7 to 10) of one to three pages in length on various topics

4. Textbook and other activities

5. Five to seven quizzes on textbook readings

6. Oral presentation

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 30 - 50%
Written homework, reports, reading summaries
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 10 - 20%
Homework problems, teamwork activities
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 10 - 15%
Class Performance, oral presentation
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 20%
Quizzes: multiple choice, true and false, matching, completion
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 10 - 20%
Participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Business & Professional Communication in a Digital Age. Waldeck, Jennifer and Kearney, Patricia and Plax, Tim. Cengage Learning. 2019

Print PDF