4/25/2024 8:28:31 AM	BOT 59.5 Course Outline as of Fall 2000	New Course (First Version)
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  BOT 59.5	Title:  CREATING VIRTUAL OFFICE
Full Title:  Creating a Virtual Office
Last Reviewed:3/28/2011

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		14 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 or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

There has been an increase in interest in using technology to work from home--telecommuting. Individuals may choose to work outside of their corporate/business office or may be entrepreneurs who wish to be self-employed. This course will explore issues that should be addressed when creating a virtual office. Topics will include managing your time, customizing your workplace, evaluating and buying technology, communicating with technology, and business ethics.  The course is a requirement of the Business Office Technology Department's Virtual Assistant Certificate Program.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100.

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Explore telecommuting--using technology to work from home.  Topics covered: Managing your time, customizing your workplace, evaluating & buying technology, communicating with technology, and demonstrating business ethics.  Course is a requirement for the Virtual Assistant Certificate program.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100.
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
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:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2000	Inactive:	Fall 2014
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Certificate Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Students will:

1.  Examine the evolution of the virtual office

2.  Define terms that relate to telecommuting or virtual environments

3.  Assess the skills and work habits for a virtual environment

4.  Identify types of employment that lend themselves to virtual work

5.  List ways to manage personal and business life

6.  Design a virtual office for efficiency and comfort

7.  Evaluate technology needed for a virtual office

8.  Identify effective communication tools and techniques

9.  Discuss business ethics

Topics and Scope

1.  Evolution of the virtual office

   a.  Mainstreaming of technology

   b.  Types of virtual offices

       1)  Home offices

       2)  Telecommuting centers

       3)  Mobile offices

       4)  Hoteling

2.  Working for a business/corporation

   a.  Costs and benefits of telecommuting

   b.  Identify telecommuting tasks within the corporation

   c.  Common objections to telecommuting

   d.  Selling telecommuting to management

3.  Working for yourself

   a.  Researching business ideas

   b.  Home-based franchises

   c.  Creating a new business

4.  Assessing skills and work habits

   a.  Time management skills

   b.  Ability to deal with challenges

   c.  Dealing with distractions

   d.  Motivation

   e.  Balancing work and personal life

   f.  Psychological issues of working alone

5.  The emerging field of virtual assistants

   a.  Driving forces

   b.  Professional organizations

   c.  Samples of internet web sites

   d.  Articles and testimoniums

6.  Personal and business life

   a.  Creating structureserving and creating balance

   b.  Common distractions

   c.  Avoiding overworkt in a virtual office

   d.  Managing stresssical space

   e.  Techniques for preserving and creating balance

   f.  Time management

7.  Efficiency and comfort in a virtual office

   a.  Identifying physical space

   b.  Equipment placement

   c.  Organizing systems

   d.  Home office ergonomics

8.  Virtual office technologys

   a.  Computers and services

   b.  Printers and copiers

   c.  Fax machine

   d.  Multi-function systems

   e.  Telephone and services

   f.  Personal communicators

   g.  Renting or leasing technology

9.  Communication tools and techniques

   a.  Telephone techniques

   b.  Video conferencing

   c.  Cellular phones

   d.  Fax machines

   e.  Email

   f.  Groupware

10. Discuss business ethics

   a.  Ethical principles

   b.  Adopting a code of ethics

   c.  Exploration of ethical issues

   d.  Contractual obligations

   e.  Individual responsibility and accountability

Assignments:

Reading assignments from textbook, printed resource materials, and

 Internet Web sites

Research course topics on the Internet

Individual and group activities applying effective communication skills

Writing a variety of reports from one-page documents to research-based

 reports

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 - 70%
Written homework, Reading reports, Term papers, Projects
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 10 - 30%
Homework problems, Quizzes, Exams
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 10 - 20%
Class performances
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 5 - 10%
Multiple choice, True/false, Matching items, Completion
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 5 - 10%
Attendance and participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Bredin, Alice.  The Virtual Office Survival Handbook.  John Wiley &

 Sons, 1996.

Struck, Nancy.  Working Smarter From Home.  Crisp Publications, 1995.

Shaw, Lisa.  Telecommute:  Go to Work Without Leaving Home.  John Wiley

 & Sons, 1996.

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