Week 7 - Preview

Monday - Review of Chapters

Wednesday - Review of Exams, Chapters, Online Profile Blog

Friday - Mini Lecture/Group Activity

Note: Students are to bring their Career Project folder with them during the next three weeks.

W6 - Lorenzo will be holding class Friday

Students,

Thank you for following the blog and keeping informed. I will be instructing the Business Communication course Friday 9/25/09.

Please read your journal notes from Wednesday to secure you are ready for class discussion. Also bring your journals - we may be doing a self evaluation on them (I know - to much fun - right?!).

The best to you,

Ms. Lorenzo

W6 - Review of Project and Next Step

Student Self Evaluation - Career Project

Purpose of individual exercise:

1. Relates to chapter 5 of the first section of text
2. Student recognizes the lack of depth of academic rigor given to project
3. Professor interprets that the grade received was based on a curve. And that the first introductory 5 weeks is over, and in the next 5 weeks students will now be graded on standards of performance.
4. Students review if they understand how to attach/measure an assignment.
5. Student/Faculty move forward with understanding of what is expected.

Notes:

• It is assumed that students who did not meet the assignment deadline will bring their work to class (as indicated earlier).
• Standard documentation practices must be adhered to; double space, headings, stapling
• Within the three week assignment period, only two students requested assistance.
• Category from syllabus - Assignments: Homework and Assignments 200 total possible points - This assignment is worth 75 points.
• Those that did not meet deadline will not have earned any points for this area of the continue course project whick builds to developing a resume and sumbiting it online.

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In your journal ( Day 15 - 9/23/09) Review and grade the returned project packet by:

1. Putting a yes or no beside each line item in the directive indicating if said item is in the packet. Identify where in the packet it is.
2. Identify how many hours you put into this project. Please do not count library hours is you did not use it as a resource. Think - did I follow the directive - did I put the required time and effort into this academic project?

• Library - estimated time 2 hours = 2 visits
• Data Collection - minimum 2 hours per week = three week assignment
• Drafts of narrative, career goals, time line, six key terms
• Draft of 4 minute presentation (power point)
• Final copy of documents - proofreading, editing, term usage, content design
• Final organization of data and narrative of findings
• Final print of PowerPoint and practicing of verbal presentation
• Presentation to the class

Actual Assignment Directive

Directive
1. Read this post in its entirety.
2. Put activity log in your calendar – Design a project time line (as displayed in class - refer to Day 5 notes).
3. Begin a folder for your findings – data will be used for other course assignments (note - your first week is data collection - but it is recommended that you take notes of your findings along the way).
4. Final Project A: Prepare a brief outline of your data findings
5. Final Project B: Prepare a narrative of your findings and career goal statement***To be placed within areas A&B of project: Collect six current key terms of your industry and job description*** Material will be provided within MS Word document
6. Final Project C: 4 minute verbal presentation of findings (will occur within two class periods)*** Students will provide (classroom) verbal reports throughout the three week project*** Power Points advised (one slide) - no music or special features unless your industry traditionally relates to employee base in visual form of communication method.

Required Activity

1. Classroom Assignment Introduction –
Day 4 – Monday 8/24/09 – Search Salary.com2.
Written Assignment Directive posted on line –
Day 5 Wednesday – 8/26/093. Library Research/Online Classroom posting –
Day 6 Friday 8/28/094.

HOMEWORK – Weekend between second and third course week.
5. Review – small group of findings to date –
Day 7 Monday 8/31/096. Library Research/Online Classroom posting –
Day 9 – Friday 9/04/097. Assignment Due date – Week Four, Day 10 Wednesday 9/09/09

W6 - Preview

Monday: Blog Mini Lecture and Video, Review of chapters 5 & 6.

Wednesday: Discussion topics from chapters 5&6. Exam review and project review.

Friday: Small Group activity related to chapters 5&6 and/or Career Project Research Dive.

Check In Topics

Online Requests
View CSUCBI blog and become a fan.
View my Twitter - see if you have missed any tweets.
Please be patient as I work out the glitch in posting comments on course blog.

Course Journal Directive (repeat)
Inside cover - put your full name and all course online information.
Put day and date at the top of every entry.
Write course lecture under the 'housekeeping' area.
Write in pen.
Write neatly.
Only course topic in Journal.
Put homework notes and group activity notes in journal.

Class Behavior
First let me say I'm very happy with our behaviour and relationship.
Do not visit other sites when Professor is directing the course.
Do not come in after 11:05 - you will not be allowed to enter.
Do bring documented support when asking for an excused absence.
Do participate in group activities.
READ - READ - READ your chapters.

Week Six; Intrapersonal Communication - Mini Lecture and Video

Intrapersonal Communication

Directive 1: View Video
(Video) http://bit.ly/4tE9kk

*Video source:http://www.darrenmonroe.com/wordpress/?p=3675

Note: Video and Lecture relate to chapter 6 in the first section of the text.

Directive 2: Read Mini Lecture

Intrapersonal communication is the act of having an internal dialogue with yourself; or in other words, self-talk! Some examples of this include: "Asking yourself what you want for dinner tonight"; or "Asking yourself if you should have or shouldn't have done something?"

Sometimes, you may even talk out loud to yourself! I'm sure you've found yourself asking a question in your head and then habitually answering the question out loud, as if someone else was standing right there. Go ahead and admit it.. you're not crazy by any means!
You are constantly having a conversation with yourself whether you're aware of it or not.
However, if you're not aware of how you're communicating with yourself, chances are, the conversation is negative, critical, and just plain ugly!

However, you have complete control over how your going to communicate to yourself; yet, the irony of this is, it often feels like someone else has control over your self-talk.

It's easy to believe that you cannot stop the negative words and thoughts. However, if you want to understand why you're feeling bad, open your eyes to the negative conversation you're having with yourself and you'll find the answer you are looking for!

Change your thoughts, change your words, and change the conversation you're having with yourself. Don't allow yourself to be downgraded, criticized, and judged by you. If you are doing this to yourself, imagine how you're allowing others to treat you.

"Compliments? What Me? I wouldn't dare allow such a thing. I don't want to look like someone who is conceded." There is nothing wrong with complimenting yourself, talking kindly to yourself, ignoring the negative thoughts, and humbly appreciating your uniqueness. There is nothing conceited about that at all; as a matter of fact, it's very inspiring!

Don't put it off any longer. Start ignoring your negative intrapersonal communication skills and begin focusing on your positive self-talk. So go ahead and talk to yourself, answer yourself, and definitely talk out loud, but whatever you do, avoid all negative self-talk as much as possible

Source: http://www.relationship-with-self.com/intrapersonalcommunication.html

W5 Preview

Monday - Journal/Blog/Twitter review

Wednesday- Exam

Friday - Exam

Notice:

1. Career project packets will be returned week 6
2. First five week grading to system will occur this weekend.
3. Students who missed the Career Packet deadline will be given directives in week 6 as to how/when to turn in packet.
4. Journals will be reviewed during Weds/Friday of this week.

W5 - First Grade Posting - Classroom Quiz

SELF DIRECTED - STUDY GUIDE


Note: Classroom quiz is to be completed to earn a passing grade for the first grade posting of the semester (9/19/09)

Directive:

• Students must comment to this post after reviewing content. Grade will not be earned without this step being completed. Comment post must read, 'I have reviewed this post prior to taking the classroom quiz."
  
• Professor reserves the right to hold the quiz either Weds or Friday (or both days) of the 5th week. If an excused absence is not agreed to prior to Monday of the fifth week, the student will receive a falling quiz grade.
  
• Bring sheets of lined paper to class for exam answers.
  
• This is a closed text/blog/google search/journal quiz.
  
• Students should have reviewed all of the learning tools identified in week 4 classroom.
  
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  Sample types of questions:

1. What is non verbal communication?
2. What is informal business communication?
3. What is formal business communication?
4. What is the course objective?
5. What is culture? What is the difference between the terms, co-culture and sub-culture?
6. Describe the business term diversity and its application.
7. What national business association was showcased during week one ice breaker? What is the associations purpose?
8. What service does salary.com provide?
9. What key message of the article "Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship" : posted to my twitter account?
10. What is the difference in strategy between business communication and academic communication?
11. List five different online communication services that are used in business. How are they applied?
12. Describe a model of two person communication with feedback.
13. Describe the benefits and method of knowing your audience(s).
14. Describe the proof -reading terms - planning/writing/revising.
15. Provide directive of how to design presentation slides.
16. What planning should be performed before writing or speaking?
17. What is the key message in the blog Mini Lecture, "The Old Way of Job Searching is Broken" ?
18. Provide two questions with their answer covering a course topic from any of the class learning tools: blog, class notes, text, homework, online research, twitter, directly related to the course topic that I have not asked.

Note: Detailed questions requested. Sampling does not mean that all these questions will be on the quiz or that the question(s) will be 100% written as it is on this post.

Week Five Preview as it relates to quiz:

1. Monday - Classroom study lab. Instructor reviews journals
2. Wednesday - Quiz???? Instructor reviews journals
3. Friday - Quiz???? Instructor reviews journals

Note: Quiz will be performed during normal classroom period, 11:05 -11:45 am. Quiz is submitted on the instructors desk at the end of the course - no leaving prior to the 11:45 am.

W5- In classroom Quiz (Monday/Tuesday)

W5 - Quiz

Students will be quizzed on these topics covered in weeks 1/2/3/4:

1. Text chapters 1/2/3/4
2. Career Assignment
3. Lectures (Blog/Class/Twitter)
4. Journals (Days 1/12)
5. Course Syllabus

Note: This will not be an open notes/text quiz.

How to make effective presentation

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

How to make effective presentation

View more presentations from Satyajeet Singh.

W4 - Mini Lecture - Friday, July 31, 2009 | Modified: Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Mini Lecture: The Old Way of Job Searching is Broken

Lecture: Related to Career Search Project and Resume Building

Directive:

1. Read this post and see if you are ready for the new process of job searching.

2. Be prepared to bring in your existing resume (week 5)

3. Think: Do I have someone in my corner who knows the way the game is played?

Career Moves
The old way of job searching is broken
Denver Business Journal - by Judith Briles

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What do General Motors, CitiGroup and AGI have in common? Their businesses are broken.
They did business the old way, failing to adapt and change in a rapidly morphing environment.
In Colorado, unemployment is near 7.6 percent. Who knows how high it will go? Or will it plateau and plummet? If you’re looking for work, or thinking about it, it’s time to re-think the process.
It’s not like the old days (last year), when you updated your resumé and networked like crazy, and hoped the phone would ring off the hook. If that’s the way you’re seeking work, go to the end of the line. That mode has gone the way of the Dodo bird, on its way to extinction.
So what works? According to Gordon Miller, senior partner with Dovetail Solutions in Denver, it all starts with taking a business-like approach to pursuing a job. Wishful thinking is out. It’s not all about who you know anymore. “It’s about value,” he says. “What value will you specifically bring to the company?”

In advising job-seekers, he says there are five key areas that will send you to the head of the line.
• Stop sending resumés. Everyone and their brother is wallpapering HR and anyone else they can think of with their resumés. It’s not that you shouldn’t have one — just don’t use it as your primary contact piece.
• Who do you want to work for? That’s the critical question. Forget about places that you’ve heard rumors are hiring or have open positions.
Stop and think. What are the three companies you want to work for? Or, what are the three industries you want to work in? Then ID the top three companies in your region (or nationally if you’re open to moving) you’d like to work for.
What do you love about them? The products? Services?
• Pretend you’re an investor. If you had $100,000 to invest in a company, what would you like to know about it before you write a check? How long it’s been in business, what products it makes, what’s the buzz in the business media, what’s its reputation in the community?
Miller says many of his clients are shocked by job-seekers’ lack of knowledge about their companies and what they do. “There’s no real in-depth understanding of the company, its culture or the product,” he says.
• Dig before you contact. It’s wise to expand your sphere — reach out to others who might know something about the company, its history and the industry. The most reliable information comes from those who are in the know — which rarely is someone in HR.
If you aren’t a member of LinkedIn, join. I get weekly requests from people I know, asking to connect them with others I know, who in turn, know someone they’re trying to reach.
• Write a value proposition letter. Resumés are out. Value is in. Let’s face it: The position you had in the past may no longer exist. Even the industry may be a thing of the past.
Your letter should go something like this: “Dear President/CEO: I’ve done in-depth research on your company and industry. With my skills, here are the three ways that I can specifically bring value to your company.”

Do you have an idea for a new process, strategic alliances, converting old technology or practices?

You send this gem to the decision-maker, not to a paper-pusher. It’s not about the past. It’s what value you bring to the table today and how your value will enhance the company.
Business as usual is broken. Dead. You, as the job-seeker, must start with a clean slate. Alive.

Judith Briles, a speaker and consultant about workplace issues and author of more than 20 books, can be reached at 303-627-9179 or judithbriles@aol.com.

W4 - 9/09/09 - 9/11/09

Classroom Activity

Monday - Holiday

Wednesday - Turn in homework - be ready to discuss paper for one to two minutes (see assignment directives.

Friday - Continue student presentations of findings, Review future homework

Note: Review course syllabus about late assignments. No exception will be allowed.

Homework Activities

Read Chapters 3&4

Learning Outcomes

1. Improve verbal presentations skills
2. Increase job search skills
3. Meet dealings
4. Reading retention awareness

NOTE: Be aware of your attendance - Students who have missed more than two days should be concerned about only having one more absence before their grade is lowered a letter grade.

W3 - Library Visit & Online Classroom 9/4/09

Hello Fellow Learners,

As assigned - today (9/4/09) students in Business Communication (11:00 am) are scheduled to visit the library and be online to collect research/data (activity associated with Career Search project - see W2 post within this blog).


Note: For those students who have appointments (Wesley 337) with Lorenzo today - please be on time and recognize that visits are limited to 20 minutes.