Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education

PROGRAM EVALUATION PROFILE

*Refer to Specific Recommendations for Improvement

Standard
Met

PROGRAM EVALUATION SUMMARY

The overall goal of the Business Office Technology program is to prepare individuals for gainful employment upon completion of training for the administrative, legal, and customer service areas. Currently, the instructor serves 24 students (8 adults and 16 high school students).

Opportunities to develop and apply leadership, social, civic, and business-related skills are provided through Business Professionals of America (BPA), the CareerTech student organization for high school and adult business and information technology education (BITE) students.

The facilities available to the program are conducive to learning and support a lecture and laboratory environment. The instructor has adequate storage and office space, and the lab is spacious and aesthetically pleasing.

The El Reno campus has an active Business Professionals of America Chapter that frequently produces state and national competitors as well as state officers. The school is to be applauded for providing every student the opportunity to be involved with BPA by paying membership dues for everyone enrolled in the program.

The program is to be commended for providing Thursday staff meetings for students to discuss important workplace skills, allow students to voice any concerns or comments, and provide an opportunity to present awards and recognize achievements. This activity is a great real-world simulation.

The Business Office Technology program has a cooperative agreement with Redlands Community College that allows students to receive college credit while attending the technology center.

The opportunity for work-based learning is a strength of the program. The documentation forms are very thorough and provide employer feedback for both soft skills and technical skills. The criterion for participation is well defined for the students.

The instructor is to be commended for moving the program forward by utilizing the ICAT learning system, implementing clusters into her curriculum, and beginning the development of a comprehensive plan of study. The program plan is also very thorough and provides anticipated direction for the program through 2011.

SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

The instructor uses a paper/pencil safety test and LAP curriculum. The evaluation team recommends using safety curriculum that is enhanced with technology such as video or Internet-based delivery.

As a part of the cluster implementation, it is recommended that the program syllabus be converted to course syllabi that identify the specific competencies and assessments for each course in the career major being offered. Sample syllabi are available on the BITE learning management system - ICAT.

It is suggested that the excellent work-based opportunities be showcased in brochures and other promotional materials.

The instructor should continue to pursue opportunities that woudl allow alignment to occur between the partner high schools and the technology center. This partnership will be a key factor in the successful implementation of career clusters.

All instructional materials, such as the learning activity packets, should be put into an electronic environment where applicable. This allows the instructor to maximize time with students and minimize duplicating and distributing paper copies.

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATION: <type what you did here: >