Beginning Term 4 - then end is nigh...

Hi All,

Well, I had a very hectic "term break" - spending 3/4 of it doing a 3500 word essay on learning styles!  Boy, I was glad to get that assessment sent off.

I was pleased to receive some work from this class - thank you to those that sent it in.  Even more pleasing - the quality of the work.  I am really impressed with the blog entries I read, the websites I viewed, the assessments I received.  Presentation was of a really high standard, the assessment topics were covered to satisfaction (and above) and I found it hard to give much feedback on how to improve, as they simply did not require improving.

But, on that note - feedback.

One thing we will be following up on when we get back to class, is feedback.  How to give and receive feedback is a skill that many people could do with improving on.  In the next class, I hope all will have their websites completed to a point where we can all view them.  We will then seek, receive and respond to feedback from other classmembers.  ON the flipside, we will feedback - hopefully in a way that is helpful, positive and productive.

Also, we will be doing a little revision test on the basics of communicating electronically.  I will email the questions out to everyone today, so you have time to revise and be 100% ready on Thursday.

Our last day covering Communicate Electronically and Organise Personal Work Priorities and Development.  After this, we move onto Electronic Presentations (Powerpoint).

See you on Thursday,

Donna

CHECKLIST FOR PROGRESS

Let's see where we are up to:

Communicate Electronically:

Assessment 1: Portfolio

Task 1: Know your email program.  This was done and observed in class.  All have completed this. 

Task 2: Email etiquette - This was in the form of a report.  All have completed this.

Task 3 : SPAM Report.  & Task 4: Email at Work questions.

*  Task 3 & 4 were to be done in a combined answer / report and emailed to the lecturer.

Task 5:  Online Collaboration  - to be displayed on your website

Task 6: Dangers of Social Networking - to be emailed to lecturer

Assessment 2: Project - Electronic Presentation.

In pairs - you are to create a webs.com web site which summarises and displays some "communicating elctronically" and "organising personal work priorities" topics.  Some of these we have covered in class, some will require research.

  

Topics to include on your website -

• Online Collaboration in the workplace
• Social networking dangers
• SPAM
• Twitter
• Blogging
• Facebook
• One Note
• Survey monkey
• Google calendar & Gmail
• Microsoft outlook
• Relevant Legislation (check out http://www.copyright.com.au/assets/documents/about-copyright/Copying%20and%20the%20Internet.pdf)
• & the original online work tool - EMAIL !! 

 - With each topic, discuss the how& why, and the good & bad points.
 - Use relevant links to websites, you tubes, documents. 
 - Interlink the pages and headings as necessary for easy mobility about the web site.
 - Use clear and simple headings.
 - Make it attractive, readable, enjoyable to the viewer.

Please email the web site address to your lecturer.

Please talk to the lecturer ASAP if you are having any problems with the workload or assessment requirements,

Feedback

Feedback - good or bad?

What is your feeling towards feedback?  Can you handle constrcutive criticism?

In a very politically correct society, we sometimes feel we should hold back form telling people what we can see they are getting or doing wrong in case it hiurts their feelings.  But is this beneficial to them in the long run?

I use as an example, the X-Factor / Talent shows that keep turning up on TV.  How we love watching people really "Bomb" as they think they are going to take the world by storm , and are genuinely surprised to hear that they are tone deaf and can't actually sing to save themselves!  How do they manage to get their own self perception so twisted so as to appear on national television and risk such public humiliation if they get it wrong.  Clearly, someone close to them should have come forawrd with some realistic feedback earlier on in their path to this point.  

Some are so set in believing themselves to be good, they disbelieve the judges and audience - announcing they will be famous anyhow!

Positive feedback is great - makes us feel all warm and fuzzy, gives our self esteem a boost, a sense of satisfaction... 

But for personal development and growth, we need to not only listen to and take note of negative feedback - we need to actively seek it !

However, when giving negative or constructive feedback - there are ways to do it that are better than others. 

Have you heard of the sandwich way of givng feedback?  This means literally "sandwiching" a negative in between two positives....

                           Positive
                           Negative
                           Positive

eg.  Your assignment was really well presented and your covered the first topic really well. 
        The second topic was too vague and needed more detail.
       Overall, a good effort!  I really  liked your reference list.

This can be a good techinque - so long as all the feedback (good & bad) is REAL!

When giving feedback, BE SPECIFIC.... let them know exactly what could be done to improve things, and emphasize the things that they have the power to change.

When recieving feedback ...

• see it as an opportunity for improvement and growth
• LISTEN carefully - take what they say seriously and look beyond their comments to see what else can be done to improve
• if they haven't been speciific - follow it up with questions. 
• ask for advice on HOW to improve
• demonstrate your committment to improving by getting it right / doing it better the next time. 
• thank them for their feedback

 If people can see room for improvemnt or are dissatcisfied with something, and they DON'T talk to you about it, then you are under a false assumption that all is good.  This may reduce your future successes, so you are the one losing out.

  So when someone asks you what you think - do them a favour and tell them!

 

Week 7 - Time Management & Microsoft Outlook

How well do you manage your time?

This week we will watch you tube video Darryl Cross -Time Management  as he gives us a quick overview of Stephen Covey's quadrant anaylsis of time.

Stephen Covey's book 7 habits of higly effective people is a remarkable tool that I recommned highly if you are interetsed in getting a different view on how to organise your life and your values.  Well worth a look if you have the interest.  I'd even put the reading of this book into the non-urgent / important quadrant (which is of course the one we should aim to be in the most!)

Let's then have a look at "thedesk" - "Tools" - "My 168" (you have to be logged in) - to see how you are spending your time.  Draw up your own quadrants and see if you can put your weekly activities into the relevant box.  Do the results surprise you?  Perhaps inspire you to make some changes?

********************************

Second part of class - we will be looking at Microsoft Outlook.  This is an email software program used by a lot of organisations, so its worth having a look at the features and tools it offers.  Including the calendar and appointments facility and task lists.  Try out some you tube videos that explain the tools of M. Outlook (the 2010 version). 

Using these tools, have a look at the case study question (OPWPPD Ass2, Q3).  Work out which tasks are needed to be done in this situation, and prioritise them using M. Outlook.

You can then print off a copy of the daily task sheet and submit this (electronically) to the lecturer (me) for marking.

To finish off this topic, (OPWPPD Ass1, Q6) do a report on M. Outlook ...

       You are required the research Microsoft Outlook so a decision can be made on how useful it would be in the workplace.  List all tools that could benefit an organisation and any negative aspects of using Microsoft Outlook.  Submit your findings in an appropriate format. 

The appropriate format in this instance is your blog !

Be sure to email me when completed, along with a link to the blog page, so I know it is ready for marking.

**************************************

Week 6 - Stressing out ?

This week, we are looking at stress and its effect on  - productivity, well being & you!

We are about half way through the term - how are you coping?  Having any physical or mental symptoms of stress?  Is this normal for you?  What do you think is happening?

A great website resource - www.thedesk.org.au   Have a look (you have to register), in particular check out the bits about recognising and managing stress and anxiety.  There are some great resources and tools on this site - including some quizzes.  Have a go at a couple and see what it can tell you.

While browsing "thedesk", take note on the points about stress - how to recognise it, how to deal with it etc.  Did you find any of this relevant and perhaps even helpful?

For OPWPPD, Assessment 1 - Task 4 - you are required to interview / survey friends / colleagues about stress.   Use the information you have gleaned from "thedesk" (and other websites or resources) to put together a questionnaire.  You are then going to put this questionnaire onto Survey Monkey, and send to your classmates and lecturer, asking them to complete it.  Please include on the survey, a set of questions designed for the receiver to give you some evaluative feedback about your survey!

(Using Survey Monkey is "Collaborating Online" so remember this when you are considering Comm Electronically, Assessment 1 - Task 5).

Collate your reponses, write a short report which summarises the topic (stress), the process, and the results.  Submit this to the lecturer electronically (with a fantastic covering email), and then post it (and some additional personal reflections) onto your blog.

Survey Monkey is a great online tool that has potential for many applications in business and study scenarios.  What do you think it could be useful for?

Week 5 - catch up

Hi hardworking students,

Due to popular demand, this week will be allocated to completing those tasks we have started over the last week or so but not had sufficient class time to fully develop and complete.

Tasks needing to be worked on:  

• Completing research & report on The Dangers of Social Networking
• Completing KPI Checklist for Assessments
• Updating blogs
• Updating calendar
• Checking and responding to email

If you manage to get upto date, look at the blog for week 6.  You can start your research on "Stress"  and develop your ideas for your survey.  Next week, we will put onto Survey Monkey.  In the meantime, look out for a Survey Monkey request from me... it will be in your email soon.  This is mainly so you will have an idea of how a Survey Monkey works - from a participants point of view.

Ciao.

CATCH UP:

Where are we up to?

By now, you will have made a start on several assessment components and perhaps not all of them are comlpeted.  Some are designed to run over a period of time.  let's see where we are at, and if you are up to date...

Communicate Electronically:
Assessment 1 (Portfolio)

• Task 1 Knowing your email program - All studentss have done this (to satisfactory level) in class.  
• Task 2 Email Etiquette - All students have done and submitted this to a satisfactory level.
• Task 3 SPAM - Started in class week 3.  Some students have submitted this report, some need to make small adjustments and resubmit, some have not submitted anything.  This should be completed and emailed to the lecturer.
• Task 4 Email at Work questions - Started in class week 3.  This should be completed and submitted electronically.
• Task  6 - Started in class Week 4.  Not yet expected to be complete.

• Task 5 - not yet started.

Assessment 2 - Team project - not yet started.


Organise Personal Work Priorities and Development:
Assessment 1 (Portfolio 1)

• Point 1 Table of due dates & committments - done in class Week 1
• Point 2 Priorities checklist - done in class Week 1

(*  Both Point 1 & 2 have been combined onto your Google Calendar - part of Assessment 2)  This is an ongoing process - you should be updating and adjusting as you go along.

• Point 3 KPI's - Started in Week $.  A list of Key Performance Indicators for your assessments should have been drawn up.  You will need to submit two "checked off" copies of this checklist as you use them when submitting assessments.
• All other points - not yet started.

I look forward to recieving all due assessment components.  If you are having any problems, email me!

Cheers,

Donna