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Trends in Business Education. Spiing 1981.California,State Dept. of Education, Sacramento.Department of Educatiofi, i4shington, D.C.8151p.California State Dept. of Education, 21 Capitol Mall,State Education Bldg., Sacraiento, CA 95814.

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MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS.Accounting; Bilingual Education; *Business Education;Business Education Teachers; Computer AssistedInstruction; Computer Oriented Programs; CooperativeEducation; Cooperative Programs; *Disabilities;Disadvantaged; *Distributive Education; *EducationalChange; *Educational Innovation; Fashion Industry;Futures (of Society); Individualized Instruction;Inplant Programs; Instructional Innovation; LegalAssistants; Office Occupations-Education;Postsecondary Education; Program Development; RealEstate; School Business Relationship; School Holding,-Power; Secondary Education; Secretaries; StudentRecruitment; Teacher Education; Two Year Colleges;Word Processing*California; Entrepreneurship; Small BusinessManagement

Written by California teachers and administratorsinvolved in distributive and office education at the secondary andcommunity college levels, these 24 articles present information onnew methods of instruction and uses of technology occurring in thebusiness world and in education. Topics covered include Centers forBusiness Teacher Education, new supplements to the CaliforniaBusiness Education Guide, industry and education cooperation,educational challenges of the 1980s, business education in the 1980sand the role of the California Business Education Association (CBEA),a systematic approach to business education program planning, anintegrated approach to word processing training, computer use inaccounting programs, implementing computer-assisted instruction fordisadvantaged business education students, teaching disadvantagedstudents, cooperative distributive occupations programs, thecommunity classroom concept, California business education and theyouth initiative, Comprehensive Employment and Training Actsecretarial program, instructional program for bilingual executivesecretaries, individualized instruction in typewriting forhandicapped students, CBEA Award of Excellence, student recruitmentand retention,' career opportunities for paralegals, CaliforniaAssociation of Distributive Educators, fashion merchandising programfor handicapped students, class in small business management, realestate programs, and entrepreneurship programs. (Insets containinformation reflecting trends from various news sources.) (YLB)

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U.S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION

ED ATIONA- RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

' This document has been reproduced asreceiveu ham the person or organitatiororiginating itMinor changes have been made to Improvereproduction quality

Points of .crow or opinions stated in this docu

ment do not necessarily represent official MEposition or policy

"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL IN MICROFICHE ONLYHAS BEEN GRANTED BY

TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (FRIC)"

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This publication, which was funded under the proyisions of the,a Education Amendments of 1978 (P.L. 94-482), was edited and

prepared for photo-offset production by the Bureau of Publications,California State Department of Education, and was pubii "hed by theDepartment, 721 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814. the activitywhich is the subject of this report was supported in whole or in partby the U.S. Department of Education. However, the opinionsexpressed herein do not necessarily, reflect the position or policy ofthe U.S. Department of Education, and no official endorsement bythe U.S. Department of Education should be inferred.

Printed by the Office of State Printing anddistributed under the provisions of the

Library Distribution Act

1981

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Preface

A trend is defined as a direction of movement, a prevailing tendency or inclination, a generalmovement, a current style or preference, or a line of development. Business teachers are change agents,and in 1981 they need to be aware of new methods of instruction and uses of technology occurring inthe business world as well as in education.

Trends in Business Education attempts to include a wide variety of information which will challengebusiness educators to implement changes.

This publication presents articles written by California teachers and administrators involved indistributive and office education at the secondary and community college levels. Information .thatreflects trends from a number of news sources is also included.

The spring, 1981, issue represents the coordinated effort of the State Department of Education'sbusiness education staff; Office of the Chancellor, California Community Colleges; and CaliforniaState UniverSity, Los Angeles.

DAVIS W. CAMPBELL BRENTON R. AIKINDeputy Superintendent for Programs Administrator

Vocational Education Support Services Section

SAM BARRETTState Director of Vocational Education

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GARY E. THOMPSONProgram Manai,:r. Business Education

Contents

Preface iiiCenters for Business Teacher Education 1 Gary E. Thompson 1

New Supplements to the California Business Education Guide (CBEG) / Stephanie Twomey 2Industry and Education: The Team of the Eighties / Janet F. Hunt 4Challenges of the Eighties / M. Catherine Welsh 6 '

1980s: Boom or Gloom for Business Education? / Jane M. Thompson 3

A Systematic Approach to Planning the Business Education Program/ Gerald A. Salzman 10Word Processing Training: An Integrated Approach / Don Busche 12The Use of Computers in the Accounting Program / Dorothy Lee Brown 15

, Implementing Computer-Assisted Instruction for Disadvantaged Business Education Students /,.- 'Bob Baker 17

Teaching the Disadvantaged: A Second Look / Joseph Herber 19Cooperative Distributive Occupations Programs: A Learning Partnership in the World of Business /E. R. Neely, Jr. 21

Community Clasiroom: An Asset to Education/ Jim Williams 23California Business Education and the Youth Initiative / Merle Wood 25CETA Secretarial Program/ Phyllis Laranjo and Peggy Hannawell 27

u Instructional Progr'am for Bilingual Executive Secretaries / Elizabeth J. Kepner 28Individualized Instruction in Typewriting for Handicapped-Students /Pearl Leland and Dorothy Cooper 30Recognition for Your Department: The California Business ,Education Association Award of Excel-lence / Richard S. Marlow 32Which R & R Are You Pursuing? / John Nowak 34 0

Paralegal: A New 'Career Goal far Business Students / Louise Hackett 36California Association of Distributive Educators (CADE) / Bob Hughes 38Fashion Merchandising Program for Handicapped Students / Mary Jane Hassman 39How to Become an Employer in One Semester / Pamela S. Mc Kenney 41-Real Estate Programs Flourish / Charles B. Mayfield 43Entrepreneurship: We Need More of It! / Charles ,Beall 44

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Centers for Business Teacher EducationGary E. Thompson, Program Manager, Business EducationCalifornia State Department of Education, Sacramento

in April of 1979, a group of California businesseducators was selected by the State Department orEducation as members of a business education athi-sory committee. This group had broad representation,including office and distributive education classroomteachers, teacher educators, school site and countyadministrators, students, and representatives frombusiness and industry.. Identifying the critical needs inbusiness education for the period 1979 through 1982and recommending strategies for meeting the needswere the committee's tasks.

Not surprisingly, the committee assigned the high-est priority to preparing and maintaining qualifiedbusiness education teachers. To accomplish this task,the committee recommended that a statewide networkof coordinated preservice and in-service educationalactivities be established.

On the basis of recommendations from the advi-sory committee and a steering committee of teachereducators, the State Department of Education and theChancellor's Office of the California Community Col-leges, in a joint effort, contracted with three state uni-versities to serve as Centers for Business TeacherEducation.'The primary purpose of these Centers is toprovide a program of preservice and in-service educa-tion for teacher candidates and practicing secondary(including ROP/ C and adult) and community collegepersonnel. As the three Centers become established,additional °activities, such as research, curriculumdevelopment, dissemination, and internship projectsmay be conducted.

These Centers for Business Teacher Education arelocated at California State University, Fresno (CSUF)to serve the central valley region of California; SanFrancisco State University (SFSU) to serve the coast-al region; and California State University,Los Angeles(CSULA), to serve the southern region. CaliforniaState University, Chico, will provide service to the farnorthern California counties as a satellite to theFresno Center.

Professional staff each Center for BusinessTeacher Education will include a coordinator, an

office education specialist, and a distributive educa-tion specialist, who'all will be responsible for deliver-ing profesional development programs to businesseducators in the region served by the respective Cen-ter. Coordinators of these centers are Dwayne Schramm,CSUF; Wilmer Maedke, CSULA; and William Win-nett, SFSU.

Each Center has an advisory committee comprisedof community college and secondary school businesseducation practitioners. This committee assists Centerstaff to identify needed in-service' training and relatedstrategies for delivering the activities. To ensure coor-dination with business education professional organi-zations, the California Business Education Association(CBEA) and the California Association of Distribu-tive Educators (CADE) have a major role in the advi-sory committee activities.

While most in-service activities are tailored by therespective Center for the region served, several state-wide activities are to be conducted. For example, theCSUF Center will condu.ct two statewide word pro-cessing conferences during 1980-81, The CSULA Cen-ter will conduct a statewide distributive educationconferenbe in addition to special projects for theDECA and FBLA student organizations. The SFSUCenter will conduct a statewide banking conferenceand special projects for the disadvantaged and handi-capped. of

These Centers for Business Teacher Education are anew concept in California business teacfier education.While the full impact of this effort will not be realized

for a number of years, immediate benefits will occurfor those who participate in Center activities.

I encourage each of you as business educators tobecome informed about the Center serving your geo-graphical region. Communicate your needs to theCenter staff and to the advisory committees ro thatgrass roots recommendations will be heard. If each ofyou becomes a user of Center services, this coopera-tive effort. will have a significant impact on theimprovement of business teacher education in Califor-nia in the years to come.

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New Supplements to the CaliforniaBusiness- Education Guide (CBEG)Stephanie Twomey, President, Planning Associates, Merced

Beween September, 1979, and September, 1980, Ihad the great pleasure of working with a number ofprofessionals throughout the state, including my col-league, Ira Nelken, President of Ira Nelken & Asso-ciates, in Chico, California. We spent one full yeardeveloping four new supplements to the CaliforniaBusiness Education Program Guide for Business andOffice Occupations (CBEG), published in 1973 by theCaliforniai State Department of Education. Theseincluded word processing, legal secretarial, banking/finance, and medical secretarial.

The project involved a four-phase process. Begin-ning with a literature search, we tried 'o identify anynew work that had been conducted since 1972 whichwould be helpful in the development of the fourguides. We also searched the Vocational Education

o Resources Information Center (VERIC) for existingguides to avoid duplicating what others had alreadypiiblished. We found that the research included in thefirst CMG was still valid, and few instructional mate-rials or curriculum guides existed to which we couldrefer.

The project's second phase involved task 2nalysis.studies with representatives of business and industrythroughout the state.

In phase three, individuals throughout the statewere identified who represented secondary, commu-nity college, ROP, and adult education programs andwho were willing to participate on task forces todevelop the guides.

In phase four the actual writing occurred. Materialdrawn from the transcripts of task.force meetings waswoven into four curriculuniguides. As the guides werecompleted, the review process began, and each guidewas sent to members of the appropriate task force fortheir suggestions and/or approval.

1 he introductory section to each vide reflects itsdevelopmental process. In this section the instructorwill find a summary of the literature used, a rationale,and current Department of Labor statistics on employ-ment. The banking/finance supplement contains acareer ladder, which may be helpful in illustrating tostudents where possible career paths might take themin the banking/ finance world. Each supplement is

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also organized according to the same format, whichwe hope will be particularly useful for instruction.

Each guide contains from nine to 16 modules. Eachone begins with a set of objectives and specifies a com-petency level per objective. Possible instructionalstrategies are suggested next, using ideas that origi-nated from the task force members and that theythemselves have used in their own teaching expe-rience. The third and fourth parts of each moduleinclude pretests and post-tests, which take various'forms. Some are paper-pencil tests, others are perfor-mance tests, and still others involve creative activitiesand teacher judgment. In every case there is at leastone pretest and one post-test per module, and some-times there is more than one. Finally, each modulecontains a section which describes additional mate-rial. To be all inclusive with respect to additionalmaterials was impossible, but the intent was to suggestto the instructor that many more resources are avail-able which are well worth investigation.

The guides tend to reflectdifferent styles of teaching, and yetthe material in all four guides can be

used in the same classroom, particularlyin interpersonal development.

Each guide contains a substantial number of dia-grams, and all material has been tested and found tobe instructi9nally useful. The banking/finance andlegal secretarial supplements contained so mutynate-rial which we wanted the instructors to have thata -rangements were made for some of it to be availablethrough the Business Education Data DisseminationSystem (BEDDS), which is a component of the Voca-tional and Occupational Information Center for Edu-cators (VOICE) offered by the Vocational EducationUnit, State Department of Education. In the BEDDS,

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the banking/finance instructor will find many morestrategies and co'mpeteney tests to ar:company themodules presented. in the guide. The legal secretarialinstructor will find a whole set of legal terminologylessons which are equally useful. These were devel-oped by Alice L. Hoist (retired) of Vintage HighSchool, Napa Unified School istrict, and she verygraciously allowed us to include these in, BEDDS.

The guides tend to reflect different tqles of teach-ing. The word processing supplement, for example,tends to be less traditional than the legal secretarialsupplement, and yet the material in all four guides canbe used in the same classroom, particularly in the areaof interpersonal development. .

Naturally, it is hoped that these guides will be use-ful for many years, just as the CBEG has worn wellsince 1973..Task force members identified what theythought were several trends in business educatioh, andthey made every effort to develop guides.which wereresponsive to them and, therefore, would be useful fora considerble length of time.

Increasingly sophisticated -technology will developin the four areas addressed by the guides. The com-mitment of even small businesses to word processingindicates where businesses are going technologically.Let it be stressed, however, that sophisticated technol-ogy is all for naught if students lack basic skills; That

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is why, for example, it is possible to present a curricu-lum guide in word processing which can even be usedin those schools that cannot afford expensive hard-ware. Students neefi the basic skills; then they mustnot be afraid to learn the new technology. The rest..willfollow.

State SAT StcoresTest Scores of California's college-bound

high school seniors declined again in 1980 butremained slightly above national averages,according to a recent report from the StateDepartment of Education.

On college entrance mathematics tests, Cali-fornia high school seniors averaged a score of472, down one point from last year, but still

'six points above the nationwide average.On the verbal, or language skills, portion of

the test, California students averaged 424,exactly the same as the national average butfour points lower than 1979 scores.

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Industry and Education: The Teamof thc.,EightiesJanet F. Htint, Office Methods Analyst, General Services DivisionStandard Oil Company of California, San Francisco

Both industry and education must accept responsi-bility for meeting the challenges of the eighties. One ofthe greatest challenges we face during this decade isthat of providing enough qualified candidates to fillthe ever-increasing number of typist/ word processor/secretarial positions.

As a former business education teacher, I am familiar witlfindustry's cry that "good secretaries are hardto find." Business educators have long been echoingthat comment with one of their own"good secretari-al students are hard to find."

The Department of Labor reports that, out of 300work classifications, more jobs are opening up in thesecretarial field than in any other. New positions arebeing created at the rate of 440,000_11er year in publicand private sectors.: About 20 percent of these newjobs are going unfilled because of .the lack of qualifiedcandidates. Statistics show that secretarial needs mayexceed the supply by as much as 250,000 by 1985.

What is industry doing to cope with this acutesecretarial shortage? Some companies have loweredtheir standards for employment but still cannot fill allvacant positions. As a result, production suffers, andtraining is necessary to bring people's skills up toacceptable productivity standards. Other companiesoffer additional in-house skills training for upgradingemployees spr have assumed the role of training agencyfor, federal or state training programs.

During my first year with Standard Oil Company, Iadministered spelling, punctuation, shorthand, andtyping tests to over 1,000 candidates who were apply-ing for typist/steno positions with our company.More than half of these applicants could not pass ourspelling test, and less than 50 percent of that grouppassed the punctuation test. In other words, onlythree out of ten applicants were able to demonstratebasic grammar skills. In 1980, testing activity hasalmost doubled, but the number of applicants whohave successfully passed our testing requirementsremains about the same.

To become an entry-level typist with our company,a person not only must possess basic English grammarskills but also must be able to recognize grammaticalerrors within correspondence and make appropriate

editing changes. In the office of the future, other -important attributes will be the ability to work as ateam member, flexibility, adaptability, and good organi-zational skills. The importance of good communica- cwtion skills cannot be overemphasized. These are allcritical skills for anyone seeking employment in thesecretarial field.

For 15 years, my business classes included time-consuming drills in spelling, proofreading, and wordusage, along with exercises to build typing and short-hand skills. However, from a realistic standpoint, anytraining undertaken by industry must be on a fastturn-around basis. Under these conditions, remediesfor major spelling and English grammar deficienciescannot be accomplished.

From my association with other industry represen-tatives, I know that Standard Oil's difficulty in locat-ing and hiring skilled secretaries is shared by manycorporations. Industry looks to high school, ROP,adult education, and community college business pro-grams to provide most of the people needed to fillvacant secretarial positions. Advanced typing, short-hand, and secretarial courses have been suffering de-clining enrcllinents over the past ten years. With thepassage of Noposition-13, -many of these small classofferings. were canceled. The impact of this loss oftraining has added to the already severe shortage ofhighly skilled secretaries entering the job market.

Since 1930, women' have outnumbered men in cleri-cal positions. Today, the profession is only one per-

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Some companies have loiveredtheir standards for employment but

still cannot fill all vacant positions. Asa result, production suffers, and training

is necessary to bring people's skills upto acceptable productivity standards.

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cent male' Because we are facing sudi a shortage ofqualified candidates, wages are being driven upwards.

.Increased salaries should entice more men to recon-sider the secretarial field as a desirable career. Some

\ *predictions indicate that the number of male secre-taries will 'increase 'by as much as 15 percent in the

. .' 1980s, .

During the early days of the Women's Movement,women were encouraged to move into predominantlymale professions rather than to pursue the role of thetraditional secretary, The slur cast on the secretarial

\ profession during that period must be removed. Theimage of the secretary must be altered to reflect thechanges that have occurred in the business world. The4dv,itt- of-electronimail and automated typing equip-ment and the use of desk-top computers will allowthe secretary to perform higher-level administrativeresponsibilities.

What steps need to be taken to prepare for futureshortages? Industry\must interact with schools to pro-vide up-to-date infortpUlion to students, teachers, andcounselors on advanced technology that will affectcurriculum and Career, choices. For example, as tech-nology drives the cost of equipment down, mostsecretaries will have automated equipment. A varietyof new training bejtond basic office skills will beneeded to prepare people to fuhction effectivily in theoffice of the futtire.

More career planning, must take place before a stu-dent reaches senior high school to enable good foun-dations iri the English language skills to be developed.

`Informing grade school students about the new role ofsecretaries in today's office can be accomplished witha team effort by industry and education.

In spite of the level of unemployment, secretarialpositions are reported to be one of the most secureprofessions in this current recession. Industry andeducation must accelerate their mutual efforts to meetthis critical employment need of the eighties. The chal-lenges are great, but the rewards are even greater!

Marketing TrendsMarketing jh the eighties is different from

that of the sixties 'or seventies. A generationago, many companies concentrated their effortson youth-oriented products. Innumerable stud-ies of the bodming teen-age market were made,and companies focused their efforts on appeal-ing to tl4 then affluent youth of the nation.

The post-World War II baby boom hasbecome a middle-aged population, and theeconomy, faced\ with uncertainties, is creatingnew trends. Current sales targets, to an increas-ing extent, are in the thirty to forty-four yearage bracket. The proportion of our popula-tion in this group will expand greatly duringthe balance of this decade, making it the sin-gle most important market.

Other factors affecting marketing in theeighties include the rapid proliferation of lion-family units and the feminist movement, whichis resulting in a tremendous increase in female-headed households. The attrition of tradi-tional households and family units can beexpected to make enormous inroads on so-called "conventional" sales" method's:

Marketing, too, will be affected by con-tinued concern regarding energy problems,environmental requirements, and inflationaryfactors. At the moment, no one knows whatthe impact and effects of the dawning com-puter age will be. E.gerts are predicting thatenormous changes in life-styles will resultfrom the implementation of specially designedcomputers for home and office use.

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Challenges of the EightiesM. Catherine Welsh, Home Economics Education Programs ManagerCalifornia State Department of Education, Sacramento,

What do forecasters predict about education in theeighties? What will our schools be doing, and how willthey be doing it?

Schools are apt to,try methods never before attempt-ed in an effort to recover ground lost during the sev-enties. Innovations will spread, and pressure forhigher standards will grow as educators seek to copewith changing times and sliding enrollments. Some ofthe prospects are:

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Training students in biofeedback techniques toassist them in making the maximum use of theirlearning skillsUsing the results of advanced medical research toenhance the brain functions and memories ofboth slow and rapid learnersSimulating real-life social situations in the class-room, such as marriage or work-place condi-tions, that will prepare students for life aftergraduationIncreasing use of computerized devices, teachinggames, and video technology to instruct studentsboth at home and at school

Education's one boom field in the eighties in an. otherwise slow growth decade will be schooling for

adults. Retirees and other adults will attend noncolle-giate training programs designed for self-improNement

..or job changes. The surge in adult students is based onan expected sharp in crease in demand for highly edu-cated workers. Needed will be such expertise as com-puter literacy, scientific and mathematical sophistication,and the capacity to adjust rapidly to changing technol-ogies. These characteristics are not found widelyamong older workers today.

Increasingly, this continuing education will be almostcompulsory in many fields, especially for profession-als and those subject to state licensing.

Public education will be asked to serve increasinglyspecialized groups of students, ranging from the men-tally and physically handicapped to migrant and bilin-gual students.

Another challenge for school officials will be thelikelihood of a severe teacher shortage by mid-decade.Enrollments in teacher training institutions have declinedsteadily; so, as teachers retire or quit, fewer new oneswill be available to replace them.

Public education will also be challenged by privateand proprietary schools, which are projected to growdramatically.

As a fringe benefit, some companies may offer topay tuition of employees' children at private schools.Still another prospect is schools run entirely by pri-sate corporations to train their employees. HaroldHodgkinson, former director of the National Institute

Electronic Yellow Pages"Read it and weep," says AT&T to the

newspaper industry, with the introduction ofits new electronic-yellow pages. A recent anal-ysis in VideoPrint newsletter predicts that thenew "pages," which can be updated constantlyand will carry both local and national adver-tising, will have a/major impact on the use ofclassified advertising in newspapers.

"This is the worst news for the newspaper

industry since the advent of radio 60 yearsago," says VideoPrint editor Alan Brigish. Heexpects that the electronic yellow pages, togetherwith other related electronic advertising, willcut into 25 percent or more of the print classi-fied ad market, now about $4.6 billion. WhileAT&T has not set a date for introuucing thenew system, industry sources expect it tomake headlines soon.

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of Education, predicts that, by 1984, some 300 majorcorporations will hale their on degree-granting unitsthat will' teach students not only technical skills butalso mathematics, writing, art appreciation, and history.

All of these changes will erode the alFeady shakyfinancial base of our local schools. Public disenchant-ment with schools and the resolt against high localtaxes will increase efforts to get Washington to paymore of the costs of public education.

Numerous trends are predicted. One suggestionthat some states may adopt is to abolish compulsoryeducation for some y outl, t-elow the age of sixteen andthus reduce Inancial pressure. Another forecast isthat tenure will be abolished.

Demands will continue for a boost in standards. Anational achievement testdesigned by the federalgovernment for use as a model by states in minimumcompetency. examinations- is predicted by many edu-cators.

After many years of experimentation and disap-pointment with new teaching methods, "back to ba-sics" will,continuc to be emphasized in many classrooms.There will be room for educational innovations, such

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as biofeedback and computers, but ' eachers and par-ents are going to take a slidu-me attitude beforeadopting them. .

Students an J parents will see some marked changesin traditional concepts of schooling. The all-purposeclassroom, for example, will r', longer be the majorlearning site in many scho Students will spendmore time in specialized resource centers and in com-puter terminal booths. Tutoring by sideotape instruc-tion will allow many students to finish course workwithout escr Leasing their lining rooms.

Despite leaner times ahead for schools in the eight-ies, there is hope for better instruction from the cradle

..to postretirement years.

Another challenge for schoolofficials will be the likelihood-of a,severe

teacher shortage by. mid-decade.

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1980s: Boom or Gloomfor Business Education?Jane M. Thompson, President, 1980-81, California Business Education Association,Solano Community College, Suisun City

The office of the future that was described in theearly seventies is 'here to stay. Micrographics, wordprocessing, and data processing are just some of thereasons that today's office and its jobs have changeddrastically. Management information systems are nowa way of life klarge offices as a means of coping withthe massive amounts of information that must bedealt with on a daily basis.

The demand for office workers is greater than ever,and the need for clerical help is critical. Personnelmanagers in data and word processing centers havebeen forced to advertise on radio and television in anattempt.to_fill vacancies in their areas. Yet, there is a 7percent unemployment rate in California!

Business education would appear to be riding thecrest of this wave of change, but the problems thatmanifested themselves in the seventies have not disap-peared. The passage of Proposition 13 drasticallychanged the method of funding for schools, and thecontrol of funds is moving ra_pi_W the local levelto Sacramento.

To reduce_costs in some secondary schools, somedistricts have reduced the number of classes a studentmay take from six to five. At the same time, through

The passage of Proposition 13has changed drastically the method

of funding for schools; also the controlof fund's' is moving rapidly fromthe local level to Sacramento.

legislation, greater emphasis has been placed on basicskills. These trends have resulted in students' havingless time for electives, such as business education.

The:steady decline in enrollment in recent years hasforced school systems to close some schools andreduce staff in others. Nonbusiness educators have

,. been transferred to business education departments;and, in most cases, no requirement has been made

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that these people be trained in business education sub-ject matter.

A constant problem in the 1980s will be funding.Cuts in both state and federal funding are on thehorizon and will be a source of concern for alleducators.

The following are ways that business educators canaddress these and other problems + will be encoun-tered in the eighties:1. We must face squarely problems at the local level

and make-every effort to remedy them. In addi-tion, we must be willing to make changes thatreflect the changing business community. On alocal basis, we can and should do the following:a. Talk with local administrators about requiring

staff members who have been transferred fromother departments to attend in-service work-shops of professional organizations, businesseducation departments of our colleges and uni-versities, publishers, and- elsewhere.

b. Hold regular conferences with administratorsand guidance people about business educationprograms and the need for students to takethese classes.

cam.- Review offerings in your business educationj department, at least on a yearly basis, to be sure

that the classes being offered are of most valueto the students. Because of tight funding, someprograms and classes will be cut.

d. Let administrators in charge know that you areinterested in the financial planning for yourschooli and attempt to get involved.

e. Lobby for your hobby! At all levels, studentsmust be made aware of the business educationprograms that do exist and of the value of theseprograms to the students.

f. Get involved professionally. Attend workshopsand conferences to keep current on businesstrends. ,

Become acquainted with local business personsand local legislators so that you have someoneto call upon when help is needed from outsidesources.

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2. We must maintain a strong professional organiza-tion to deal with the shift of control frf6m the locallevel to Sacramento and with other statewideproblems.

The California Business Education Associationis changing with the times. We no longer see ourmajor role as providing in-service training to busi-ness educators but instead as an aggressive organi-zation to represent all business educators-in the-state. Excellent meetings and state conferences irestill provided, but a tremendous amount of enerJyis expended in Sacramento and elsewhere, in thestate. For the past two years, we have monitoredlegislation, taking action when appropriate. Wehave volunteered and served on policy-Makingcommittees at the State Department of Education,the Chancellor's Office of the Community Col-leges, and elsewhere. We are being asked to repre-sent business educators throughout the state. Andour voice is being heard.How does CBEA plan to make this new decade a

boom for business education? The plan for CBEA thisyear includes at least the following activities:

a. CBEA representatives plan a visit to the StateBoard of Education to explain the importanceof business education at the secondary level.

b. A similar meeting is planned for members tovisit the Board of Governors of the CommunityColleges to make them aware of business edu-cation programs and courses.

c. CBEA will be involved legislatively, making asmany trips to Sacramento as necessary, to pro-vide input on bills that affect business and voca-tional education.

d. CBEA will continue to provide excellent meet-ings and conferences to update business educa-tors at every level.

e. The CBEA state president hill serve on a newlyformed Vocational Education Committee forthe Chancellor's Office.

f. CBEA will have a representative on the FieldReview Committee to make recommendationson the fiye-year plan to the State Department ofEducation and Community Colleges.CBEA will make recommendations to the fed-eral Department of Education on the reauthori-zation of the Vocational Education Act.

h. The Long Range Planning Committee of CBEAwill continue to make recommendations onfuture planning for business education and, spe-cifically, this year will recommend how CBEAcan be most effective legislatively.

i. CBEA will continue to work With business andindustry toward achieving mutual goals.

g.

j. CBEA will work with all other organizations inthe state for the improvement of business andvocational education.

The California Business Education Association isthe organization that represents all business educatorsin the state. In the 1980s, it is mandatory that we havea strong organization,_and we-need-the-sit-port of

-every- 161miticator. Together we can make theeighties the most outstanding decade in the history ofbusiness education in our state.

What Is a SchoolEnterprise?

A school enterprise is any program run by a,school in which,a group of students worktogether to produce useful goods or services.

School enterprises can offer many differentkinds of services. For example, some operaterestaurants, repair cars, or offer secretarialservices. Some school enterprises sell theirproducts for money; others do not. Some-times students are paid for working in schoolenterprises, sometimes not.

Galt High School, in Galt, California, hasstarted several school enterprises connected tothe vocational education program. Studentsare running a typing service, a clothing altera-tions business, and a greenhouse-manufactur-ing operation called Green Thumb.

This project began under the direction ofthe school's principal and a planning commit-tee made up of faculty and students. Theschool received a small planning grant from aprivate foundation to conduct a feasibilitystudy.

The planning committee met frequentlyover the course of a year and considered var-ious problems associated with operating aschool enterprise, such as how much studentsshould be paid and how to seek the coopera-tion and support of local business. The-eoth-mittee designed a corporate structure for GreenThumb afid developed plans for a greenhouse.Having demonstrated the feasibility of pro-ducing greenhouses, Galt students are nowconsidering how to establish Green Thumb asan ongoing enterprise.

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A Systematic Approachto Planning the Business Education ProgramGerald A. Salzman, Business Education ChairpersonDelano High School----

With Californiazs passage of Proposition 13, declin-ing enrollments at the local levels, and the passage ofthe Hart Bill, administrators began asking two ques-tions regarding the expansion, improvement, and/ormaintenance of office an,d distributive education pro-grams: (1) How much does or will the program cost?and (2) How many students are or will be involved inthe program?

We, as business educators, have continued to acceptthe challenges from the public and school administra-tors. During the sixties, business educators competedwith math and science departments for studentsbecause of` Sputnik. Since society favored everyone'sattending college, we quickly created typing and note-taking for the college bound and strong accountingprograms. In the early seventies we answered the cryfor personalized instruction by developing the Califor-nia Business Education Program Guide for Office andDistributive Occupations (CBEG), which served as abasis for developing an individualized teaching strat-egy to be used in the teaching and learning processes.Our programs grew and flourished because "collegefor everyone" became "attain a skill so that you canbecome employable."

In the eighties we face the challenges of high infla-_lion and the results of the passage of Proposition 13,both 'of which are having an effect on the educationalprocess and the public school system. Delano HighSchool, for example, had a reduction in force (RIF) of20 teachers for the 1980-81 school year; three of theseteachers were members of the Business EducationDepartment.

Another current challenge is the Hart Bill, an exam-ple of the cry from the public for "back to basics." Wenow have to analyze carefully all alternatives in plan-ning programs to provide the best possible educationfor our youth.

To help educators meet these new program plan-ning needs, the National Center for Research in Voca-tional Education, located at the Ohio State Universityin Columbus, published administrative modules fordeveloping a systematic approach to planning voca-tional programs. The approach used in Developing

`Local Plans for Vocational Education (1977) consistsof the following steps:

Analyze general educational goals and the com-munity planning base.Assess individual needs and interests.Assess manpower needs.Determine program and support service needs.Establish vocational goals and objectives.Consider program and support service alternatives.Select the best alternatives.Develop implementation plans.Evaluate programs and support services.

Although this model has not changed since itsdevelopmenti, we now haveto be concerned in greaterdetail with considering program alternatives andselecting the best ones because of the financial crisisin school systems.

In California, ycational education appears to bemore course-oriented than program-oriented. Wetend to think in terms of Shorthand I and ShorthandII rather than a secretarial program.

The Business Education Departrn.nt at DelanoHigh School changed this approach v., th the develop-ment of four programs from which students must takea series of courses: Typing and Related Occupations,Stenographic and Related Occupations, Computer

We now have to analyzecarefully all alternatives in planning

programs to provide .the bestpossible education for our youth.

and Console Operator Occupations, and AccountingOccupations. Within the realm of each program willbe a series of courses that lead to a certificate. Forexample, to obtain a certificate of proficiency as astenographer, a student would have to take the fol-lowing courses: General Business, which consists ofthe common core competencies; Typing I; Typing II;Shorthand I; and Senior Stenography, which consistsof advanced shorthand and office machines andprocedures.

Because of the financial crunch at Delano High,three of the business education teachers were releasedthrough a reduction in force whichieft_the-depart--ment-witMeiFd two - fifths teachers. The real ques-tion herame, "How can we continue to offer fourprograias under a limited budget and yet provide aquality education for our business students?" Throughan articulation plan worked out with the regionaloccupational center (ROC) in our school district, ourbusiness students now have the option of taking sevenprograms instead of the four that we were able to offer.In discussions with ROP leaders in our district, thefollowing steps were taken in developing a total in-structional program:

1. The business department chairperson met withROP leaders to assist in planning programsbased on community and individual needs.

2. Prospective ROP students were recruited throughthe business department.

3. In developing staffing patterns, credentialed busi-ness education teachers became instructors inthe ROP programs.

4. Meetings were held with instructors from boththe ROrand the high school business depart-

ment to develop a sequential curriculum; in addi-tion, high school business instructors_assistedinpla-rmin-ToT and equipment for theprograms.

5. In the implementation plan, the business educa-tion department of the high school has nowbecome the base for students to branch off intospecialty or advanced level ROP office and dis-tributive programs.

In California, vocational educationappears to be more course-oriented

than program-oriented.

The plan we developed with the ROP appears to beworking successfully for the 1980-81 school year. Oneof the reasons for this success might be that we pro-vided lea&rship to administrators in an area whefewe have expertise as teachers business 'and distribu-tive education.

16

A.

11

oral- Processingraining:An Integrated ApproachDon Busche, Coordinator, Office Education

A Saddleback College, Mission Viejo

The focus of the Office Administration Departmentat Saddleback College is-to provide individuals withexperiences that will assist them'in "earn;ng a living"and "living a life." As a result of needs assessments, astrong interaction with the local business community,and a commitment to serve, the office administrationfaculty realized the importance of teaching skills rele-vant to the automated systems and procedures used inthe modern office. These automated systems andprocedures, referred to as word processing, transformideas into the written word and distribute them to adesignated audience.

In early 1975, developments in word processingwere having a dramatic impact on the modern officenationally and, more importantly, on the rapidlygrowing business and industrial community within theSaddleback Community College District. In an attemptto address the need for trained word processing per-sonnel, a word processing program was started at Sad-dleback College. This early start consisted of leasingseveral pieces of equipment, which were blind, stand-alone systems that used internal storage or magneticcard media..

By the end of the first semester, the success of thetraining was evident. Students Were being placed(there were at least eight jobs for each trained stu-dent), and the supervisors and managers of the localword processing 'centers were offering their expertiseand assistance. Equipment, donated by the businesscommunity, consisted of a "wired" central dictationsystem that used cassette media and a "telephone" cen-tral dictation system that used the endless loop media.Both systems were installed and are now used, alongwith various brands of desk-top and portable dicta-

By the end of the firstsemester, the success of the

training was evi!ant. There were at leasteight jobs for path trained student.

12

tion/ transcription units, to develop machine dictationand transcription skills.

Skilled personnel from local word processing cen-ters freely offered relevant application exercises forinclusion in the training materials that were beingdeveloped. In addition to their contributions, theseindividuals willingly accepted an invitation to serve onan occupational advisory ..ommittee.

During the second year of tne program, SaddlebackCollege was awarded a federal grant for refining itsword processing training ,program. The grant moneyand matching district funds were used to upgrade theequipment to include a partial-page CRT displayinformation processor, an ink jet printer, and addi-tional blind, stand-alone word processing keyboards.Since each of these machines was capable of commu-nicating, the word processing program was broadenedto include telecommunications (the electronic distri-bution of documents). An additional full-time instruc-tor was hired to handle the increasing student demandfor the program.

The opening of the Saddleback College, NorthCampus, in 1979 allowed the college to broadenfurther the word processing program. A second fed-eral grant provided most of the funds needed to com-plete a telecommunications network between the twocampuses. The size of the satellite North Campus(approximately 6,000) allowed the staff to innovatefurther by combining the classroom instruction withclerical services for the institution.

This year a full-page distributed logic system wasadded to the instructional program. Also, an intern-ship program was started to address the needs of thosestudents who lack self-confidence or who wish torefine their skills further before entering the field.

The result of eqUipment acquisitions, curriculumrecommendations, and instructional material develop-ment was a one-year certificate program and a two-.year associate in arts degree program in word processing.These programs are shown in Figure 1.

The core courses are designed to develop thoseskills and knowledges necessary for employment inany secretarial-clerical position. Those students wish-ing to specialize in word processing are encouraged

17

during their first semester to enroll in the core coursesand in the Introduction to Word Processing course.Thus, the introductory class serves as a screeningcourse for the program.

Those students who complete the major courses inword processing are prepared to enter the word pro-cessing field as correspondence secretaries. By select-ing the Office Management, Supervising the WordProcessing Environment, Human Relations in Busi-ness, and the Model Office-Word Processing Intern-ship courses, an individual would have the backgroundand preparation needed for promotion to the positionof supervisor or manager of word processing operations.

Figure 1Word Processing Certificate Program

Requirements for the certificate program include 29 ,emes-ter u nits:

Core Courses

Business Comm%icationsFiling and Records ManagementOffice ProceduresIntermediate TypewritingAdvanced Typewriting

Major Courses

introduction to Word ProcessingText ProcessingDocument CreationMachine TranscriptionGeneral OfficeIntroduction to Computer and

Information Science

Word Processing Assbciate.Degree Program

An associate in arts degree requires wmpletion of thecertificate program, the general education requirementslisted in the catalog, and business sk.i _me clek.tie courses tototal at least 60 semester units.

Recommended business science electives include any of the

Oral Business TechniquesOffice ManagementAdvanced TypewritingOffice MachinesHuman Relations in BusinessOccupational Work ExperienceBusiness CorrespondenceSupervising the Word Processing Ens, ironmuntModel Office Word Processing Internship

4

Ark Individualized ProgramEach of the word processing courses is taught using

a classroomilerning center approach. Students spendone and one -h lIfhours a week in a traditional class"-room with an:pstructor and three scheduled hours aweek in a lab,ratory setting in the business learningcomplex.

The classrgom time is spent presenting word pro-cessing concerts, discussing logic relative to the typeof equipmeni-being used by the student, demonstrat-ing keyboarifing techniques, and answering specificquestions reklive to machine manipulation. The classes,which are q,..:Signed as open-entry/ open-exit courses,provide forAbll use of equipment and resources. En-rollment is'aimited to machine availability.

The stut-J,nts' laboratory time is spent in a simu-lated word 3rocessing training center that is staffed byan instrucCO and three full-time instructional assis-tants. A specific time period is reserved for each stu-dent enrolled in each of the courses. Students workingat their own pace complete a series of learning steps ina teacher-made student guide. Each of the learningsteps was designed to provide the student with a smallsegment of material that can be mastered within a-three-hour period. The learning steps present materialfrom the known to the unknown, each learning stepbuilding on the previous steps.

The word processing courses are divided into threeone-unit segments. Each unit of credit is earned oncethe student demonstrates mastery of five learningsteps and successfully completes a practical and acomprehensive written examination.

A Sequence of Course WorkIntroduction to Word Processing is a course designed

to provide the student with basic concepts common tothe word processing field, such as the origination, pro-duction, reproduction, and distribution of businessdocuments. Concepts of word, information process-ing machine logic are also presented. The laboratoryportion of this course provides for hands-on trainingon a word processing keyboard, various types ofreprographic equipment, an optical character reader,and a facsimile machine. The hands-on training expe-riences are aimed at providing the student an acquain-tanceship with the various pieces of equipment; theremaining courses build on these experiences.

Text-Processing and Document Creation are designedas operator training courses. The concepts presentedin each course build on those presented in the intro-ductory course. In addition to building employableskills on a blind, stand-alone keyboard, the conceptsand techniques of telecommunications are emphasized.

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The Text Processing course emphasizes those tech-niques and concepts common to computerized wordprocessing as well as the production of business docu-ments utilizing terminal-to-computer techniques.

The Document Creation course emphasizes the pro-duction of business documents utilizing terminal-to-terminal communication techniques. Training on pe-ripheral equipment, such as stand-alone printers andan optical character reader, is emphasized.

Information Processing is also an operator trainingcourse. This course is aimed at developing both textand records processing skills. The major emphasis ofthis course is on the development of those skillsinvolving the sorting and selecting of informationfrom a common data base. Students are introduced toterminal-to-system and system -to- system communica-

- tions by communicating between the Main Campus

and the North Campus and between the college andlocal businesses.

Conclusion

A concerned business community, a supportiveadministration, a dedicated faculty, and an interestedstudent body have brought the "office of the future"to Saddleback College today. The information pre-sented in this article describes file Saddleback Collegeword processing program as it now exists. However,the only thing certain about the office of the future ischange, and the Office Administration Departmentprides itseif on its refusal to be bound by tradition andits willingness to respond to any demonstrated needwithin the community college district. This programwill, undoubtedly, remain in a constant state ofchange.

New Magnet High School for Business EducationThe Los Angeles business community has

been vitally involved in planning the city's firstmagnet school, the Downtown High Schoolfor Business, Financing, and Merchandising,scheduled to open in the spring of 1981. Onehundred and fifty local employers have alreadycontributed over $1 million in manpower,funds, and resources. The Pacific TelephoneCompany loaned the services of Dolores Diehl,a public relations manager in the educationdepartment, to supervise the project for twoyears. .

The school will eventually _serve 2,500 stu-dents in the greater Los Angeles area. TheIndustry Education Council of California (anonprofit collaborative organization with rep-resentatives from business, labor, government,and schools) was instrumental in involvinglarge segments of the business community atthe early stages of planning. This participationvirtually ensures this organization's continuedinvolvement in curriculum and job develop-ment. Business participation is essential inguaranteeing the key features of a successful

magnet school: up-to-date curriculum andequipment, student jobs and internships, pro-fessional speakers, and worksite tours.

A daily flow of business advisers to theschool and students into the work world willoccur. Community consultants from all levelsWind types of businesses will visit classrooms todiscuss their careers and educational back-grounds. Students will spend approximately25 percent of their time in real work settings.Los Angeles business, labor, and governmentwill provide over 100,000 "on location" learn-ing hours for students each Year.

In 1978 the parents of 25,000 students werepolled about the type of magnet school theypreferred; their overwhelming preference wasfor a business school. Local employers andschool officials have directed the business pro-gram toward careers in banks, stock broker-ages, merchandising, hotels, food services, andother urban industries. Graduation require-ments will include business communications,mathematics, fluency in Spanish, and typingproficiency.

,

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19

The Use of Computersin the Accounting ProgramDorothy Lee Brown, Thomas Downey High School, Modesto

--r

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,clerical occupations (bank tellers, bookkeepers, cash-iers, secretaries, and typists) will be the largest andfastestgrowing group of white collar jc bs during the1980s. There will be 4.8 million new jobs created inthis area b, 1990. New developments in computerswill have a profound effect on these classifications.

Computers are so universally accepted in businesstoday that the accounting classroom is the logicalplace to introduce students to computers so they canapply accounting thedry to this efficient accountingtool. Traditional accounting theory is still valid; butwith the heavy infiltration of the minicomputers andmicrocomputers into accounting, dramatic changeswill continue to occur in the method of entry andretrieval of accounting information.

My accounting advisory committee has activelyfunctioned for many years modifying and updatingour accounting program. It found that employeesheavily indoctrinated hi manual accounting have diffi-culty adjusting to the new, nonmanual, computer-oriented technology. As a result of the committee'srecommendation, physical use of computers Was beenadded to our accounting classroom. We now havefour microcomputers, two printing terminals, one tele-type, and three CRTs. The printing terminals, tele-type, and CRTs are connected to remote computers inthe area by telephone.

I use a dual instructional approach to combineeffectively accounting theory and computer applica-tion. The first-year students begin by completing man-ual accounting cycles, using original business documentsthrough the trial, balance. Having completed the man-ual cycles, they then go to computers or terminals;and, using the same source documents, they input theinformation into the computers. Debit amounts areentered as pluses, and credit amounts are entered asminuses. Upon completion of data entry, the studentsare amazed when they see how effortlessly and effi-ciently the computer produces a trial balance from theinformation they have just entered. The studentsreally become fascinated when they see what the com-puter can do and begin to realize its performancepotential.

A

Since we do not have enough computers and termi-nals, some of the students enter their accounting infor-mation on simulated computers., All students arerotated to ensure that they each have an opportunityto work on microcomputers and terminals. The stu-dents enjoy the dual instructional approach, becauseit seems to dramatically reinforce their understandingof accounting theory, and it gives them confidencethrough their hands-on experience.

Various formats exist for computer processing ofaccounting data. In the business world, .nany short-cuts reduce data processing costs; but from an educa-tional point of view, emphasis must be placed on thetotal accounting concept rather than shortcuts. Sincethe programs determine the method of data entry,programoplanning must include consideration for edu-cational concepts.

In the second year of instruction, we batch sourcedocuments, using transmittal tapes with account codenumbers. This method is the simplest for enteringdata. After all of the transaction data have beenentered, the trial balance and interim statements aregenerated automatically. My programs arc written sothe income statements, as produced by the computer,

Those trained in manualaccounting have difficulty

adjusting to the ne:z nonmanualcomputer technology.

a

include line-item percent ratios based on sales. Sincemanual applications do not include line-item ratios,students are greatly impressed because the computergenerated this important information without addi-tional effort on their part. A report of overdueaccounts receivable is prepared by the students intheir manual application; however, it is prepared auto-matically for them in the computer application. Thestudents find this fascinating and become enthusiasticover the computer accounting concept.

2015

Every effort is made to make the students' trainingas realistic as possible. Typical on-the-job interrup-tions, such as requests' for customer's credit status,sales reports, inventory items, and so forth, are gener-ated while the students are working on the computers.

Major emphasis, during the total instructional pro-, gram, is placed on student attitudes toward others,

work attitudes, work habits, and the ability to followverbal instructions. During the instructional program,students are frequently checked on and instructed.regarding these important employment personalitytraits.

A typical example of the sequential operations astudent will perform during a time-share operation onan LA 36 printing computer terminal with a ten-keypad working in basic language is as follows:'

I. Connect the modem to power source.2. Connect computer to power source.3. Turn on modem.4. Turn on all three terminal levers (power, line,

and baud).5. Dial computer console telephone number.6. Place the telephone receiver in the modem cra-

dle, after verifying the availability of a line.7. Index code on the terminal to gain access to

storage in the computer.8. Index the identifying information that will call

the program out of memory, which also con-tains account balances. The computer will, atthis point, print out the current date and timeand will then begin asking questions relevant tothe information needed for entry.

9. Index the account number to be debited anddepress the "return" key. The computer willprint the account title. ,

10. Verify the accuracy of the title, then enter theamount and depress the "return" key.

1 I. Index the account number to be credited anddepress the "return" key. The computer willprint the account title.

12. Verify the accuracy of the account title, enterthe amount, depress the minus key, and thendepress the "return" key.

13. Depress the "0" key, after completion of trans-action data input, and then the "return" key.The computer will print out financial state-ments, based on beginning balances and entereddata.

14. Type "bye" and depress the "return"key to ter-minate the operation. The computer will printthe completion time.

'Dorothy Lee Brown. "The Integration of Computers into the Account-ing Class.",Business Education Forum. Vol. 34. n. 6 (March. 1980). 16-18.

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Though not provided for in the above sequence,accounts receivable and accounts payable are used inother applications.

This sequence may appear difficult. Students, how-ever, demonstrate great interest and intensity in theperformance of these operations. They are very proudof their accomplishments when they finish their appli-cations.

The following is a typical procedure a studentwould execute using an electronic printing calculatorsimulating a computer operation:2

I. Batch sort source documents and prepare trans-mittal tape for each batch.

2. Code batch transmittal tapes with accountnumbers or prepare a transmittal statement.

3. Clear the registers.4. Index the time-share program code and date.

Depress the nonadd key, which would take theplace cf a "return" key on a terminal.

5. Enter the account_number to be debited anddepress the nonadd key.

6. Enter the amount to be debited and depress theplus key.

7. Enter the account number to be credited anddepress the nonadd key.

8. Enter the amount to be credited and depressthe minus key.

9. Continue the sequence until all relevant datahave been entered.

10. Total the register after entering all of the Lata.If a zero is printed, all data, in theory, havebeen entered.

11. Place the completed tape in a transmittalfolder, which a supervisor checks for accuracy.

12. Have the supervisor then place a copy of a typi-cal computer printout in the student's transmit-tal folder, which is returned to the student.

While working on computer time-share concepts,the students get so involved that, even when they areworking on a simulator, they try to finish their opera-tions as rapidly as possible so that they can sign off inorder to minimize opciating costs.

Using computers in the accounting classroom hasbenefited our program. This is evidenced by the excel-lent performance record of our former students ontheir jobs. Employers seek our students for part- andfull-time employment. They find that not only are ourstudents productive on the job but also they show anunusual ability to get along with their fellow employeesand the customers. The computer instructional approachand our emphasis on positive work attitudes make ourprogram a success.

=Brown. 16-18.

21 ,,,

Implementing Computer-Assiited Instructionfor Disadvantaged Business Education StudentsBob Baker, Marconi Technical Center, Sacramento

Since business educators are now aware of the needfor computer instruction in the classroom, computersare now located in many business education depart-ments and are used either to train students in businessapplications, such as general ledger accounting, or toprovide tutoring and drill in the basic skills needed bybusiness education students.

Tutoring and drill in basic skills-given by the com-puter provide an excellent method of training disad-vantaged students. The one-to-one instruction givenby the computer reinforces student progress withimmediate feedback to student responses. Studentswho often feel threatened or intimidated by tradi-tional teaching methods many times feel comfortableworking with computer-assisted instruction (CAI).

Three Important IngredientsSuccessful CAI requires three ingredients: (I) the

teacher responsible for the computer instruction; (2)the computer programs; and (3) the computer itse'f. Ifeither of the first two ingredients is missing, the CAIprogram for disadvan; bed students is going to fail,and the computer will become an expensive dustcollector.

The Teacher

The most important ingredient for successful use ofCAI is the individual who will be in charge of thecomputer and its programs. This person ne..ds to bededicated to making the program work. Today's com-puters are reliable and easy to operate, but problemsstill occur. Having at least one individual completelyfamiliar with the computer and its programs is neces-sary so that other teachers and students may receivequick solutions to problems they encounter.

The ProgramsComputer programs make the computer function.

If you wish to develop a computerized reading pro-gram, you need computer programs that provide read-ing instruction. Unless you have several. years ofcomputer training, it a mistake to think you willimmediately write effective CAI programs. In evaluat-ing Lhe computer programs, you must actually run the

programs on the computers you are considering pur-chasing. Do not be misled by fancy advertising. Manyprograms that are advertised as exceptional trainingprograms are useless in the actt.al classroom. If some-one cannot demonstrate a program that you are inter-ested in, then it probably does not exist.

The ComputerThe computer is the heart of the CAI system. Five __

years ago CAI- could -be ji-e-iformed only on a compu-ter costing tens of thousands of dollars. Today, desk-size microcomputers that perform CAI are availablefor under $3,000.

Computers Are InThe rate of growth has surpassed all expec-

tations. In 1974, about 162,000 computerswere in 'operation in the United States. Lastyear, that number grew more than fivefold to903,800. By 1983, that figure will more thanquadruple to nearly 3.7 million. The compu-ters of today are more than one hundred timessmaller than models of similar power a decadeago, and their compactness enables computersto fit into more parts of the workplace.

What was used to process only numbers justa few years ago is now handling everythingfrom electronic mail to environmental mainte-nance. The newest generation of business com-puters has merged data processing with wordprocessing to create information processing,the office buzzword for this decade of thecomputer. Within three years, desk-sized com-puters are predicted to have the power andcapability of models that used to fill a twelve-by-twenty-foot room.

2217

Selecting the Teacher in ChargeThe teacher in charge needs to be dedicated to the

success of the program. The first semester of opera-tion may require as much as ten to twenty hours ofwor/ each week to start the CAI program operatingsmoothly. Once the program procedures becomeestablished, only five .) ten hours each week shouldbe required to maintain the operation of the program.The teacher will use most of this timeto learn to runthe computer and its programs as well as to estab-lish the procedures of operation for other teachers inthe school so that they, without excessive time loss,may effectively use the computer to train their stu-dents.

Selecting the ProgramsThe many schools that now use computers provide

,. an excellent source for determining the effectivenessof various training modules or programs. You shouldvisit these schools and observe students operating thecomputers. Talk to the students and teachers aboutthe effectiveness of their programs, and operate eachcomputer program yourself. You may wish to visityour local computer store and have a demonstrationof educational programs that operate on various com-p uters.

Several excellent publications are now available- describing computers and computer programs. One of

the better ones is Creative Computing. The, Sep-tember, 1980, issue has over ten articles describingCAI programs. Other publications include Microcom-puting and Recreational Computing. Ordering infor-mation and other specific publications are available atlocal computer stores.

Selecting the ComputerThe programs selected for classroom use will usu-

ally determine the kin.: nf computer to be purchased.If, however, two computers have similar programsand are comparably priced, then the first considera-tion should be the availability of maintenance in casemechanical difficulties arise. Other considerationsinclude ease of operation; reliability; portability, if thecomputer will be moved from classroom to classroom;and the cost to increase the performance capabilitiesof the computer.

If the final purchase decision is based on price, con-sidering the ultimate cost of the system, not just thelowest price for the smallest system configuration, is

a

18

important. Often schools start with only a keyboard,cassette, and video screen and later add disk drives,additional memory, and a printer. A computer with-out additional components may be less expensive inthe initial purchase; but by the time this equipment isadded, a fully equipped computer may be less expen-sive to purchase. If financially feasible, include at leastone disk drive, 32k of memory, and a printer in theinitial purchase. This equipment will provide you withthe ability to run most good CAI programs that areavailable today.

Funding the ComputerThe computer is an excelleTit tool for individualized

instruction. Since disadvantaged students often needthis kind of instruction, it logically follows tnat thecomputer will be useful for them. In the Sacramentoarea, the San Juan Unified School District, Sacra-mento City Unified School District, and WashingtonUnified School District have been successful in fund-ing CAI programs in business education from fundsfor the disadvantaged. For additional informationabout this funding, contact the respective directors ofbusiness or vocational education from the previouslymentioned school districts.

SummaryCompeers can no Ai provide individualized instruc-

tion to students at a reasonable price. Before the com-puter can be used in the classroom, it is necessary tohave computer programs that meet the educationalneeds of the students. These programs should befound before a decision is made regarding which com-puter will be purchased. One teacher who is dedicatedto the success of CAI needs to accept the responsibil-ity for this program. With this individual, good cqm-puter programs, and a reliable easy-to-operate computer,CAI may be successfully implemented for disadvan-taged business education students.

Students who feel threatenedor i :itimidated by traditional teachingmethods may feel more comfortable

working with computer-assistedinstruction (CAI).

23

I

C

.Teaching the Disadvantaged:A. Second LookJoseph Herber (Retired) sWatsonville High School

As a business educa:or, what are you doing for thedisadvantaged students in your department?

I had my first experiehre with these students when Itransferred to Watsonville High School is 1962.lip tothen my only concern was to teach whoever walkedthrough the doors of my classes, without any specialregard to Jne's ability or potential. That new job 18years ago came with a stipulation that I devise newclasses specifically, for the slow-learning, disadvan-taged youngsters.

Theie persons need to participate in an atmospherewhere they can attain competencies for,job goals with-out suffering defeat in more demanding surroundings.Our department set up a course of study apart from-the mainstream business subject matter, and wenamed it the practical business education curriculum.Subjects consisted of Practical Typing 1-2, 3-4; Record-keeping 1-2; and Consumer Math. Students wereplaced in these classes according to their math and/orlanguage scores as well as with recommendationsfrom their counselors. As expected, the most populardass has been Practical Typing. Some courses havebeen added and some dropped since 1962; but, basi-cally, the concept remained.

Now, 18 years later, following a second look, myconvictions of the sixties are solidly reinforced andbasically unchanged.

The disadvantaged dropout-prone youngster needsour help. I am still convinced that these students, usu-ally lacking in math and language skills, should betaught in a homogeneous setting. For 18 years wehave done this in Watsonville and have found thatthese students often will enroll for two years of Practi-cal Typing 1-2, 3-4. What is more, if they began in thePractical Typing program as a sophomore and acquiredadequate skills, they can sign up for a regular, ormainstream, Typing 3-4 class as a senior. Many of ourdisadvantaged take this route to become familiar withall aspects of typing skills needed in ' typical officesituation, because the regular. Typing 3-4 class leads tomore advanced training.

Disadvantaged students learn best if they are givendoses of short lessons each day, with a generous por-tion of time devoted to practicing-the new skills pre-

sented daily by the instructor. Learning the keyboardtakes approximately IS percent more time than forthe regular typist. My methodology in beginning typ-ing now boils down to a simple refinement of teachingtechniques. My approach has been basically the samefor beginners; i.e., change of pace drills, short timings,oral dictation, speed/accuracy building drills, and theuse of cassette tapes. My style involves labels, such as

Successful teachers praisetheir disadvantaged students

often. Student success depends upona foundation of positive attitudes.

giant typewriter drills, space bar drills, and nongradedwork samples collected from the class at least twice aweek in the learning process..These methods tend toweed out strikeovers and encourage students to followdirections. I always hand these samples back to theclass the next" day with comments in colored pen orpencil.

Encouragement at this period of learning the key-board is vital. No grading is done for at least sixweeks. If the administration needs a progress report atthe sixth week, the necessary "plus" or "minus" fromthe previously mentioned work samples can be used.

Begin-ling students, after learning the keyboard,readily progress to centering, business letters, and thenot-too-complicated manuscript typing. Most of thefirst-year typists average about 37 gross words perminute, with approximately six errors for a five-minute writing (s.i. of 1.4) at the end of the year.

During the second year of Practical 'Typing, theemphasis is upon production of letters and tabulationreports after the first quarter when the main thrust isspent rebuilding skills which have become a bit rustyduring the summer months. Approximately 70 per-cent of the final quarter ?Practical Typing 3-4) isdevoted to a publisher's practice set which closelyrelates to a simulated office situation.

19

Successful teachers praise their disadvantaged stu-dents often. (Do nut be afraid to tell them you likethem.) Success depends upon a foundation of positiveattitudes. Make lessons enjoyable and rewarding, andencourage students to their full potential. Train goodstudents to be your aides for the f011owing year. Makecertain their duties are clearly defined and that theyhave been trained for the tasks they will be expectedto do. These methods are especially good for reachingLES and NES students. .

.

The Hart Bill (AB 3408), which was amended byAB 65 (Greene), fits into the area of assisting theseyoungsters. Business educators now have a real incen-tive to help ttjs group improve their communicativeand math skills. For example, Medd Wood, from theOakland Unified' School District, discovered at least59 graduation proficiencies (out of 76 stated ones)were being taught by his business education team.

Develop, if you have not yet done so, programswhich include the disadvardaged. These young people

can be trained for entry -level clerical positions, espe-cially for general office clerk. Plan to administer thenew California competency tests when they becomeavailable. Search for vocational education funds fordisadvantaged youngsters. Subpart 2 and 3 .-unds forthe disadvantaged and for the handicapped may pro-side many additional opportunities for developingprograms. Brainstorm a plan to promote seminarsand conferences specifically to aid these "drop-out-prone" youth.

If we do not choose to educate and to have compas-sion for the unfortunate, slow-learning, disadvan-taged students, we are opening Pandora's box to otheragencizs and institutions that will not hesitate to stepinto the vacuum caused by our lethargy. As a businesseducator, which of the following groups fits your de-scription more often than not?

Those who make things happenThose who watch things happenThose who wonder what happened

b 6

California High School Equivalency ProgramInterest in the General Education Develop-

ment (GED) test and the California HighSchool Equivalency program has increasedgreatly during the last few years.

During the 1979-80 school year, over 18,000persons across the state took the GED. Over9,000 applied for the High School Equiva-lency Certificate, available to persons whopass the GED. This certificate, issued by theState Board of Education, is traditionallyrecognized on a national scale as equivalent toa high school diploma. .

The GED test is administered at about 250official testing centers in California. Most arelocated at adult schools. Others are found inhigh schools, county offices 1of education,community colleges, and so forth. The GED-Unit in the State Department of Educationworks with the GtD Testing Service in Wash-ingtcn, D.C. to provide leadership to districtsand testing centers in matters"of staff develop-ment for test administrators, GED prepara-tion curriculum testing procedures, counselingopportunities, exam Security, and so forth.

20

25

3Cooperative. Distributive OcOupatrons Programs:A Learning Paitnership in the World of. BusinessE. R: "Skip" Neely; Jr., InstructorNorth Orange County Regional Occupational Program, -Anaheim'

The North Orange County Regional OccupationalProgram (NOCROP) developed its first CooperativeVocational Education ,(CVE) program in distributiveoccupations during the summer of 1980. It Can for tenweeks, from June 16 through August 22. The successof this summer vocational training program encour-aged NOCROP to offer its students a wide range ofadditional CVE programs.

Control Class Presentations

Review of the student's on-site training progress ismade as part of each weekly three-hour control class.This evaluation is accomplished by verbal reports,written reviews, and weekly updating of each stu-dent's individualizezi training plan (1TP), which isstructured so that the employer can use it to identifyon-the-job training tasks and so that the student,while itt the program, can maintain a weekly record ofhis .or' her training progress'

Other area of control class instruction includeemphasis on developing human relations skills, suchas a positive attitude, personal initiative, ability totake directions, and cooperation.

The students are also taught the basic structure of aretail store operation in such areas as inventory can -trol, bask display, salesmanship, advertising, market-.ing, handling money, credit Card sales, and so forth.Techniques in personal training, which include self-interest surveys and job-seeking skills, are also provided.

The primary objective of the control class is todevelop ale students' potential, resulting in more effi-cient perfOrmance and ultimately preparing them formore effective comp.tition in the business world.

Advisory Committee DevelopmentA very ImpOrtant component in Cooperative Dis-

tributive Edudation development is the advisory com-mittee, which is composed of no less than sevenmembers two employers, two training sponsors. andtwo tither individuals from the community. The teach-er /coordinator serves as an ex officio member and isresponsible for:

I. Explaining the purpose of CVE and how itfunctions

2. Informing the committee of its advisory role

.

3. Maintaining the minutes of each advisory meet-ing on record and sending a copy to eachmember

4. Determining advisory meeting dates and notify-ing members

5. Developing an agenda for each meeting6. Conducting an election for a new committee

chairperson each school year

An advisory meeting should be held prior to thestart of each school semester, but no kis than once ayear. The recommendations from these meetings canproduce a vast reseryoir of information, ideas, andcooperation, which will enable the teacherNoordina-tor to upgrade greatly the quality and success of theCooperative Vocational Education program:

The students must understand that their level ofparticipation in this partnerl'hip today may deteiminehow successfully they will be able to cope and com-pete in the world of business tomorrow.

Objectives

In the area of distributive occupations the followingseries of key objectives this program would stress withthe students were identified:

I. The student should be actively involved, through"a structured training program, in 'a. pry realpartnership with the employer, the parents, andthe teacher/ coordinator.

2. The student should participate actively in thestructured training program while working in apaid job situation.

3. The student should receive correlated classroominstruction (also individual tutoring when requestedby the employer) in a mandatory three-hour con=trol class, scheduled weekly.

4. The student should be given an overall under-standing of the basic organizational structureand day - to-day operation of a retail business.

5. The teacher/ coordinator should clarify how thejob of the student is directly related to the overallsuccess of the employer's business.

6. The teacher/coordinator should identify the manycareer opportunities available in retailing andretail-related fields.

26

21

Enrollment

Initial recruitment into this program was directedprimarily towards high school juniors and seniorsinterested in retailing or retail- related fields. To citial-ify.for enrollment, the-stu'dent's rrainirs2 station had toinvolve the sale or distribution of goods and/ or- ser-

. vices to the public. Student enrollment was developedthrough advertising on the high school campusesanddirect canvassing of retail establishments within the

The student is activelyinvolve(' in an actual partnership

with the employer, the parents, and theteacherlcoordinator.

d'o

4

--participating_school _districts._ Both methods provedvery successful in filling the summer program and indeveloping permanent training sites for future programs.

Employer ParticipationWhen a student enrolls in this program, the employer

agrees, in writing, to involve him or her in an appro-priate variety of on-the-job training talks and responsi-bilities over and above regular job duties. These tasksand responsibilities are identified, in writing, by theemployer; reviewed by the student; and maintained inthe student's file. During coordination visits, studenttraining progress at the work site is monitored jointlyby the teacher/coordinator and the employer. Devel-oping a strong, perthnent relationship with the par-ticipating employers is important so they will continueto request new employees through the CVE programand place them in job training positions within theirorganizations.

oft

o .5

27

it

mmunity Classroom: An Asset to EducationJim Williams, Supervisor of Instructional ServicesNorth Orange.County Reg,pnal Occupational Program, Anaheim

The community classroom concept is a vital teach-ing strategy sthat assists educators by utilizing practi-cal experience, hands-on learning, and a bast resourceof supplies and equipment at little or no cost. Com-munity classrooms are operated at a place of business,with a certificated teacher coordinating the instruc-tiorn.and with the employees of the business teachingstudents at the various training stations. The studentsare not paid.

When establishing a community classroom, keep inmind that each business is unique, even in the samefield. The size of the facility, the type of management,the employees at the training stations, and the rulesand regulations, of the company must be considered.Before a business agrees to participate, the manage-ment needs to be convinced that the company ulti-mately will benefit by having a ready supply of

. potential employees from which to select. Employeesoften _benefit from the student contact because theirjobs become more meaningful as they teach others.Experience has shown that employees become moreexact in he same skills they are teaching to thestudents.

Some program aspects need careful consideration.The site'selected should be easy for students to reach.without a long bus ride from class to school. Thecompany should be investigated to determine its cred-ibility and reasons for offering a training site and itsinterest in the student for future employment.

Those selecting teachers for the program must con-sider a candidate's personality strengths and weak-nesses, because of t4, varied situations that mayoccur. Personnel directors may feel threatened or mayuse the teacher to do their job. A strong personneldirector and a teacher of the same personality typemay have a clash, which may not prove beneficial tothe student. Guidelines must be set by the teacher andby company management. The teacher must act as adiplomat and gain the confid,mce of a company's per-Sonnel. A teacher's experience and education shouldhave a balance between business and education, andhe or she must be a good manager of self as well as ofthe' class.Techniques of teaching in the community class-room are cliaiigirig-every-day-and-will-vary depending__

upon the type of business and employees. For instance,an employee may not want a certain student. In such acase, that student should not be laced at a trainingstation with that employee. Play a waiting game, andeventually the employee, remembering his or her ownyouth, will identify a certain student, and then a learn-ing' situation occurs. In fact, the employee may wantto keep that student all of the time; however, studentscannot learn by doing the same job. They must berotated. For example, a student working with a cer-tain mechanic may be leaning only about automobilebrakes and, therefore, be unable to learn about otheraspects of auto repair. The teacher should then bring asecond student to be trained by the first student.When the employee establishes rapport with thesecond student, the first one can move on to anothertraining situation.

Varied learning methods can be used. Employeeevaluation of the student makes the employee becomea part of the ci3ss. Lectures by department managers,supervisors, or other employees make their jobs betterunderstood by the student in the community class-room. Field trips are also very important and shouldbe included.

Community classrooms areoperated at a place of business.

A certified teacher coordinates theinstruction with the employer.

For program success, students should be very closelyobserved by teachers, employee supervisors, and schoolstaff.

During the first 10 to 30 days, the students may beafraid of the new environment. The teacher should usethis time to establish with them the company's rules,regulations, and dress codes, and their enforcement.Students also should be informed about class opera-tion and performance expectations. Certain generalskills and operation of equipment also should betaught at this time.

2823

By using the "management team" concept duringstudent training, the teacher will have more time forthe total class. This method works as follows: Oftwenty students in a class, four or five will be moreadvanced than the others. The teachers should lookfor this leadership and let students elect managers oftheir class, section, or department. Next, the teachermeets with these managers to provide them withmanagerial techniques, motivation, and communica-tion with employees. These "managers" should berotated and allowed to select an assistant whom theywill train. These assistants then become "managers"and train their own assistants, thereby creating stillanother learning situation.

A teacher in industry or business has an advantageover the regular classroom teacher, because learningmaterials, test books, employees, and help of all kindsare available from various businesses. The real envi-ronment of different departments and people providesclass -flexibility that never can be truly duplicatedelsewhere.

Job placement is more in evidence in the commu-nity classroom, because personnel and managementcan see what the students have learned and can per-sonally observe their competencies.

Use of the community classroom method has anumber of advantages. It unites the teacher, school,and business in a working and learning situation. Thismethodology is more economical in that costs are heldto a minimum because the company provides the facil-ities, equipment, and services. Students_ have moreopportunity for hands-on learning activities and forthe development of human relations skills; both areessential for success on the job.

24

Boom in BusinessBook Sales

Inflation and the changes it is forcing inbusiness methods have created an explosion inthe sale of business books. .

Tom Paynter of Waldenbooks, a 600-storenational retail chain, says the big increase inthe sale of business books is most evident inthe consumer-oriented publications. Many ofthese books seek to answer the perplexing per-sonal finance problems created by inflation.

In addition to textbooks and how-to busi-ness books, the best-selling title's deal with thestock market, investing in general, taxes, insur-ance, and collectibles, such as antiques andpostage stamps. Popularized works on btisi-ness law, accounting, and government regu-lations sell well, as do the many how-to careerbooks.

Using human resources and motivating peo-ple are an ong the currently trendy fields forauthors of ,usiness books. The conflict betweencareer and family, the problems of two-careercouples, and women in business are othertimely topics.

29

fi

California Business Educationand the Youth Initiative:Merle Wood, Specialist in Business EducationOakland Unified-School-District

Educators have a great deal of interest in the Fed-eral Youth Education and Employment Initiative,which proposes to mount a special national effort toprovide vocational and basic education to disadvan-taged and unemployed youth, primarily in the cities.Business education is not alone in its contention thatit can be a prime delivery system to help accomplishthe objectives of this particular initiative. Many otherdisciplines and agencies are making the same claim.Yet; a-number-of unique-circumstances put businesseducators, if they are alert and aggressive, in a strongposition to try to secure a significant portion of theproposed funding. As this article is being written, theamounts to be granted, the agencies to be funded, andthe specific details of the program guidelines to beestablished are uncertain. However, there is an indica-tion that enough movement is going to take place forbusiness educators to prepare to be involved. Indeed,business education has been preparing for years forjust this kind of challenge. Yet, much remains to bedone.

The City Scene -Some business educators fear that business teachers

in noncity situations will not support a strong nationalmove toward developing and refining strategies toassist the cities' unemployed and disadvantaged youth.This is probably not true. If true, it is tragic because itis self-defeating. Although a major target of the pro-posed initiative is this visible, special population in thecities (according to repeated national studies), moredisadvantaged persons live in suburban and ruralAmerica than in the cities. These students are simplyless obvious. Thus, it is advantageous for all businesseducators to support and contribute to solving theproblems of the unemployed and disadvantaged youth,wherever they live.

The majority of breakthroughs and innovations inbusiness education, generally, have been initiated inthe larger school districts and cities. This situationdoes not infer *he superiority cf metropolitan businesseducation systems or staff. These advances, instead,have occurred because of the obvious concentrationof business education resources, aff members with

speciality training, access to support services and per-sonnel, large district commitment to innovation, spe-cial funding, unparalleled community resources, andso forth. The smaller communities profit from city-developed programs, because spin-offs, special appli-cations, new materials, new methodology, and soforth, have been developed and transmitted to smallerdepartments of business education.

Ready to ServeMany of us remember our complaints over the

years that a number of business education courses andprograms served as places to "dump" students withless than average scholastic ability. Although this wasan unkind term to use, this practice, undeniably, didexist in a majority of the nation's school systems. Wealso recall that we had a certain amount of pridebecause school administr.tors recognized our depart-ments as having the personnel and the programs thatcould and .would help these young people, whereasmany other departments within the schools could orwould not. Now, however, this very factor, our morethan 20 years of experience in working with the com-plete spectrum of students, can only be viewed as ablessing in disguise. We developed the skills and sys-tems for teaching the disadvantaged student.

We developed entirely new programs for studentswith less than average ability or with personal orsocial problems. New programs and courses includedboth personal use and vocational business skills. We

We are able to reach andteach a broad range of students through

open-entry lopen-exit, modular,individualized, and flexible instruction.

concentrated on strengthening course content on thebasicsreading, writing, and computation. We saw.many business education text materials from pub-lishers being redesigned to have special appe.il and

30 25

application for the tens of thousands of disadvantagedstudents whom we were ser.vipg across the country.Colleges, universities, and state departMents of educa-tion were fostering special courses, workshops, andpublications to help us develop special methodologyand procedures for teaching this very special schoolpopulation. In tit,. past 15 years, state, regional, ornational business education conferences rarely havenot had several section meetings dealing with theteaching of disadvantaged students.

Individualization of InstructionPerhaps the single most important change in our

teaching from 25 years ago is our awareness of thepossibility, with both modified methodology andfunding and administrative support, to teach on anindividualized basis. Through this syAem of open -entry /open -exit, modular, individualized, and flexibleinstruction, we are able to reach and teach the broadrange of students who come to us for instruction.Through our system of competency-based instruction,we are willing to be held accountable for students'learning bec'use the system permits, indeed it demands,that students learn: Much of our growth in the use ofmodular instruction in California came from theBureau of Business Education's California BusinessEducation Program Guide for Office and DistributiveOccupations (CBEG),,published by the State Depart-ment of Education in 1973, which served as a guide toencourage us to move to an entirely new system ofinstruction. Development and dissemination of theCalifornia Curriculum Units in Business Education's(CCU BE) 16 core units guided us in the use of smallcompetency-based modules that could be taught andlearned in a number of flexible environments. Wehave seen students respond enthusiastically tonew style of learning. Attendance improved, positivechanges in attitudes occurred, and students came toknow that they were learning.

26

The Job MarketThe final condition that favors our high involve-

tnent in the Youth Education and Employment Initia-tive is the number of clerical job openings projectedby the U.S. Department of Labor. The current short-age of entry level office employees across the countrycontinues to grow. Business must have the typists,bookkeepers, receptionists, office machine operators,and others neesAsary to operate the offices of thecountry. A projtoeted need exists for 16.6 million newand replacement entry-level clerical workers during

the 1,.:18 through 1990 period. This number is thelargest growth projected for any job cluster.

SummaryThe current projected severe shortage of entry level

clerical workers and the over four million di advan-taged and unemployed youth should cause schooladministrators and political figures, perhaps, to con-sider that both problems might be solved at once. Addto this situation the fact that business education existsin virtually every hamlet, town, and city in the coun-try. Then add the fact that business educators aretrained, prepared, and ready to expand and extendtheir proven system of teaching the disadvantaged stu-dent. Our field does have the staff, the technology,and the resources to deliver the training needed by thedisadvantaged and unemployed youth of this country.

However, we do live and work in a political society.No matter how obvious it is that we should be highlyinvolved in the youth initiative, there is no assurancethat we will be. Each of us, as business educators,needs to communicate to site administrators, localbusiness people, and state and national legislators thatwe do have these many strengths, We, surely, need tobelong to and participate in our professional associa-tions. It is through individual and group power andcommitment that movement happens.

31

.

CETA Secretarial ProgramPhyllis Laranjo and Peggy Hannawell, Business Education TeachersSanta Ana College

In 1975, Rancho Santiago Community College Dis-trict and the federal government entered into a jointventurea partnership designed to allow CETA fundedstudents to learn clerical office job skills as theyworked side-by-side with the regular community col-lege students. The original implementation of the pro-gram consisted of a few students at one site. Today,over 200 CETA students attend classes at six siteslocated throughout the district. The most recent train-ing location is at Santa Ana College, where, accordingto Richard Brune II, Dean of the Business Division,students attend classes and may earn up to ten units ofcollege credit while they complete office skills training.

Kathy Lusk, Dean of Occupational Education,explained that the program tries to simulate workingexperiences as much as possible. Students have a 30-hour week, which is. monitored with a time clock. Thetraining program lasts two to six months, dependingon the individual.

The CETA training program begins with evaluationand referral, then counseling and training. Studentevaluation and referral is completed at the Languageand Asiessment Center, where students are tested andreferred to the program which will best meet theirneeds. Basic beginning training programs are offeredat all facilities except the Santa Ana College site,which offers intermediate and advanced classei.

Personal counseling is an integral part of the overallsuccess of the training program. Upon entering theprogram, students are assigned a counselor who isavailable to help in such matters as child care, hous-ing, health, financial and/ or other personal problemswhich could adversely impede the learning process.

The training program consists of open-entry/ open-exit classes structured to allow students to work attheir own pace. All programs emphasize the basic busi-

ness skillstyping, filing, spelling, business machines,and office procedures. Many sites are equipped withspecialized equipment for teaching word processingconcepts and applications. In addition, students whohave limited abilities in English are channeled intoESL (English as a Second Language) classes toupgrade the language skills. .

Audio and audiovisual materials supplement text,workbooks, and simulations in the classroom. Theclassroom format emphasizes competency-based in-struction and "learning through doing." Every monthall students are evaluated to determine their progressin the program subject areas and their. readiness foremployment.

When the students are job ready, interviews arescheduled with the help of a job developer. The stu-dents participate in setting the criteria for the positionfor which they are most eligible. Important considera-tions include trartsportation, job location, experiencerequirements, and skill level.

CETA requires that 70 percent of the funded stu-dents be placed on a job within six months after enter-ing the training program. The district has been verysuccessful in achieving this objective. On occasion,100 percent of the students have been placed in the jobmarket, with a respectable average of 75 to 80 percentoverall placement rate.

The success of any program is measured by results.Fr llow-up studies indicate that a majority of employ-ers are indeed pleased with employees who havereceived training in the CETA clerical programsoffered by the Rancho Santiago Community CollegeDistrict. Many employers have recruited additionalemployees from graduates of the program. This initself is a true indication of success.

32 27

Instructional Program for BilingualExecutive SecretariesElizabeth J. Kepner, Coordinator of Vocational EducationSan Diego Community College District

Seven years ago the San Diego Padre Hidalgo Cen-ter, in conjunction with the Liga Femenil de SanDiego, was seeking ways to improve the Latina wom-an's life situation. At the same time, San Diego busi-nesses were indicating a need for bilingual clerks andsecretaries. It was a natural joining of efforts for thecenter and the San Diego Community College Districtto cooperate in an educational program to train bilin-gual persons for such jobs.

Classes providing training in bilingual businessvocational skills were already being offered. Planningand cooperation between the center and the commu-nity colt:ge district resulted in the organizatior andoffering of a bilingual clerical training program thatcovered language skills, business mathematics, busi-ness education skills, and personal development, withsupportive counseling, job application skill training,and job placement. The first class of 50 women gradu-ated in June, 1975, with a. second group, whichincluded some members of the first group still in needof instruction, graduating in October, 1975. The rateof placement was excellent, and the degree of personalsatisfaction and growth of the students involved, plusan increased industry demand, inspired the PadreHidalgo Center and the community college district toadd a program for bilingual executive secretaries.

Tp provide proper training facilities, the commu-nity college district remodeled three rooms at HarborView Adult Center, painting, carpeting, relocatingentrances, expanding room capacities, and providingappropriately placed electrical outlets. A typing room,a business skills center, and a simulated office weredeveloped. The typing room, planned to provide 28instructional stations, was equipped with new L-shaped desks; secretarial chairs; electric typewriterswith interchangeable Spanish and English elements;machine transcription units; and files. The busineskills center was furnished with flat tables, calculators,and two typing areas. The simulated office was devel-oped to provide seven secretarial stations; each deskwas equipped with a telephone extension, calendar, inand out baskets, machine transcription unit, diction-ary, and secretarial reference manual. One of theseven stations was placed near the door to serve as a

reception desk. Office supplies, textbooks, and instruc-tional supplies were ordered and stored in files in eachroom. The bilingual executive secetarial programfacilities were ready. ,

As the facilities were being developed, the programcourse content was determined by close cooperationbetween the, Padre Hidalgo Center and the district,involving instructors, counselors, community members,and adniinistrators from both groups. The resultingprogram was an intensive, one-year course, with stu-dents attending five days a week, studying such sub-jects as typing, shorthand, business machines, account-ing, business mathematics, filing, business Spanish,business English, and office procedures. Skills neededfor job application are also studied, including groom-ing, human relations, assertiveness training, and get-ting and keeping a job.

Not only has job placementbeen excellent, but also the salaries

offered have'been considerablyabove average.

From the beginning, students in the first bilingualexecutive secretarial class established a remarkablerapport among themselves. The majority of the classhad no business skills and had never worked in thebusiness world. The overall atmosphere. was one, ofcaring about and for each other, with constant encour-agement, bolstering, and reinforcement. No one wasallowed to feel worthless or unemployable. The indi-vidual students made impressive progress; and, of the23 graduates from the first offering of the bilingualexecutive secretarial class, 17 are still employed ninemonths later. Not only has job placement been excel-lent, but also the salaries offered have been considera-bly above average. Perhaps the best accolade for theprogram has_come from the participants. Nearly allthe letters and notes of gratitude written by the stu-

33

dents (practically every student wrote one) and sent tothe Padre Hidalgo Center, the community college dis-trict, and the instructors have included phrases thatsaid, in essence: "You have changed my life. I can'tthank you enough.

The San Diego Community College Harbor View,

,

Adult Center and the Padre Hidalgo Center are pres-ently working on plans to offer another bilingualexcutive secretarial class and expect to serve anothergroup of students seeking secretarial skills and atti-tudes which will help them achieve their goals. It is asatisfying prospect.

A New Thrust forCalifornia Vocational Student Organizations

A new thrust for vocational student organi-zations in the eighties has been fueled byfinancial incentives provided to the school dis-tricts and the State Department of Educationto expand and improve vocational studentorganization activities as part of vocationaleducation curriculums. .

In 1979, the state Legislature apprupriated$500,000 as part of the Assembly Bill 8 legisla-tion to the State Department of Education toexpand state services to the five vocationalstudent organizations in California. Thesefunds, allocated by the legislation, are to beused for the following purposes:

Student leadership developmentExecutive and advisoey:committeesMaintenance of membership and finan-cial recordsLeadership and competitive events confer-encesDevelopment and dissemination of instruc-tional materialsAdviser in-service and preservice trainingConsulting servicesNational organization affiliation activitiesExpansion of the use of state and localfair activities and facilities in vocationaleducation

In .1979-80, these expanded services, madepossible by the Assembly Bill 8 legislation,resulted in a 20 percent increase in studentorganization participation.

The Assembly Bill 8 funds made a signifi-cant impact on the quantity and quality ofFBLA and DECA regional and statewide pro-grams and activities, but they did little to solvea major problem facing chapter advisers at theschool level. Because of increasing budget con-straints, school districts were reducing theresources available to chapter advisers forsupervising student organization activities. Asa result, many advisers were limited in theirability to make student organization programsand activities available to their students.

In the spring of 1980, a proposal to provideup to $450 of Subpart 2 federal funds toschool districts for each student organizationin the district was approved for 1980-81. Theintent of the Subpart 2 allocation for studentorganizations was to ensure a base level ofsupport for each local chapter adviser to payexpenses associated with supervising the activ-ities of the local student organization.

It appears that 1980-81 will see an addi-tional 30 percent increase in student participa-tion in FBLA and DECA. The commitmentof resources to vocational student organiza-tions is clear evidence of the confidence thestate Legislature and vocational educators havein the student organization teaching strategyas a method for preparing of : young peoplefor the world of work. Because other surfacingpriorities are competing for state and federalfunds, we must continuously justify the needfor and produce results from our studentorganization resources.

3429

Individualized Instruction in Typewritingfor Handicapped Students

../1 Pearl Leland, instructor in Charge of the Office Administration Learning Center, and'44 Dorothy Cooper, Instructor in Charge of HandicappedNocational Students

Los Angeles Valley College, Van Nuys

Handicapped students who want to learn how totype have been mainstreamed easily into an individu-alized open-entry/ open-exit typing program in theOffice Administration Department at Los AngelesValley Community College. Presenting the lessonsindividually to students through the use of slides andtapes enables these students to be enrolled in the sameclassroom and to proceed through the same lessons asa regular student. The "office style" arrangement ofthe classroom makes it possible for students in wheel -chairs and students who need special equipment tointegrate into the total environment.

Physical Facilities

Two large typing rooms in the Office Administra-tion Department have been opened up by removingpart of one wall to create a learning center. One roomhas 45 clustered typing stations. (Five of them arecarrels.) This room is used for first-semester typing.The use of acoustical movable walls divided thesecond room into fdur separate areas. One area has'30typing stations for the second-semester typing stu-dents. The sesond area has ten private stations forshorthand students. The third area,is the word pro-cessing center. The fourth area is the section where thespecial equipment for the handicappedstudents isplaced. This arrangement places the handicapped areabeside the word processing area, which becomes anintegral part of the center.

Personnel

Many people are involved in helping the handi-capped students to succeed in typing. The coordinatorof special programs, the instructor in charge of thelearning center, and the instructor in charge of thehandicapped students, who has a background insocial work and a counseling credential, have devel-oped, organized, and promoted the program. Also,they are now responsible for its operation and success.Besides these three people, the instructors assigned tothe center and the paraprofes'sionals providing indi-vidual assistance needed for the blind, deaf, andseverely impaired students work with this group andhelp to mainstream them into the overall program.

30

EquipmentBesides the regular typewriters in the classrooms,

three IBM, Model "D," typewriters with the specialadaptations designed for people with functional writ-ing disabilities have been-purchased by the Office ofSpecial Programs. The typewriters are controlled bycomputers built into the machines. The control unit isa logic system which converts input signals intoinstructions to the typewriter. Each key has a differentcode. The students have to memorize the ^odes andlearn to listen to the electronic sounds which activatethe computer.

The Possum System has certain attachments whichinclude a suction tube, specifically designed for peoplewho have control only over their breathing; micro-switches for people with limited movement in theirarms and hands; and an expanded keyboard for per-sons with high spasticity. These attachments are usefulto students with multiple sclerosis, muscular dys-trophy, rheumatoid-arthritis, spinal injuries, polio, orcerebral palsy. They mayalso be of value to peoplewith sight and perceptual problems. The mastery ofusing the special attachments requires patience, com-prehension, discipline, and perseverance. However,the reward of being able to communicate with easeover an extended period of time far outwt.ighs thechallenging work that goes into learning the system.

Procedure for MainstreamingWhen the student first arrives at the center, the

instructor assigned to the handicapped students andthe instructor in charge of the center assess the stu-dent's special needs. Each student, whenever feasible,is encouraged to learn to type on a regular typewriter.For example, the one-handed students are placed on aregular typewriter and learn the one-handed fingeringfor either the left or right hand. If a blind studentneeds a reader or if a deaf student needs an interpret-er, one will be assigned; but the student is still typingon a regular typewriter in the classroom with theassistant. Also, those with impaired sight can use theregular typewriters by using the special equipment,such as the Visualtek Read/ Write System, which mag-nifies both the students' typing and their textbooks.

35

Students needing the special typewriters are assignedto the section where the special equipment is placed.

After the handicapped students have been assessedand placed on the regular or special typewriter, theyare treated as any other student. When they come intothe classroom, they check in with a time clock, their

..-.1111L1=

Special equipment enables the handicapped to learn typing.

ork is submited in a progress folder, and they mustmeet all the attendance requirements of the otherstudents.

Observations

When the Office Administration Department startedthe learning center five years ago, the main purposewas to meet more readily the needs of the workingstudent. Since then, the purpose of the center has beenexpanded to include meeting the needs of a wide a-riety of students the educationally athantaged, theeducationally disathantaged, the senior citizen, thereturning housewife, and the handicapped. The centeris open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, except Friday,when it closes 3 p.m. It is also open on Saturdays from8 a.m. to 2 p.m. At present, over 600 students areenrolled each semester.

The "office style" environment creates an atmos-phere of friendliness, bubbling actiity. and stimulat-ing encounters. The general climate motivates moststudents to perform well. The handicapped students,as well as all new students, arrive and are over-whelmed in this environment at first, but in a fewweeks they are a part of the total bustling scene.

36 31

Recognition for Your Department:

The California Business Education AssociationAward of ExcellenceRichard S. Marlow, State Chairman, CBEA 'Service RecognitionMonta Vista High School, Cupertino

Are you a part of an outstanding business educa-tion department? Would you like to receive recogni-tion for your effort? You can! How? Read onandact soon!

Through a cooperative project of the CaliforniaBusiness Education Association (CBEA) and theState Department of Education, a program has beendeyeloped to identify and give recognition to the teameffort of business education department members whohave achieved identified standards of excellence

The AwardThe CBEA Business Education Award of Excel-

knee is given only to those business education depart-ments which have achieved the standards for excellenceas determined by the California Business EducationAssociation. A department within any schoolcollege,

high school, private school, adult education program,regional occupational center, junior high school, andso forthis eligible. Your department is eligible!

The award is a certificate signed by the presidents ofthe state association and from the section in which thedepartment to receive the award is located. The certifi-cate has a gold seal of the official CBEA emblemaffixed to it and lists the school year in which theaward was made.

A document listing the specific standards for excel-lence is also presented to the recipients of the certifi-cate award. The award, which recognizes the depart-ment and identifies the standards for excellence thathave been achieved, can then be displayed. Those whoreceive this award will have the name of their depart-ment and school published in the CBEA Bulletin andin their section newsletter.

Junior Achievement, Inc.Junior Achievement (JA) is a business-

sponsored program which "teaches high schoolstudents the principles of the American freeenterprise system by helping them run theirown small businesses." Started in 1949, JAenrolls about 200,000 students each year inabout 8,000 companies nationwide. A JAcompany typically operates fof one academicyear, under the guidance of volunteer advisersfrom a local business. At the beginning of theyear, students decide what they will produceand sell.

The students sell stock to families andfriends to raise the money to buy materials.They elect officers and set up books in confor-mance with charts, forms, and manuals pro-vided by the JA organization. After producing,

promoting, and selling their products, theydistribute any profit to the original share-holders and write an annual report.

Approximately 250 independent JA organi-zations do the work of recruiting and trainingadvisers; coordinating with school districts onrecruitment of student's and maintenance ofacademic standards, if students receive coursecredit; keeping records; and selecting out-standing achievers for participation in thenational JA convention.

Each of these independent JA organizationsis supported by contributions from local cor-porations. Members of the business commu-nity serve on the board of directors of thelocal organization and help with fund raising.

3237

The ApplicationTo apply for this award, department staff must

complete an application form that is available fromthe CBEA State or Section Service RecognitionChairperson:,

The completed application is to be submitted to theSection Service Recognition Chairperson prior to thesection's winter/spring board of directors' meeting.The specific deadline date will have been publicized bythe individual section publications editor.

The Standards for ExcellenceThe criteria used to determine the degree to which a

department has achieved the standards of excellenceare listed as follows:

Provides personalized instruction and guidancedesigned to meet the individual needs of studentsPrepares students for employment and advance-ment in business occupationsPrepares students to function as competent con-sumersEnsures that the business education program isavailable to all studentsActively promotes and recruits student enroll-ment in business education coursesSupports the development of leadership and tech-nical competencies through' business educationstudent organizationsProvides instruction which instills within stu-dents an appreciation for the dignity of workProvides opportunities for students to perfect jobskills through work-related activities

Certifies students who have attained employablestandardsAssists in the placement and follow-up of studentsConsults with members of the business commu-nity on the content of the instructional programProvides instructional programs which reflectlocal, regional, and national needsEnsures that occupational programs are com-prised of sequential units which are based uponidentified employment skills and standardsUses instructional equipment, facilities, and mate-rials which simulate those found in the employ-ment communityPromotes interdisciplinary and articulated rela-tionships within the total learning environmentMaintains a mastery of current teaching methodsand subject matterAssesses continually the instructional program inorder to institute modification and improvementSupports and participates in professional organi-zations

Presentation

The award is to be presented at the a sards programor spring conference of each section.

The section service recognition chairman will notifythose who are to receive the CBEA Business Educa-tion Award of Excellence. All members of the depart-ment receiving the award will be encouraged to attend-the function. Key administrators of the school and /ordistrict will also be invited to attend.

38 33

Which R & R Are You Pursuing?Jon Nowak, Business Education Piograni SpecialistLong Beach Unified School District

How is your R & R progressing? Have you beensatisfied with having others do your recruitment forion? Do you think the role of the counselor is to fillyour classes? Has the enrollment in yOur school beendeclining? Is shorthand enrollment falling? Are yoursecretarial courses filled predominantly by females?What are you doing to recruit and retain students inyour business education department?

There are some alternatives to doing nothing aboutthese situations. Simply talking about how thingsused to be in the "good old days" does not help one"ota. As a district administrator supervising businessdtication, I was able to visit each junior high schoolyping class. What an experience! The purpose of the

visitations Was to give guidance to these students wholater could form the nucleus of our advanced businessclasses at the senior high school 16/el.

After talking to over 2,200 typing students, I.

reached the following conclusions: (1) the average ju-_ nior high school student was generally unaware of the

wide variety of business courses available at the seniojhigh school level; (2) most students desired to be in amanagement or owner position but had thought littleabout high school or college courses which could pre-pare them for higher echelon positions; and (3) stu-dents who had thought about career choices but whosaw no relation between their choices and entry-leveljobs available during or immediately after high school.I understand from senior high school business teachersthat these visitations were very helpful. In fact, onehigh school, reported a 50 percent increase in studentstaking shorihandwith 47 sophomores enrolled!.

There are many effective recruitment techniquesother than having a district administrator visit classes.Some business education departments have developedattractive brochures; some have had well-advertisedopen houses; still others plan presentations abouttheir classes as part oft he school's one-day curriculumorientation session in which students visit variousclasses oft campus. One teacher supervises the writing,publication, and distribution of a class newspaperwhich'includes the names of many students. (Studentsloye to see their names in print.) This newspaper isshared with parents, business people, and other stu-

dents in the high, scho&. Several students have beenhired by business people who have rear: about a par-ticular pupil's qualifications in the newspaper. Oneyoung lady is now a successful insurance agent.

Other recruitment ideal whitTh*have proved success-ful in our district include using former students torecruit, having a booth at the annual career/collegeexploration fair, and having business teachers visitclasses in other departments.

Most students desiring to bebusiness managers or owners had

thought little about courses that couldprepare them for these positions.

Cecile Caswell and other contributors to the Voca-tional Education Equity Project (VEEP) for SantaClara County have many suggestions for recruitment,which are apropos to business education. Theseinclude the following:

1. Use nonsexist course descriptions and nonste-reotyped course titles.

2. Encourage females to take more math to preparefor requirements of "male" occupations.

3. Invite parents on field trips where nontraditionalwork roles exist.

4. Stress the necessity for both sexes to be able towork.

5. Encourage teachers, administrators, and counsel-ors to take vocational courses.

6. Raise the consciousness level of parents aboutthe need for vocational training through writtencommuniques and personal contact.

Now that you have recruited students, how will youretain them? One technique which has worked well isto develop a partnership relationship between membersof the class. Students can be encouraged to worktogether for portions of the class. This method worksespecially well in a simulated office environment.

.c.

A very effective and often unfortunately overlookedtechnique is, to praise positively students for work welldone. We all need positive strokes! Try it! It workswonders.

It is also helpful to develop rapport with local pro-fessional associations, such as the Independent Insur-ance Agents, American Management Association, andExecutive Women International; and with those orga-nizations representing certified public accountants,sales and marketing executives, and legal secretaries;and with other related associations. Make sure to entereligible candidates into contests sponsored by theseorganizations and other groups.

Continuously discussing successful previous place-ment efforts and using former students as guest speak-ers are two of the most important retention techniquesavailable.

Graduates are eager to share placement informa-tion with your classes. Keep a file on all of your stu-dents so you can plot their progress after they leaveyour class. Encourage them to stay in touch by phoneor letter.

Recruitment and retention (R & R) are ongoing.Perhaps you could share your successful R & R tech-niques with our readers. Send in your ideas to: GaryE. Thompson, Program Manager, Business Educa-tion, Vocational Education Support Services Section,721 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814. If there is

a good response, a follow-up summary will be pub-lished in Trends in Business Education.

Which R & R are you pursuing? R & R (rest andrecuperation) cannot come until R & R (recruitmentand retention) have been achieved!

Computer-SurveillanbeAccording to Carl Hammer, Director of

Computer Sciences for the Univac Corpora-tion, as business computer systems amassmore and more valuable information in Amer-ican offices, companies, will i)e forced to adopt"Nazi-like systems" to protect this informa-tion. The number of computers used by busi-ness is expected to rise sharply from about400,000 in 1980 to several million by the year2000, and computer security will become anumber, one priority. Persons who want towork in computer environments will have toagree to work under surveillance.

40

.,

35

.

aralegal: A New Cat'eer GoaluSinesi Students

ttise-Hic ken .

1:?abillo College of Legal Careers, Sicramento

,StudentS who take business classes at the highschool or postsecondary levels have a common per-SOnality trait; that is, they respond to the inherentdignity :of order.

TeacherS_some1'mes lose sight of why students regis-,fer for nonrequired classes. Either they, have planswhich: require the. knowledge imparted,rby, a particularclass,, oc they are 'attracted by the content and , areeXPlOring. Sometimes both reasons apply. Business

',education teachers have a,responsibility, therefore, tobe informedf ever changing career fields and oppor-innitiesand to help students focus on their strengths,-and develop "goals. Motivation comes from incentive;;goals create incentive.

If you have had any dealing's with the legal field inthe last several years, you have heard "paralegals" or"legal assistants" mentioned, without doubt; but where-dekthey 'come from? What do they do? What oppor-,tunities does this burgeoning field hold for business'students?

First, by way of definition, the wordsparaleg al and7 legal assistant are interchangeable. The point has,been

argued-ad nauseam, but a clear difference has neveremerged. Simply 'stated, attorneys in both the privateand,public sector have found it necessary to seeka lesseXpensive way to provide legal services. Paralegals,Can do much of the work previously thought to bestrictly in the realm.of the attorney, and one attorneyworking With several paralegals may accomplish asMuch as,several attorneyS. This approach peirnits thefirtti to .function more economically -andfrees atter-ney,s from routine duties. Since paralegals operatewithin guidelines established by their employers, they:arc not required tOhave the long years of formal edu-Cation which attorneyS'must have. Busineis training is:ideal. a

Paralegals generally fall into two categories: (1)research and technical; and (2) office adMinistrators.

in, many offices, technical work, such as drifting of;pleadings and maintenance of tickler systems,.are per-

"Med by the leghl secretary. However, attorneyswho use their legal secretaries as research assistants,

fare confronting them with, a continuous priofity

Research and technical assistants handle routineclient interviews, gather facts, research legal ques-tions, prepare pleadings and forms, check courtrecords, and do many activities requiring mobilityboth in and out of the office.

Office administrators assume responsibility for per-sonnel management, equipment acquisition and main-tenance, workflow systems, accounting and billingcontrolall tasks requiring that they be on hand dur-ing working hours.

-Yet both are paralegals.Educational requirements vary with job descrip-

tions, but. generally, an aspiring paralegal shouldhave some academic experience beyond high school,mature attitudes, and work experience either in or outof the legal field. ,Gaps in one's background should befilled on an individual basis, with the,help of a knowl-edgeable counselor.

Roughly 35 schools in California offer paralegalprograms, some only at the postgraduate level. Somestate colleges a d the University of California offer"classes thro extension programs.

Califor a currently has no certification require-ments, but most schools with serious paralegal curric-ula have or are seeking accreditation from the American

Paralegals can do much of thework previously thought to be strictly

in the realm of the attorney.

Bar Association (ABA): To receive this accreditation,the program must have been in operation two yearsand have graduated students. It must 'have beenaccredited by a national accrediting commission andconsist of at least 60 semester or 90 quarter hours. Theprogram must have a full-time director of paralegalstudies. Since many schools are unable or unwilling todevote-the -resources required, ABA accreditation issomewhat rare.

41

Of_special_concern to prospective attorney employ-ers is the work experience component of any trainingprogram. Hands-on experience in research, writingability, and human relations skills are vital to highlevel on-the-job performance:

Paralegals are currently. being used in most privatelaw firms, and the demand from governmental agen-cies is growing at a rapid rate.

.High school business students are primary targetsof recruiting efforts for legal secretarial and paralegalprograms The lateral flexibility of the job market andupward mobility afforded by the expanded use ofparalegals make this career one of the m st excitingand secure jobs available to high school a postsec-ondary students. While teenagers will have difficultyestablishing the credibility necessary to launch aparalegal career, they are welcomed in secretarial posi-tions, which are natural transitions into legal assis-ting. The promotion of experienced legal secretaries iscreating a broad range of openings for young clericaland secretarial people. A student considering lawschool scarcely, could find a better opportunity to

,__ .

explore. Yet, because very few high school studentsknow anything about this career opportunity, manyqualified people miss the chance to enter the paralegalfield.

Paralegals are currently beingused in most private law firms, and the

demand from governmental agenciesis growing 'at a rapid rate.

The attorney's primary function is to guide a chaot-ic situation into order. Those students who seek outbusiness classes are exhibiting a bent toward and aninterest in the dignity of order. Those of us who areaware of the legal profession's desperate need fortrained, skilled people hope that business teachers willbecome the needed catalysts to direct young peopleinto this field.

42 37

ti

.,

California Association of DistributiveEducators (CADETBob Hughes, CADE President

.Orange Glen High School. Esdondido

The California Association of Distributive Educa-tors (CADE) is a group of business educators commit-ted to the promotion of excellence for marketing anddistributive education in California. Our memberscome frotil a wide range of backgroUnds, includingteachersA all levels, teacher educators, and businesspeople. OADE had a 30 percent increase in member-ship in 1980. Unfortunately, many marketing and dis-tributidn teachers are unaware of CADE's existenceor purpose.

The U.S. Department of Education has identifiedoffice education and distributive education as sepa-rate subject matter areas, and CADE strongly supportsthat concept. We are striving for our own identity andfeel that distributive education teachers deserve recog-nition,and representation in the same manner as otherareas of vocational education are recognized andrepresented.

CADE is concerned about the trend away fromteaching specific skills and more toward offering ageneral career education. The marketing field is sovital to the economic well-being of our society that wecannot afford to be grouped with all the other areasand become ageneral vocational program. We 4eekrecognition as an independent field and want peopleto realize that marketing and distribution is a uniqueand distinct vocational program in our schoolg.

Marketing and distributive education in Californiais one orthe largest vocational areas of instruction.The growing and complex business community isdemanding better trained persons to fill the thousandsof openings in the field of distribution. Students inCalifornia schools deserve quality vocational educa-tion that Will provide them with the skills necessaryfor future successful employment and for advancement.

CADE, which is composed of business teachers in.all fields of marketing, is vitally interested in upgrad-ing this profession. Members dare about curriculumimprovement, innovative programs, and personneldevelopment; and they have a deep commitment toprofessional achievement. CADE is interested in pur-suing legislation, appropriations, and ideals that en-able it to maintain a desire for excellence. At the sametime this organization wants to .keep its attentionfocused on the ,individual classrOom teacher.

This year CADE has taken some positive stepstoward helping in certain local programs. We haveassisted in the adaptation of special situations involv-ing handicapped and disadvantaged students. Thesestudents are of deep concern to us now, and we arefacing this issue with a special task force aimed atsuggesting ways to help them.

An example of CADE helping teachers involves therecent U.S. Department of Agriculture regulation onthe sale of certain food items on school premises.Many distributive education teachers operate success-ful student stores as part of their training program,and a considerable amount of their sales comes fromfood items that are not prohibited in some situations.CADE addressed this problem and helped individualmembers, solve some of the issues created by thisregulation.

This year CADE is hoping to reach all marketingand distributive education teachers in California. Youcan help! Inform the marketing teacher at your schoolor in your district about CADE. If you are a market-ing teacher, you should consider how a membership inCADE..can help you, your career, and the studentsyou are training.

43

Fashion Merchandising Programfor Handicapped StudentsMary Jane Hasiman, Coordinator of Fashion MerchandisingFremont-Newark Regional Occupational Program, Fremont

An air of excitement prevailed as 30 models madelast-minute prewations before the show. This wasnot an ordinary'fashion show but a very special one.Twenty of the models, ranging in age from five tomiddle age, were handicapped. The other ten werefrom the fashion merchandising class of the Fremont-Newark Regional Occupational Program (ROP). Thesestudents, along with parents, teachers, and local busi-ness people, gave their time in a joint effort to pro-mote awareness and understanding of handicappedpersons.

And there were miracles, too! Tracy Dutton walked!She has been confined to a wheelchair for years, an4,moving paralyzed muscles takes all the willpower shehas. But Tracy, with the aid of two ROP students,walked the length of the runway to model her outfit.Another miracleEmily Ana talked! She took themicrophone from the mistress of ceremonies and said"Hi!" to the audience. She had seen others talking intothe mike and decided to try, too. Emily doesn't talk!

As the three models from the Serra Residential Cen-ter appeared, cheers came from their fellow residentswho attended the show.

Participants gainedself-confidence and learned to

communicate with each other as wellas with the audience.

, Preparation for this event had begun three weeksbefore during a picnic at Central Park in Fremontthat enabled the special education students to meetwith.the ten models from the fashion merchandisingprogram. Students talked and played and shared theirlunches while teachers and students in the teacherassistant program from the ROP took slides to beshown at the beginning of the fashion show. A fewdays . prior to the show, the models met again torehearse their routines and to renew friendships. A

local beauty salon cut and curled the models' hair,and everyone eagerly awaited the day of the show,

Students from the ROP fashion merchandisingMass played a major role in all aspects of planning forthe show. Models from this clas:, helped the othermodels to know what to do and stayed with them onstage. The fashion merchandising students had towrite their own commentaries and, as a group, planand make the decorations. (Commentary for the showwas also interpreted for the deaf into sign language.)The major outcome of this event was that participants

Assisted by Debbie Pacheco and, John Stipicevich, TracyDutton models an outfit t'Or casual wear.

44. 39

gained self-confidence and learned to communicatewith each other as well as with the audience. Proceedsfrom this financially successful show were donT.ted tothe school district for the purchase of additional spe-cial education -64iiipment.

The cooperative efforts of two groups made this"event possible.

Tne first group is the fashion merchandising class, anew prograin this year at Fremont-Newark ROP. -

Linda Aih ley of Heirloom Bridal Salon, one of themerchants supporting this program, made arrange-ments for the students to give a series of fashion shoWsat a local restaurant. That was the beginning of thestudent fashion group known as "Looks Unlimited."Stores that later participated in the program also pro-vided training stations, enabling these students tohave on-the7job training.

In addition to assisting in the special education pro-gram, these students helped in shows to raise moneyfor scholarships, cystic fibrosis, the Kidney Founda-tion, landscaping for the California School for theDeaf, as well as for promotions by local merchants.The students performed most of these shows out ofschool on volunteer time and donated more than1,500 hours this year.

The second group that provided assistance is theSpecial Education Master Plan Advisory Committee(SEMPAC), which was formed to promote commu-nity and parent involvement in the development ofspecial education programs in Fremont. This commit-tee also helps to raise community awareness of thecritical issues which concern the education of specialchildren.

The committee is presently involved with the statusof current special education programs, budget issues,

and the search for unserved children with specialneeds.

This special fashion show, an excellent example of atotal community effort, was covered by the newspapekand financially supported by local restaurants, servicebusinesses, and merchants. This event shows howvocational education can benefit the community.

Banking Servicesfor Handicapped

A pilot program for hearing- and speech-impaired customers was begun in 1979, withthe placement of telecommunications devices(TDDs) in six branches across the state. Sim-ilar to a small typewriter with a read-outscreen, the TDD is connected via a telephonereceiver to a, similar device in a customer'shome. The technology enables hearing-impairedcustomers to talk with their bank via theprint-out messages. For many years, Bank of.America has made available large-print em-bossed checks to customers with impairedvision. For physically handicapped customers,new branches, as required by California law,are designed with wide parking stalls, ramps,and wider doorways; similar accommodationsare made as older branches are remodeled.

45

How to Become an Employerin One SemesterPamela S. McKenney, Chairperson, Business EducationMission Bay High School, San Diego

Most high school business and vocational classestrain students to be employees rather than employers.With potential business owners in every classroom, itis vital that Instruction at the high school level includeentrepreneurial skills. The Small Business Administra-,tiori reports that 97 percent of all businesses in Anfer-ica are considered small. In California (as reported inthe San Diego Union of October 26, 1980) the percent-

jumps to a surprising 99 percent! Nationwide,nearly. half dal! small businesses fail in their first twoyears of operation, and 54 percent fail within the first.five years. Dunn and Bradstreet reports that the lackof managerial knowledge and experience causes mostsmall business failures.

At Mission Bay High School (MBHS), studentsexamine and research the rewards, as well as the pit-falls, of managing or owning a small business. MBHSis the district career center for specialty courses ihmarketing, graphics, and management. The small busi-ness management (SBM) class at MBHS is a directresult of recommendations from the center's commu-nity advisory committee, which stresses the need forentrepreneurship education at the high school' level.

The SBM class, recommended for twelfth grade stu-dents and adults, is an ROP-funded, one semester,'two-credit course which explores the opportunities,responsibilities, and risks of owning and managing asmall business. In designing the curriculum, the teacherused, to supplement her own personal backgroundand-experience in small business- management/ oivner-

.ship, recommendations from an active subcommitteecomposed of local -small business owners and manag-ers, representatives fromthe Small Business Adminis-tration, and other faculty and district curriculumpersonnel.

This course of study inchicles competencies neededfor potential business owners and managers. Thesecompetencies include management training, in addi-tion to essential skills developed around each stu-dent's particular area of business interest. Thebegins with the study of the advantages and "sadvan-tages of the Various legal forms of oVv rship. Stu-dents are introduced to franchises, w or existingbusiness opportunities, and personal qualities in entre-

a"

preneurship. After students acquire a basic ,under-standing of a small business operation, they designand conduct a market research survey to determinethe need for the products 'or services in theirarea ofbusiness interest. Statistics from this survey providethe foundation for the construction of a business planwhich allows a realistic, unemotional look at the stu-dent's small business dream. This plan could providethe basic foundation for a student to open and man-age a small business during its first critical yeas.

from this point on, all class activities revolvearound the student's business plan. Personal inter-views, surveys, guest speakers, field trips, communitynonpaid internships, class lectures, outside reading,oral reports, and other experiences are directed towardand aid in the development of the business plan.

The management competencies and skills areasinclude instruction in money-handling techniques,credit, inventory, shortage, payroll, taxes, businessreco. ds, accounting procedures, communication skills,time management, interview techniques, employee /em-ployer relations, management techniques, salesman-ship, and sales promotion.

These management competencies, which the advi-sory committee identified as being necessary for any

Nationwide, nearly half ofall small businesses fail in their

first two years, and 54 percent failwithin the first five years.

person seeking a career in business and /or manage-ment, are integrated throughout the entire course.

Varying the method of instruction encourages thes ents to develop self-confidence as they improvetheir ,ublic-speaking skills, reading comprehension,writi and mmyyaath skills, as well as the ability to sell anidea r them elves. These skills can be a value to stu-

1641

dents in obtaining employment or for later careeradvancement.

The continuing involvement of the community advi-sory committee has given the students numerousopportunities for personal contact with persons inmany areas of business. This exposure to the market-place and the people involved has helped the studentsbecome aware of. pew and innovative career ideas andhas added reltvancy to the program not normallyfound in a traditional course content.

Initially, the class was taught as a one-hour-a-day

course. In September, 1980, it was approved as a two-hour program with an expanded curriculum, which iscurrently in the field-test stage. The teaching materialshave been adapted from community businesses as wellas professional texts. The interrelating of high schoolage students and adults has proven valuable in thatthe two groups can exchange ideas and experiencesand provide mutual support and encouragement. Theclass is too new to have follow-up statistics; however,student interest is high at both the high school andadult levels.

Teens' Media HabitsA study conducted in March and April of

1978 in 12 Boston schools revealed that mostteens do read newspapers but for only 15 min-.utes a day. The purpose of the study, con-ducted by The Boston Globe's research depart-ment, was to learn the life-styles and mediahabits of today's young people and to deter-mine how important the newspaper is to them.

The study showed that newspapers areimportant to today's young people; but, givena choice of radio, TV, and newspapers, most

teenagers (58 percent) said they would missradio very much if they could not listen to.it.Only 29 percent said they would m ,s news-papers, and 17 percent said they would missTV.

Nearly half the teenage population is alreadyreading daily newspapers, but they are notspending much time with them. More than 76percent said they have used the newspaper aspart of their classsroom work.

47

Real Estate Programs Flourish'Charles B. Mayfield, .Asseciate Professor of Real Estate andReal Estate Coordinator, Los Angeles Southwest College

The real estate program at Los Angeles SouthwestCollege offers students and real estate practitionersapproximately 32 different courses. Students complet-ing appropriate courses may become eligible for theassociate in arts degree in real estate, real estate certifi-cate, escrow certificate, mortgage banking certificate,appraisal certificate, and the condominium certificate.

The Los Angeles Southwest College real estate pro-gram study. plan offers instruction to meet the needsof students preparing for the California salespersonexamination. This preparation includes instruction inrequired courses as prerequisites for the real estatebroker examination and instruction in advanced coursesfor real estate licensees to improve their professionalgrowth and development in their specialized areas.

To aid the California Department of Real Estate inthe area of consumer protection, the Los AngelesSouthwest College Real Esiate Department offers avariety of continuing education 'seminars. CurrentCalifornia law requires all real estate licensees to com-plete 45 clock hours of continuing education prior tolicen'se renewal.

Los Angeles Southwest College has achieved localand statewide recognition as one of the leaders in com-munity college real estate education. This newlyearned leadership is founded upon an excellent realestate faculty, advisory committee, and alumni issoci-ation and upon a supportive college administration.The real estate advisory committee has many recog-nized leaders in this profession. The real estate alumniassociation's goals and objectives include financialsupport to needy students in the area of book grants.

The Real Estate Department is composed of profes-sionally and academically experienced instructors whoare easy to identify within the local community as realestate licensees. These instructors are also available tostudents and provide counseling, motivation, and jobreferral and/or placement within the real estate indus-try. In addition, support is given he real estatecoordinator by the college administraUn, college busi-ness department faculty, college faculty committees,and the college classified support units.

Because salespersons and brokers support real es-tate education in California with license fees, Califor-nia leads the nation in this kind of education.

Real estate coordinators for the California com-munity colleges are college administrators and /orfull-time faculty members. Coordinators meet semian-nually to share instructional information, leading togreater unity in real estate education offered amongCalifornia's community colleges. An adjunct to thesecoordinators is a growing statewide association thathelps real estate teachers to provide quality education.In ,addition, each coordinator, to obtain instructionalaids, has access to the California Community Col-leges' Real Estate Material Depository.

The real estate consortium is composed of severalreal estate coordinators who provide recommenda-tions to the California community colleges for audio-visual presentations which are designed to encourage

Because salespersonsand brokers support real estate

education in California with licensefees, California leads the nation

in this kind of education.

women and minorities to enter this profession by study-ing real estate courses at local community colleges.

The panel f9r continuing education in real estate iscomposed of eight coordinators and eight representa-tives from across this industry. The panel's role is torecommend acceptable courses and seminars to betaught throughout the California community collegessystem.

Real estate education offers all levels of our societythe opportunity for economic advancement throughthis highly complex, diversified field. As a result, therecan be substantial impact on the economic benefits tothe individual and society.

48 1

Entrepreneurship: We Need More of It!Charles Beau, Teacher Educator, Business and Distributive EducationCalifornia State University, Los Angeles

California business education programs at the second-ary, postsecondary, and adult levels need to explorefully the implications of instituting an entrepreneur-ship program/course. The many benefits to students,to the community, and to business education depart-ments could make -implementing a program of thistype a worthwhile endeavor.

Benefits

Students benefit because they will become familiarwith one of the largest forms of business in the UnitedStates, small business. Approximately nine millionsmall businesses contribute almost 50 percent of thetotal business output and account for more than 40percent of the nation's gross national product. Thislarge number of small businesses increases the chancethat your students will one day be employed by asmall _business and, more importantly, they may oneday own or manage their own small business.

The community will ,benefit because students willhave a better understanding of how small businessesoperate, how they are an integial part of each com-munity, and how members of the community contrib-ute to the business as customers and/or employees,Equally important, students will have a good start inacquiring the entrepreneurial concepts and skills theywill need to own -and manage :heir own small busi-nesses that will add to and revitalize their own localbusiness and economic community.

The business education department can benefitbecause an entrepreneurship program/course can adda dy,namic nature, which may not currently exist, tothe business education curriculuin. Such a program isan opportunity to offer a "glamour" subject that maycreate new enrollment. Because of the nature of thesubject, this program can attract equally both menand women. Critically, it can bring to the businessdepartment new students who have never expressedan interest in general business, office occupations, orother traditional business subjects.

On the basis of some of these benefits, there seemto be few reasons that basic entrepreneurial conceptsand skills should be neglected in the business educa-tion curriculum.

Implementation Strategies

The entrepreneurship program/course can be imple-mented in a number of ways, from a capstone coursefor students who have already taken some businesssubjects to a course that could attract students who -

have-no business education training. When the coursehas some momentum behind it, it could even beoffered in a two-semester sequence that could incorpo-rate some form of work experience, simulation; or acombination of these patterns. The subject of entre-preneurship may not be a single course at all, butinfused in a current business course or courses.Regardless of, the implementation design, entrepre-neurship must bea dynamic manager/owner skillsoriented course, and it should be an integral part ofthe business education curriculum. Whatever methodis used should meet student needs and should attra...1new students to the business education department.

EnrollmentBased on the current trend of declining enrollments,

we must make greater efforts to recruit students. Ourefforts over the last few years to attract students intocurrent business education offerings did not increaseour enrollment as we had anticipated. To attract newstudents, we should consider a philosophical change.

The subject of entrepreneurshipmay not be a single course at all, but

infused in a current businesscourse or courses.

We need to consider a philosophy whereby we believethat our students can be employers or bosses, not justemployees or workers. We need, to recognize thatentrepreneurial concepts and skills will hold studentsin good stead. Many of the entrepreneurial competen-cies aLquircd by siuu'cuis die common to those neededby the successful employee. Being able to acquire

49

management and supervisory skills through an entre-preneurial approach may also attract students whoare interested in career advancement positions eventhrough they may not be ready for business owner-ship. In addition, unique decision-making, risk-bearing,free enterprise, profit-generating, problem-solving, andso forth, competencies will be acquired as well throughan entrepreneurship approach. Entrepreneurship isnot a panacea, but it may well be the start of some-thing new, prestigious, and necessary in your businesseducation department.

CurriculumA number of excellent curriculum materials for

entrepreneurship already exist, and many more willprobably be on the market soon. "owever, those thatare worthy of your investigatior .ow include:

I-. California Business Education Program Guidefor Marketing and Distributive Education, Sacra-mento: Bureau of Business Education, CaliforniaState Department of Education, '1979. This guideincludes crit",a1 competencies in 12 different instruc-tional areas for entrepreneurship. This guide wasdeveloped for instructors' use and does not includeextensive student-centered content/subject matter or

-student-centered learning activity packets as do someof the resources listed below. Contact your regionalbusiness education consultant for a copy of the guide.

2. Entrepreneurship Instructional Materials, Super-intendent of Documents, U.S. Government PrintingOffice, Washington, DC 20402.

3. Entrepreneurship Learning Activity Packets,IDECC, 1166 Chesapeake Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43212

4. Program for Acquiring Competence in Entre-preneurship (PACE), PACE, P.O. Box 9065, Bakers-field, CA 93389.

5. Small Business Administration (SBA), publica-tions, SBA, P.O. Box 15131, Fort Worth, TX 76119.

6. Small Business Reporter, Bank of America,Department 3120, P.O. Box 3700, San Francisco,CA 94137.

Making the DecisionAs you consider the possibility of implementing

entrepreneurship programs in your curriculum, youneed to answer the following questions:

1. Do students and the community need it?2. How should this prOiram be included as part of

business department offerings?3. Will it provide some new attention-getting dy

namics for the department?4. Will it attract new students to the department?5. Do enough subject matter materials exist to

select from to begin- a program?If you answered "yes" to most of the questions, then

it is time to get started. You have recognized the needfor "more of it, entrepreneurship," a growth subjectfor both beginning and experienced business studentsand for business education departments.

We need to recognize thatentrepreneurial concepts and skills

will hold students in good stead.

50 45

Business Education Program StaffCalifornia State Department of Education =

Vocational' Education Unit

Headquarters Staff:Gary E. Thompson, Program ManagerDouglas D. Mahr, Supervisor, Business Educ-ation, and Student Organizations

Central Region:Lee Murdock, Consultant

Coastal Region:Charles Brown, Consultantoyce Hing McGowan, Consultant

Sou,ern Region:Mart\flays, ConsultantJohn McDannel, Consultant

721 Capitol Mall, 4th floorSacramento, CA 95814

Gary E. Thompson 916.445-5182Douglas D., Mahr 916-445-5183

1919 21st StreetSacramento, CA 95814916-445-9570

11-11 Jackson -Street, Room 4075Oakland, CA 94607415-464-0955 =

One Bunker Hill Building601 W. Fifth Street, Suite 1010Los Angeles, CA 90017213-620-2090

Business Education Liaison StaffChancellor's Office, California Community Colleges

Headquarters Office:Barbara Sullivan, Specialist

Coastal Region:Jchn Mills, Specialist

Southern Region:Marjorie Gardner, Specialist

1238 S StreetSacramento, CA 95814916-445-0486

100 Skyport DriveSan Jose, CA 95110408-299-4786

107 South BroadwayRoom 9038Los Angeles, CA 90012213-620-2388

88327-300 581 5M IDA 51 80-136 03.0359 6.81 5,000