Survey of the 1988-1992 office administration graduates of Lakeland College, Vermilion Campus

Abstract

A follow-up study was made of the 1988-92 graduates of the Office Administration program at Lakeland College, Vermilion Campus, to complete a program evaluation that would facilitate curriculum development and improvement. Surveys were sent to the 115 graduates of the Office Administration program. Of the 77 surveys returned, only 69 or 60 percent were usable. The main conclusions are: (1) Office Administration programs at the postsecondary level continue to offer viable programs. (2) The high priority placed on computer applications in the Lakeland College Office Administration program has proven to be well founded. (3) Word processing is the most widely used software application followed by DOS, spreadsheets, databases, graphics, and Windows. (4) Demand for shorthand or fast notetaking continues to decline. (5) Machine transcription is not widely used in the workplace. (6) Graduates from the Lakeland College Office Administration program tended to rate the instructors and course material very highly. The main recommendations of the study are: (1) Lakeland College should continue to support the Office Administration Department in its efforts to keep pace with changes in technology and business practices. This support should include budget dollars to purchase equipment and software that students will encounter in the workplace. (2) The Office Administration Advisory Committee should review this study to assist the Office Administration Department with possible further curriculum revisions. (3) Increase the course hours devoted to word processing. (4) Implement a new computer course that would introduce students to graphics software. (5) Professional Notetaking be dropped as a compulsory course of the Office Administration program. (6) For a period of one year, Professional Notetaking be offered on a trial basis as an option to assess its demand. (7) Before implementing a two-year Office Administration program at Lakeland College that further study be done.