Provide opportunities for students to prioritize, critically analyze, plan, and evaluate alternative methods or techniques to successfully complete routine and complex word processing projects. Direct students in "real world" task experience to increase awareness of necessary job skills and a wide variety of word processing related career opportunities. Provide opportunities for students to solve problems independently and in teams using a variety of resources. Enhance students' reading, writing, math, and communication skills through practical task completion . . . . Recognize situations where the use of a specific word processing technique is appropriate . . . . Relate acquired computer and word processing skills to a variety of personal or employment . . . . opportunities . . . . Assignments which demonstrate critical thinking may include, but are not limited to, written and oral analysis and evaluation of readings and reference materials, design and selection of appropriate features to complete a project . . . organizing and determining steps to accomplish multi-operation tasks.

EXCERPTS FROM WORD PROCESSING PROJECTS COURSE OUTLINE:

This course offers continued study and application of advanced word processing. Instruction includes desktop publishing and presentation techniques, and features to independently plan, design and develop advanced multi-task personal or business projects . . . . To demonstrate and guide students in the research, planning and application of advanced word processing, desktop publishing, and presentation features and techniques. Provide opportunities for students to study and analyze elements of design/page layout and apply to hands-on projects. Direct students in activities to clearly define and identify the purpose of a particular project and how it relates to the end user or target audience. Enhance students' creativity and organizational skills. Foster independent and group problem solving skills . . . . Use a variety of resources and on-line help to assist in individual or group decision making . . . Production Requirements: Complex multi-function documents or projects of all types, including desktop publishing and presentation graphics, independent research and decision making in document/project creation, extensive editing and manipulation of components of complex documents, plan and create original documents, edit and manipulate text and files within and between documents and application software, utilize reference and resource materials pertinent to project planning, design and completion . . . . Assignments which demonstrate critical thinking may include, but are not limited to, written and oral analysis and evaluation of readings and reference materials, design and selection of appropriate features or application software to complete a project, understanding limitation of desktop publishing features, incorporation of appropriate design elements, priortizing multi-task projects . . . . Methods of instruction will include, but are not limited to, lecture, lab, demonstration, individualized study, audio-visual aids, tutorials and group or team work. Other unique instructional strategies such as field trips, job shadowing, volunteering, and guided student job assignments, may be utilized.

EXCERPTS FROM DIGITAL DESIGN COURSE OUTLINE:

Methods of instruction will include, but not be limited to, lecture, self-paced lab, demonstration, individualized study, use of audio-visual aids, tutorials, group/team work and other unique instructional strategies such as, field trips, job shadowing, volunteering and guided student job assignments may be utilized . . . . Appropriate assignments which demonstrate critical thinking may include, but are not limited to analyzing the image and choosing the appropriate editing methods, choosing the appropriate look and feel for the target audience of the edited image, selecting the proper file formats for the image, written and oral analysis of readings and/or classroom materials, researching and analyzing manual and on-line electronic help files, researching data and preparing an effective portfolio.

The SDCCD, at least from mid-1997 and through mid-1999, has been slow to use the Internet to make comprehensive policy information available to students and the larger community. The SDCCD has also been slow to make policy and other essential information available on their own intranet. As I expressed to the Assistant Chancellor of Student Services, posting Policy 3100, 3100.1, 3100.2, and Manual 3200 should be more easily accessible and posting to the Internet be given much more priority, including consideration for students not fluent in English.

Most of the course outlines and important policies have not been revised in many years, and with rapidly changing technology and the need to set an example of its claim to excellence, this makes students wonder who's home!

In courting the favor of the public and actively seeking community partnerships, consideration for students is often hindmost rather than foremost. The obvious need to let students know where they stand should prompt far greater attention than it does. Students sense when administrators are walking or not walking their talk. The greater the discrepancy between actions and deeds, the more hopeless student-driven remediation seems.

Long-term "untouchability" due to labor laws, and years of acting with impunity and nonreciprocal accountability poses a seemingly impossible challenge to students. Hopefully, better implementation of the District's shared governance policy and more effective use of information technology can provide some cause for optimism.

Throwing money at problems is wasteful unless causes of problems have been correctly and courageously identified. Much improvement would come simply from better administrative and faculty attitudes — and a will to really serve students.

— Thomas James Darling

EDUCATION IS NOT WHAT THE WORLD MAKES OF YOU —
BUT WHAT YOU MAKE OF YOURSELF.

If you are not motivated to learn —
education stops.

Problem resolution must start with problem recognition —
and recognizing the blindspots that reside within each of us.

Sometimes I think I died and went to hell;
I just dont't remember dying.