Course Title: Produce spreadsheets

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2014

Course Code: COSC5942C

Course Title: Produce spreadsheets

School: 650T TAFE Business

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4340 - Certificate IV in Frontline Management

Course Contact : Sylvia Baroutis

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5469

Course Contact Email:sylvia.baroutis@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

helen.mustafa@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 35

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop spreadsheets through the use of spreadsheet software.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

BSBITU304A Produce spreadsheets

Element:

1. Select and prepare resources

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Adhere to ergonomic, work organisation and occupational health and safety requirements

1.2 Use energy and resource conservation techniques to minimise wastage

1.3 Identify spreadsheet task requirements in relation to data entry, storage, output and presentation

Element:

2. Plan spreadsheet design

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Ensure spreadsheet design suits the purpose, audience and information requirements of the task

2.2 Ensure spreadseet design enhances readability and appearance, and meets organisational and task requirements for style and layout

2.3 Use style sheets and automatic functions to ensure consistency of design and layout

Element:

3. Create spreadsheet

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Ensure data is entered, checked and amended to maintain consistency of design and layout, in accordance with organisational and task requirements

3.2 Format spreadsheet using software functions to adjust page and cell layout to meet information requirements, in accordance with organisational style and presentation requirements

3.3 Ensure formulae are tested and used to confirm output meets task requirements, in consultation with appropriate personnel as required

3.4 Use manuals, user documentation and online help to overcome problems with spreadsheet design and production

Element:

4. Produce simple charts

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Select chart type and design that enables valid representation of numerical data and meets organisational and task requirements

4.2 Create charts using appropriate data range in the spreadsheet

4.3 Modify chart type and layout using formatting features

Element:

5. Finalise spreadsheets

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Preview, adjust and print spreadsheet and any accompanying charts, in accordance with task requirements

5.2 Ensure data input meets designated timelines and organisational requirements for speed and accuracy

5.3 Name and store spreadsheet in accordance with organisational requirements and exit the application without data loss/damage


Learning Outcomes



Details of Learning Activities

Students will use MS Office Excel for this competency.  Learning activities will include class-based discussions, demonstrations, practical exercises and observation in order to develop competency, including the underpinning skills and knowledge.  In addition to the assessments, formative feedback is provided to students throughout the duration of the course.

Some learning activities will include a self-directed approach.  Self-directed learning refers to organised teacher-directed learning activities that you will undertake independently, either as individuals or with other students.


Teaching Schedule

Week Week commencing Content/Topic/Element of Competency Assessment
1 7 July

Course overview
Course delivery and assessment information; Course support documents; Online learning environment including Blackboard; Grading; Plagiarism; Extensions; Feedback; Submission Requirements; Where to get support; Student responsibilities; Textbook and associated files; Getting connected to RMIT Wireless

Select and prepare resources
Workplace health & safety in business offices

 

 
 2  14 July

Select and prepare resources/Plan spreadsheet design
Topic 1 What is a spreadsheet?
Topic 2 The Excel environment
Topic 3 Basic operations in Excel

 

Portfolio assessment
 3  21 July

Plan spreadsheet design/Create spreadsheet
Topic 4 Navigating your data
Topic 5 Summing & editing your data
Topic 6 More efficient data entry
 

 Portfolio assessment
 4 28 July

Create spreadsheeet
Topic 7 An introduction to formatting
Topic 8 Mathematic principles
Topic 9 Creating simple formulas

 

 Portfolio assessment
 5

ONLINE CLASS

4 August

Create spreadsheet
Topic 10 More about cell references
Topic 11 Working with functions
Topic 12 Editing formulas & functions
 

 Portfolio assessment
 6 11 August Create spreadsheet
Topic 13 Organising your worksheets
Topic 14 Viewing & printing your worksheet
 
 Portfolio assessment
 7 18 August Produce simple charts
Topic 15 Creating a chart
 
 Portfolio assessment
 8

ONLINE CLASS

25 August

Create spreadsheet
Topic 16 Modifying your worksheet

 

 Portfolio assessment
  1-5 Sept MID-SEMESTER BREAK  
 9 8 September

Create spreadsheet
Topic 17 More formatting

 

 Portfolio assessment
 10 15 September

Create spreadsheet
Topic 18 Efficient text entry and correction

 

 Portfolio assessment
 11  22 September

Create spreadsheet
Topic 19 Using pictures in your worksheets

 

 Portfolio assessment
 12

ONLINE CLASS

 29 September

Finalise spreadsheet
Topic 20 Storing your workbooks

 
 Portfolio assessment
 13  6 October

Finalise spreadsheet
Topic 20 Storing your workbooks
 

Completion of portfolio 
 14  13 October Revision Portfolio due
 15 20 October Applying your skills/knowledge  Final Assessment
 16 27 October Resits  


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Tilde skills - CUSTOM
Produce Spreadsheets Microsoft Excel 2010
Tilde Publishing

9780734607980


References


Other Resources

RMIT Library

myRMIT


Overview of Assessment

Assessment may incorporate a variety of methods including technical requirements documentation, homework, assignments, group and/or individual projects, in class exercises, written and practical assessments, problem solving exercises, presentations, direct observation of actual and simulated work practice, presentation of portfolio of evidence which may comprise documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files, review of products produced through work based or course activities.

Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met. Students will be provided with feedback throughout the course to check their progress.


Assessment Tasks

TASK 1: Portfolio of Evidence - Due Week 13

You will complete and print copies of activities/exercises completed in class and marked by your teacher on a weekly basis.  The final portfolio will be submitted to your teacher in class in Week 13.

TASK 2: Final assessment (In-class assignment/demonstration of techniques/test) - Due Week 15

The final in-class assessment is an "open book" assessment and will be taken under supervised conditions.  This assessment will cover all topics/elements of competency/performance criteria covered in class in the previous weeks.

Submission Requirements

Assessment tasks need to be submitted via MyRMIT (BLACKBOARD) or hard copy, if required.

Late Submission Procedures

You are required to submit assessment items and/or ensure performance based assessment is completed by the due dates.

If you are prevented from submitting an assessment item on time, by circumstances outside your control, you may apply in advance to your teacher for an extension to the due date of up to seven calendar days.

More information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension

Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf

Where an extension of greater than seven days is needed, you must apply for special consideration. Applications for special consideration must be submitted no later than two working days after the assessment task deadline or scheduled examination.

More information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse:ID=g43abm17hc9w (unresolved)

Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/8a5dgcaqvaes1.pdf

Resubmissions

If you are found to be Not Yet Competent in a Course Assessment Task you will be allowed one resubmission only. Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission. The highest grade you will receive if your resubmission is successful is "CAG".

If you are still not meeting the assessment requirements you must apply to your Program Manager in writing outlining the steps you will take to demonstrate competence in your course. Your submission will be considered by the Program Team and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.

Adjustments to Assessment

In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. For more information about the circumstances under which the assessment arrangements might be granted please access the following website:

More information: http://rmit.edu.au/browse:ID=7usdbki1fjf31

You should:

  • Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date. If your performance in the assessment is affected by unexpected circumstances, you should consider applying for Special Consideration. Information on the process and application forms are available through myRMIT and links in the Student Diary.
  • Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard and soft copy)
  • When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of work for assessment is available on Blackboard.
  • Each page of your assessment should include  footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers.

 

Marking Guide (Competency)

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is based on current industry needs and the focus on preparing you for the workplace. Because VET courses are informed by practical application of knowledge and skills, they are based on a system known as "competency-based training" (CBT).  So when you are assessed in VET it is about whether you are competent to do the job, as well as having a firm grasp on the knowledge and skills required to do that job, as opposed to traditional curriculum based educational settings that are often based on knowledge retention.

You need to demonstrate you are competent in each element of the unit of competency you are studying.  You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you whether you are competent or not and how well you are performing.  Once competent in all elements of the unit you pass that unit of competency.

Marking Guide (Grading)

After achieving competency we then grade your performance in the unit; this gives you the opportunity to have the level of your performance formally recognised against industry standards and employability skills.

Final Grades Table:

CHD Competent with High Distinction
CDI Competent with Distinction
CC Competent with Credit
CAG Competency Achieved - Graded
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for assessment

Further information regarding the application of the grading criteria will be provided by your teacher.

Graded assessment criteria - when your work is assessed the following criteria are used:

1. Level of independence, initiative, enterprise and performance of the work task
You will need to show that you can use initiative, enterprise and accepted performance to produce the exercises and activities on a weekly basis.  After receiving feedback from your teacher, you will need to show that you have improved your skills, based on the feedback given.

2. Demonstrated breadth of underpinning knowledge and a willingness to continue learning
You will identify the underpinning knowledge/skills required to produce spreadsheets.  In particular you should demonstrate literacy skills in being able to interpret and follow instructions in the self-paced textbook and undertake backup procedures in order to protect the security of your work.  In addition, you will need to demonstrate a variety of strategies to be able to plan and review your own work, including proofreading and editing skills to check for the accuracy and consistency of information.  You will also need to demonstrate numeracy skills when developing and using the spreadsheets as well as an understanding of software functions required to produce spreadsheets.  You should identify any gaps in your knowledge/skills and demonstrate a willingness to continue learning by actively seeking assistance from your teacher in the first instance.  You will need to demonstrate your understanding of relevant legislation, standards and codes that may affect business operations, such as: anti-discrimination legislation, ethical principles, codes of practice and occupational health and safety.

3. Techniques and processes, technology skills and problem solving
You will demonstrate an understanding of the functions of spreadsheets as these apply in a business context.

4. Work organisation, planning and self-management
You will demonstrate your organisational skills by ensuring you attend classes and bring all resources required to study and develop the required skills, for example textbooks, notes and any other required resources.  You will also complete the self-paced exercises and activities in a timely manner, as far as practicable, produce these when requested to your teacher, in the weeks when these become due.

5. Communication, people networking, language and interpersonal skills and teamwork
You will communicate in a manner suitable for a business environment while in class.  You will be aware of others needs and maintain a respectful manner when communicating with both teachers and your peers.

You are required to complete 2 tasks. You must successfully complete all 2 tasks to be deemed competent in this unit.


Assessment Matrix

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills
• communication skills to clarify requirements of spreadsheet
• editing and proofreading skills to check own work for accuracy against original
• keyboarding skills to enter text and numerical data
• literacy skills to read and understand organisational procedures, and to use basic models to produce a range of spreadsheets
• mathematical and statistical skills to use spreadsheet functions such as sum, counts and averages.

Required knowledge
• formatting requirements of workplace documents
• organisational guidelines on spreadsheet design and use
• organisational requirements for ergonomic standards, work periods and breaks, and conservation techniques.
 

Other Information

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presentation of the work, idea or creation of another person as though it is your own. It is a form of cheating and is a very serious academic offence that may lead to expulsion from the University. Plagiarised material can be drawn from, and presented in, written, graphic and visual form, including electronic data and oral presentation. Plagiarism occurs when the origin of the material used is not appropriately cited. Examples of plagiarism include:
• Copying sentences or paragraphs word-for-word from one or more sources, whether published or unpublished, which could include but is not limited to books, journals, reports, theses, websites, conference papers, course notes, etc. without proper citation;
• Piecing together text from one or more sources and adding only linking sentences;
• Copying or submitting whole or parts of computer files without acknowledging their source;
• Copying a whole or any part of another student’s work; and
• Submitting work as your own that someone else has done for you.
For further information including “Plagiarism (and how to avoid it): Resources for Students” refer to the Plagiarism section of the RMIT Policies, at http://www.rmit.edu.au/governance/policies in the Teaching and Learning Policy section. Penalties include official reprimand, recording of a failure result or expulsion from the University.
 

Referencing
Students are required to use the Harvard system of referencing for this course
Submissions which do not use the Harvard system of referencing will not be assessed as Not Yet Competent,(NYC), but will penalised in the grading until referencing is correct, Wrong referencing includes using the footnote system instead of the Harvard (author-date) system, no page numbers in references where there is a quote, being unable to use the formula for in-text referencing, using a bibliography instead of a reference list, having no reference list, failing to show where a quote begins and ends, writing out the book title because you don’t know how to use references and not using all elements of the reference citation i.e. surname, initial, date published, title (correctly signified), publisher and place published. Minor errors such as wrong punctuation, a wrong page number or a simple typographical error in a date are not defined as an error.

Submission of written work/assessments
Written work must conform with RMIT’s guidelines “Written Reports And Essays: Guidelines For Referencing And Presentation In RMIT Business”, in respect to Harvard Referencing, which can be found at: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/s9sx559hurvc.rtf
Written assessment must be lodged by the due date in the format specified.
Please do not place hard copy work in plastic binders or plastic pockets

.
Attach a signed Assessment Record/Cover Sheet to each submission of written work or assessment, whether the submission is online or in hard copy. For team submissions, all team members must sign the Assessment Record/Cover Sheet.

You must keep a copy of your assignment/written work, which can be produced if the original is lost or damaged.
Each page of your online assessments should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Juliet Wiggins S123456, Task 2, MKTG5811C Establish and adjust the marketing mix, Page 1 of 10.

Special Consideration
Special Consideration is a process that enables the University to take account of unexpected circumstances such as illness, injury or bereavement that affect a student’s performance in assessment. Forms are available from http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/forms

Further information can be accessed from http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration

Return of Assessments
Any hard copy assessments which are completed in-class will be returned to you during class/lecture times, together with feedback comments from your assessor. Online assessments feedback will be online via myRMIT. Assessment results are given normally within two working weeks of submission

Variations to Assessment
A change will not be made to the form or forms of assessment as detailed in the Course Guide unless:
1. the students enrolled in that course have received notice in writing of the proposed change; and
2. the change is approved by the Head of School and not less than 70% of the students enrolled in that course.
 

Appealing Assessment
You are entitled to appeal assessment results. Refer to RMIT Policy – Appeal Against Assessment Result available at http://www.rmit.edu.au/governance/policies in the Teaching and Learning Policy area.
Students are required to attempt all assessments and be rated as competent against all performance criteria to pass the course.
RMIT University recognises nationally accredited or endorsed qualifications and Statements of Attainment issued to the student by other Registered Training Organisations (RTO’s). Also, RMIT provides credit for work experience or other forms of life experience that match the learning outcomes/competencies of RMIT courses. You must provide evidence that is current, relevant valid, and verifiable that your experience matches the learning outcomes/competencies of the relevant course for which you are seeking credit. This evidence may include formal qualifications (certificates, etc); work samples; references; documents, etc. Please speak to your teacher before applying.
To apply, you should obtain an RPL Information Sheet. Forms are available on the RMIT Website at http://www.rmit.edu.au/student-records/student forms. You should complete the appropriate form (RPL and/or Credit Transfer), attach the relevant supporting documentation and submit the form to your facilitator for this unit.


 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview