EAC594 - Business Communication for the Digital Workplace

Outline info
Semester
School
Last revision date 2024-02-21 19:38:09.798
Last review date 2024-02-21 19:38:09.798


Subject Title
Business Communication for the Digital Workplace

Subject Description
With businesses thriving on good customer relationships, effective business communication is the cornerstone of company success. This course will help you learn the principles, practices, and tools for communicating effectively in the workplace using cases and/or projects. From learning about audience, context, formats, tone, and media to applying your skills in writing correspondence, reports, and presentations, this course will guide you in developing professional interpersonal, collaborative, and web-based knowledge and practices.

Credit Status
A credit course in all two - and three - year business programs.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject the student will be able to:

  • Analyze audience, context, and purpose to choose the most effective message structure, format, content, language, tone, and medium for the situation
  • Format business documents using electronic tools and page design conforming to AODA requirements
  • Compose correspondence and reports using concise, polite, you-focused, positive, coherent, as well as plain, grammatically and mechanically sound language
  • Write business reports, adapting the content and structure to suit a variety of purposes
  • Incorporate research material into business documents using ethical documentation and citation practices
  • Collaborate to manage and complete project requirements, deadlines, and tasks
  • Create visual aids using digital tools
  • Apply principles of effective presentations when delivering information orally
  • Use digital and mobile applications to plan, create, and communicate information

Essential Employability Skills

    •  Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken and visual form that fulfils the purpose and meets the needs of the audience.

    •  Respond to written, spoken, or visual messages in a manner that ensures effective communication.

    •  Use a variety of thinking skills to anticipate and solve problems.

    •  Locate, select, organize, and document information using appropriate technology and information systems.

    •  Analyze, evaluate, and apply relevant information from a variety of sources.

    •  Show respect for diverse opinions, values, belief systems, and contributions of others.

    •  Interact with others in groups or teams in ways that contribute to effective working relationships and the achievement of goals.

    •  Manage the use of time and other resources to complete projects.

    •  Take responsibility for one's own actions, decisions, and consequences.

Academic Integrity
Seneca upholds a learning community that values academic integrity, honesty, fairness, trust, respect, responsibility and courage. These values enhance Seneca's commitment to deliver high-quality education and teaching excellence, while supporting a positive learning environment. Ensure that you are aware of Seneca's Academic Integrity Policy which can be found at: http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academic-integrity-policy.html Review section 2 of the policy for details regarding approaches to supporting integrity. Section 2.3 and Appendix B of the policy describe various sanctions that can be applied, if there is suspected academic misconduct (e.g., contract cheating, cheating, falsification, impersonation or plagiarism).

Please visit the Academic Integrity website http://open2.senecac.on.ca/sites/academic-integrity/for-students to understand and learn more about how to prepare and submit work so that it supports academic integrity, and to avoid academic misconduct.

Discrimination/Harassment
All students and employees have the right to study and work in an environment that is free from discrimination and/or harassment. Language or activities that defeat this objective violate the College Policy on Discrimination/Harassment and shall not be tolerated. Information and assistance are available from the Student Conduct Office at student.conduct@senecapolytechnic.ca.

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
The College will provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities in order to promote academic success. If you require accommodation, contact the Counselling and Accessibility Services Office at ext. 22900 to initiate the process for documenting, assessing and implementing your individual accommodation needs.

Camera Use and Recordings - Synchronous (Live) Classes
Synchronous (live) classes may be delivered in person, in a Flexible Learning space, or online through a Seneca web conferencing platform such as MS Teams or Zoom. Flexible Learning spaces are equipped with cameras, microphones, monitors and speakers that capture and stream instructor and student interactions, providing an in-person experience for students choosing to study online.

Students joining a live class online may be required to have a working camera in order to participate, or for certain activities (e.g. group work, assessments), and high-speed broadband access (e.g. Cable, DSL) is highly recommended. In the event students encounter circumstances that impact their ability to join the platform with their camera on, they should reach out to the professor to discuss. Live classes may be recorded and made available to students to support access to course content and promote student learning and success.

By attending live classes, students are consenting to the collection and use of their personal information for the purposes of administering the class and associated coursework. To learn more about Seneca's privacy practices, visit Privacy Notice.

Prerequisite(s)
COM101/111 or equivalent

Topic Outline

Students will develop competence in the following areas:

1. Communication basics

  • Workplace communication
  • Audience, context, purpose analysis
  • Media considerations and selection
    • E.g., Determining when using a chat tool is appropriate in business
  • Organization of content: direct and indirect methods
  • Business language, style, tone; plain language
  • Compressed style
  • Editing for grammatical, mechanical, and punctuation accuracy
 
2. Writing in electronic environments
  • Good email practices (etiquette and privacy)
  • Page design and AODA requirements
    • Headings, listing, chunking
  • Visual aids: infographics and/or visual storytelling
 
3. Formats
  • Emails, memos, and letters
  • Formal reports
  • Short reports, composed using MSWord and email software
  • Slidedocs (documents created using slide decks)
 
4. Routine correspondence
  • Tone: positive, negative, persuasive
  • Emails: informal and formal
  • Types: Information, requests, acceptance, refusals, invitations, and/or directives
  • Compressed messages
 
5. Business reports
  • Research and documentation of information (reviewed)
  • Sharing of research using digital tools
  • Outlining
  • Report formats: formal and/or informal
  • Report types: informative, proposals, instructions, audit, progress/completion, and/or recommendation
  • Short email reports
  • Slidedocs (documents created using slide decks)
 
6. Collaboration
  • Intercultural factors
  • Interpersonal skills (and negotiation)
  • Meeting management
  • Project management: time, tasks, communication
  • Online agendas
  • Mobile collaboration tools such as Doodle, WhatsApp, Moxtra, Google Docs, Facebook, etc.
 
7. Employment communication
  • Cover letters and resumes
  • LinkedIn and/or other professional learning networks
  • Personal branding
  • Social mentoring
  • Interviewing
 
8. Oral presentation skills
  • Individual and/or group presentation skills
  • Effective presentation slide creation
  • Formal/informal presentation skill

Mode of Instruction
This course may be offered either online or on campus.  All courses have a Blackboard course site where information about the course is posted.  If the course is offered fully online all of the course information, content, assessments and weekly activities will be accessed through or posted on Blackboard.
 
Detailed information about this will be in the Professor’s Addendum. 

Prescribed Texts
See professor's addendum for prescribed texts

Reference Material
You should possess an appropriate college-level English dictionary.   All references and bibliographic entries must be cited in either APA or MLA format. The professor will specify which of these formats should be used.

Required Supplies
Please see your professor's addendum for required supplies.

Student Progression and Promotion Policy

To obtain a credit in this subject, a student must achieve 50% or better on the overall course.

http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/student-progression-and-promotion-policy.html

Grading Policyhttp://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/grading-policy.html

A+ 90%  to  100%
A 80%  to  89%
B+ 75%  to  79%
B 70%  to  74%
C+ 65%  to  69%
C 60%  to  64%
D+ 55%  to  59%
D 50%  to  54%
F 0%    to  49% (Not a Pass)
OR
EXC Excellent
SAT Satisfactory
UNSAT Unsatisfactory

For further information, see a copy of the Academic Policy, available online (http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academics-and-student-services.html) or at Seneca's Registrar's Offices. (https://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/registrar.html)


Modes of Evaluation

Refer to your professor’s addendum for detailed evaluation breakdown.

75%     Term Work
25%     Final Assessment
 
Evaluation is based on correct language usage, organization and mastery of the subject at a post secondary level.  Students are expected to learn professional standards of performance in the subject areas; therefore tests and assignments will be graded on that basis.  In recognition of the significance of exceptional communication skills in the workplace, marks are deducted for language errors on all tests and exams. 


Academic Regulation

It is your responsibility as a student of Seneca College to be aware of and abide by the academic and behavioural policies outlined in the College Academic Policy and the Student Handbook. Here are some key policies:

 

Academic Integrity

Seneca College takes Academic Integrity very seriously. Therefore, all assignments in this course must be completed independently (unless otherwise stated), and with integrity. Copying and pasting from any source without correct quoting, paraphrasing, and citations will be considered plagiarism. This or any other contravention of Seneca's Academic Integrity Policy, including cheating, sharing, collusion, using Spinbots, Contract Cheating, Falsification, Impersonation, submitting a previously-submitted assignment, or unauthorized use of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content will be reported to the Academic Integrity Committee. Please review the Academic Integrity Policy.
To learn more about academic integrity and for resources to help you ensure academic integrity in all your course work, please refer to the Seneca Library  Citation & Plagiarism Guides.
 

Student Appeals

Students have the right to appeal academic decisions of the College. If a student disagrees with an academic decision, they must discuss the matter with their faculty and program coordinator or chair as soon as possible to see if a mutually satisfactory solution can be reached in accordance with the timeline stated in Seneca’s Academic Appeal Procedure. It is only when a resolution cannot be agreed upon through the informal appeal process that students may proceed to the formal academic appeal process. Please review the Academic Appeal Policy.
Students must keep all assignments (including drafts and outlines) and exercises until they receive their final grade. No appeal will be considered unless a complete file is submitted at the time of the appeal.
 

Copyright

Copyright means sole right to produce, reproduce and copy a work. In Canada, all original creative works are automatically protected by copyright upon their creation and protection applies whether or not a copyright symbol appears on the material. Only the copyright owner or its authorized licensees have the right to decide when and how the work is to be copied, altered or made available. Regardless of format, the use, reproduction and distribution of copyright protected materials are subject to limits and restrictions.
For more information, please visit Seneca Copyright Policy and Fair Dealing for Copyright-Protected Work Policy.
Online sessions may be recorded and made available to students registered in this class for their reference. Please review the Recording Lectures and Educational Activities Policy on Seneca website.
 
Camera Use and Recordings - Synchronous (Live) Classes
Synchronous (live) classes may be delivered in person, in a Flexible Learning space, or online through a Seneca web conferencing platform such as MS Teams or Zoom. Flexible Learning spaces are equipped with cameras, microphones, monitors and speakers that capture and stream instructor and student interactions, providing an in-person experience for students choosing to study online.
Students joining a live class online may be required to have a working camera in order to participate, or for certain activities (e.g. group work, assessments), and high-speed broadband access (e.g. Cable, DSL) is highly recommended. In the event students encounter circumstances that impact their ability to join the platform with their camera on, they should reach out to the professor to discuss. Live classes may be recorded and made available to students to support access to course content and promote student learning and success.
By attending live classes, students are consenting to the collection and use of their personal information for the purposes of administering the class and associated coursework. To learn more about Seneca's privacy practices, visit Privacy Notice.
 

Information Technology Acceptable Use

Official College E-mail is available to all employees and students. Faculty, staff and students are required to use College-provided e-mail when corresponding electronically about College-related matters. For further information regarding the IT acceptable use policy, please refer to Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Policy.
 

Student Conduct

It is the policy of Seneca College that all employees and students have a right to work and study in an environment that asserts the personal worth and dignity of each individual. For example, this includes interactions during Seneca related activities, student group work and communications being held online or in-person. The Student Conduct Office works with the Seneca community to address non-academic issues, disruptive behaviours and reports of sexual violence. Examples of issues that may be referred to this office for resolution include, but are not limited to: disturbing behaviour that interrupt the educational process, harassment, abusive behaviour of any kind, and dangerous conduct such as assault or fighting.
In addition to Seneca’s Student Code of Conduct Policy, students also have rights and responsibilities under the laws of local, provincial and federal governments, other Seneca policies and guidelines or regulations that may be administered by an academic school or area within Seneca. Student are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these policies.
More information and assistance are available through the Student Conduct Office,
 

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities

Seneca is committed to providing an accessible teaching, learning, living and working community that is barrier-free and inclusive for all individuals. If you require accommodation, please refer to the Requesting academic accommodations page.
For more information, visit our Accessible Learning Services page, or reach out to our accessibility counsellors at senecacnas@senecapolytechnic.ca.

Approved by: Irene Kanurkas