1. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western OUR FOCUS IS YOU! Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Soft Skills: We Know Our Students Need Them, But How Do We Teach Them? Mary Sommers Executive Sales Representative mary.sommers@cengage.com

2. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Soft Skills & This Generation…  Gen Y learners (most of our students):  Are busy multi-taskers; media-oriented  Used to working on teams  Remain close to parents who raised them to think they are “stars” and “special”  Optimistic & confident; want to be rich and famous  Are achievement-oriented; need structure and feedback  Will negotiate anything  Lack diplomacy  Bring an “entertainment attitude” to school  Get bored quickly if it’s not FUN  Don’t think of computers & devices as “technology”

3. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Why “Generation Y”… I've always wondered about this myself. Now I know........ - The Silent generation, people born before 1946. - The Baby Boomers, people born between 1946 and 1959. - Generation X, people born between 1960 and 1979. - Generation Y, people born between 1980 and 1995. Why do we call the last one Generation Y? I did not know, but a caricaturist explains it eloquently..Learn something new!

4. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Generation Y Censured

5. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western What are Soft Skills? Moss and Tilly termed these subjective requisites as “soft skills,” which are defined as skills, abilities, and traits that pertain to personality, attitude, and behavior rather than to formal or technical knowledge” (Moss and Tilly 2001, p. 44).

6. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western What are “Soft Skills” to you?  Oral and written communication  Teamwork/collaboration  Work ethic/self-motivation/dependability/honesty  Critical-thinking/questioning/problem-solving  Risk-taking  Flexibility/adaptability  Leadership/influencing  Ability to work under pressure  Creativity/innovation/resourceful  Organizational/time management  Attention to detail

7. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western What Industry Says… Technical skill ALONE does not make someone competitive in the job market – In fact, computer literacy skills are assumed! Today’s workers demonstrate GAPS in: – Communication skills – Team/interpersonal skills – Problem solving – Quantitative reasoning – Business process knowledge – Project management

8. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Skills Employers Want! % of Employers Looking for These Skills 99% Work Ethic 96% English Language 95% Reading & Writing 94% Problem Solving & Critical Thinking 94% Interpersonal 90% Math 68% Computer Software 68% Leadership 58% Manual Labor 44% Tools & Machine 40% Spanish Language *Oregon Employment Department Employer Survey 04/08

9. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western What Employers Say… Attributes Most Desirable in New Employees…  Ability to work productively on a diverse team  Oral & written communication skill  Ability to think critically and analytically  Resourcefulness in solving problems  Ability to locate, organize & evaluate information from multiple sources  Creativity & innovative spirit  Ability to understand and communicate quantitatively  Sense of integrity and ethics  Understanding of global cultures and values

10. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Employers also…  Expect colleges & universities to prepare students in these areas  63% say we are not doing our job  87% rate this preparedness as critical to the United States remaining competitive in the global economy

11. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western What Recent Graduates Say…  Provide balance between general knowledge and major-specific skills (72%)  Many end up in fields not closely related to major  They AGREE with Employers!  Critical to success are:  Teamwork skills  Critical-thinking skills  Oral & written communication skills  Yet majority don’t think college prepared them well (51%)

12. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Which would you hire? What if she added another certification? Now would you hire her?

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16. There are different approaches Teach soft skills as a piece of your core subject (integrated throughout) Teach soft skills as a separate component of your core subject – Teach one unit of “soft skills” – Then teach a few units of core subject Teach soft skills as an equal “piece of the pie” – Capstone, Assessment, Senior Project, etc.

17. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Think about this… You could have great technical skills, but if you cannot communicate those skills, what good are they? Aren’t Soft Skills more like… Life Skills?

18. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Soft Skills At Work Concise problem-based video “field trips” show realistic workplace issues that require students to find a solution. Accompanying printed casebook provides a conceptual framework for solution development—students choose which tools to use instead of being shown and told what to do. Broken into five sections: Career Building, Cyber “You,” Teamwork, Technical and Writing skills, and Presentation Skills. Each section is accompanied by a video which is approximately 10 minutes long. All videos include closed captioning for students unable to access the audio element.

19. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Soft Skills At Work Chapter 1: Career Preparation (Video: The Interview) Chapter 2: Your Online Persona (Video: Interview Follow-Up) Chapter 3: Written and Verbal Communication Skills (Video: Useful Software Skills) Chapter 4: Team Dynamics & Generational Differences (Video: Team Dynamics) Chapter 5: Effective Presentations (Video: The Big Presentation)

20. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Soft Skills At Work Chapter 1: Career Preparation (Video: The Interview) Career Building – Effective Resume Writing Skills, Job Interview Preparation Techniques, professional job interview attire, business etiquette that can be enhanced by the use of technology Chapter 2: Your Online Persona (Video: Interview Follow-Up) Educates students on the role social networks and Google searches play in a working professional’s life. It also highlights privacy and information security issues related to their online presences and illustrates how the lines between private and professional life are often crossed on the internet.

21. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Soft Skills At Work Chapter 3: Written and Verbal Communication Skills (Video: Useful Software Skills) Students learn how to use their written and verbal skills to their advantage. Email etiquette, cell phone and text messaging, using Microsoft Office work tools and other topics are presented. Chapter 4: Team Dynamics & Generational Differences (Video: Team Dynamics) Focuses on helping students focus on how generational differences contribute to work ethic and the effectiveness of teams. Students will discover their own personal work styles and personalities and then relate those skills to working with a team.

22. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Soft Skills At Work Chapter 5: Effective Presentations (Video: The Big Presentation) Uses Microsoft Powerpoint skills to teach students the Do’s and Don’ts of effective presentations from drafting outlines, to selecting appropriate graphics and animations and affects.

23. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Soft Skills for a Digital Workplace Give your students a 360 degree education and a career advantage Students become more marketable to employers Signature two-page spread format Robust Online companion site Hands-on activities, scenarios, projects, problems, games, read, listen and quizzes

24. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western What is the content of these products? Written Communication – Email and Memos – Secrets of Clear Writing – Developing Reports and Proposals – Writing For Employment – Writing Professional Letters

25. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western What is the content of these products? Verbal Communication – Basics of Communication – Working With Customers – Developing Professional Telephone Skills – Improving Informal Communication – Making Formal Presentations

26. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western What is the content of these products? Problem Solving and Decision Making – Identifying and Defining the Problem – Solving the Problem – Thinking Critically – Group Decision Making and Problem Solving – Decision and Support Tools

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29. Reproducible Binder … spring 2010 Written Communication Verbal Communication Problem Solving and Decision Making Teamwork Professionalism Includes 30-pack student access codes (additional codes can be purchased, as needed)

30. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Status of Career Cluster Implementation States are implementing career clusters in their curriculum in order to receive Perkins Funding. The Dept of Educations 16 Career Clusters recommends a sequence of courses for each cluster. Status of Career Clusters Implementation Across the Nation http://www.careerclusters.org/resources/institute s/cci2005/ImplementationAcrosstheNation.pdf

31. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Quick Skills iMPACT Interactive Text CD (Quick Skills) The Customer Service section provides foundations for effectively working with others. Covering areas such as forming good relationships, soothing unhappy customers and using the telephone as a customer service tool. The Decision Making and Problem Solving section covers topics such as thinking outside the box, team decision making and creating positive change in the workplace, Decision Making and Problem Solving will build upon the user's basic knowledge allowing them to feel more confident in this area. The Speaking and Presenting section provides foundations for improving presentations. Covering such topics as knowing your audience, overcoming stage fright and creating visual aids. The Teamwork section covers such topics as the nature of teamwork, techniques for effective listening and speaking and developing trust among your teammates. The What Your Employer Expects section provides solid information on what employers are looking for from their employees. Topics covered include accepting responsibility, being a team player and providing service to both the internal and external customer.

32. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Quick Skills iMPACT Interactive Text CD 9780538449359 DEMO CD Quick Skills iMPACT Interactive Text CD Package 9780538449328 (0538449322); $34.75 The CD package provides a convenient electronic format that is easy to use. It includes forms that can be completed electronically and emailed to the instructor or printed. Students also have access to Powerpoint slides and flash files.

33. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Career Success Student Theater Interactive software-based approach engages students with video, games, critical thinking, and assessment Learners review skills on their own time, complementing classroom learning Prepares learners for their externships and the workforce Online companion website provides instructors with ideas for integrating this into a program. Quizzes with automatic scoring and immediate feedback reinforce “soft” skills and can be printed by students as homework.

34. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Career Success Student Theater Modules: 1 Focusing on the Patient 2 Communicating on the Job 3 Thinking Like a Health Care Worker 4 Doing the Right Thing 5 Professionalism for the Health Care Worker 6 Getting a Job in Health Care

35. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western A few resources… http://certification.about.com/od/certificationsbyto pic/a/softskills.htm http://certification.about.com/od/certificationsbyto pic/a/softskills.htm http://content.monstertrak.monster.com/resource s/archive/jobhunt/softskills/ http://content.monstertrak.monster.com/resource s/archive/jobhunt/softskills/ http://careerpath.org/myc/management/2003060 3-gunn.html http://careerpath.org/myc/management/2003060 3-gunn.html http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/29/grad _schools/main2625088.shtml http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/29/grad _schools/main2625088.shtml http://www.collegejournal.com/bschool03/articles/ 20020909-alsop-softskills.html http://www.collegejournal.com/bschool03/articles/ 20020909-alsop-softskills.html

36. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Career Success Student Theater Review Copy: ISBN: 1435439945 Cost: $128

37. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western Trish Bobst trish.bobst@cengage.com Author: Jeff Butterfield Soft Skills for a Digital Workplace Author: Beverly Amer Soft Skills at Work: Technology for Career Success

38. Course Technology ▪ Delmar ▪ South-Western http://www.cengage.com/school/teamup/