Applied Business Technology

Memo
To:

Dawn Sturt, Jennifer Madsen

From:

Brooke Harders, Mikayla Kostiuk

Date:

March 31, 2015

Re:

Textbook Assessment

The graduates of the Applied Business Technology (ABT) program are in high demand. For such
a busy and important course, the students require textbooks that can deliver.
There are 14 textbooks and 12 classes throughout the ABT program. Each student and instructor
has an expectation of what the textbook(s) will bring to the classroom. A certain quality and
standard is expected for the course; however, the costs for students are excessive. Please see
the following attachment for a detailed table of the pros and cons of each textbook and
possible solutions.
The following solutions we have listed may help improve textbook quality and usability, which will
benefit future ABT students and the program itself.
Attachments

Class

Textbook(s)

Cons

Pros

Solution

First Semester
Human Relations

Human Relations
for Administrative
Assistant, course
pack

-highly relied on
during class
discussions

-reasonably
priced
-sparked
discussions in
class

-remind
students to
bring book
everyday

Business
Communications I

Canadian
Business English,
6th Edition

-perforated
pages ripped
out easily

-content is well
laid out

-remove the
perforated
pages

Office Procedures

Administrative
Professional
Procedures &
Skills, 2nd Edition

-layout was
scattered and
confusing

-keywords were
highlighted

-split book into

better sections

Financial Records

Basic
Bookkeeping: An
Office Simulation,
7th Edition

-difficult to
locate
information

-examples are
helpful

-sort the
information
into better
sections

Calculators,
Printing &
Displaying

-written
instructions are
confusing

-numerical
examples were
helpful

-improve the
step-by-step
instructions

College
Keyboarding and
Word processing,
Word 2013:
Lessons 1-55

-steps were
unclear
-not helpful
when errors
would occur

-structure of the
book was sturdy

-have tips to
help with errors

College
Keyboarding and
Word processing,
Word 2013:
Lessons 56-110

-pages ripped
out easily

-good content

-use thicker
paper

Exploring
Microsoft Office
2013, Custom
Publication

-front and back

cover ripped off
easily
-binding made
the book flimsy

-layout was
clear and
straight forward

-split the
information
into two books

Word Processing/
Document
Production Levels
I, II, & III

Microcomputer
Applications Level
I

Class

Textbook(s)

Cons

Pros

Solutions

-layout of
practices is clear
and
understandable
-good quality
paper and
binding

-use pull
quotes for
important
information
-add colour
-add examples
-separate
sections better

-great structure

-add colour
-add examples
-separate
sections better
-add
definitions

Second Semester
Introduction to
Desktop
PublishingAdvanced Word
Computerized
Bookkeeping

Advanced
Microsoft Word
2013: Desktop
Publishing
Sage 50:
Canada Edition
2014 Level 1

Sage 50:
Canada Edition
2014 Level 2
Business
Communications
II
Microcomputer
Applications II

-difficult to
locate
information
-one
dimensional
- layout is hard
to follow
-no examples
-one
dimensional

Business
Communications:
7th Edition
Microsoft
Applications
Level II

-no definitions

-helpful tips in
the margin

-poor picture
quality

Microsoft
Expression Web 3
Complete

-layout is hard to
follow

-good layout
-helpful
troubleshooting
tips
- great visual aid
-helpful
troubleshooting
tips

-update
pictures

-separate stepby-step
instructions
more clearly