AST 101 is designed to provide students with weekly instruction in the alpha/numeric keyboard with emphasis on correct techniques, speed, and accuracy. You will learn how to format basic personal and business correspondence, reports, and tables. 

Using Microsoft Word software with a Tutorial Program you will practice on the entire keyboard with extra drills when needed. These drills consist of warmups, drills on new keys, diagnostic drills, pace practices, language arts exercises, timed writings and misstroke analysis drills. You will use a manual that will be provided with your textbook that will be used for a reference when you start using word processing. 

Prerequisite: A working knowledge of Microsoft Windows

If you do well in this course, you will be able to:

• Keyboard the letter, figures and most commonly used symbols by touch. 
• Use correct techniques in keyboarding which will increase speed and accuracy and contribute to your overall efficiency and competency. 
• Keyboard from corrected rough draft copy. 
• Format letters in basic business letter styles, including addressing accompanying envelopes. 
• Apply basic punctuation rules needed in office documents. 
• Proofread documents for accuracy and evaluate their acceptability. 
• Develop basic production keyboarding skills. 

The required textbook and software for this course are:

• Textbook:  Gregg College Keyboarding & Document Processing for Microcomputers for Windows Internet Ready Take Home Kit I for Word 2003, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Book Company, 10th Edition, 2006.
• Software: Microsoft Word 2003. You will be able to purchase the software at the student rate from the online bookstore.

OR

• Textbook: Gregg College Keyboarding and Document Processing for Microsoft Offie Word 2007, Ober, Johnson and Zimmerly, McGraw-Hill, 2008
• Software: Microsoft Word 2007. You will be able to purchase the software at the student rate from the online bookstore.

IFor information on how to order your textbooks, go to http://eli.nvcc.edu/books/

Your course grade will be determined according to the following points:

There are 3 exams in this course. You are expected to take your examinations at one of the NVCC campus Testing Centers. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect empl ID number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

I am here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact me when they do:

E-mail : enewsome@nvcc.edu
Telephone : (703) 878-5629
ELI : (703) 323-3347 during my ELI office hours
You may also call me to schedule a meeting in person, either at ELI or my campus office in Woodbridge.

1. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2. Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3. Log on to Blackboard at http://learn.vccs.edu.
4. Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.