Here Comes That Song Again: The Theory and Practice Blues
http://www.cptsc.org/conferences/2000/AllenN.html
  peer-reviewed

Allen, Nancy J.
CPTSC Proceedings
2000

Abstract:

An issue that continues to affect our strategies for developing undergraduate programs is the old contest between theory and practice, or, as it frequently occurs in technical communication programs, between theory and tools. Should we focus our undergraduate programs on understanding principles of communication in the technical world or should we focus on teaching the tools that are called for in the job ads for technical communicators?