Classroom Talk: Part II  

Want tips for organizing your first class, handling small groups, and facilitating large group discussion? Campbell's column provides useful tips.

Campbell, Alexa. Intercom (2006). Articles>Education

Free Professional Development: Starting a Journal Club

Have you ever wished that someone would offer advanced training for technical communicators in your community? In Winnipeg, we certainly did. However, we found that most training is expensive. Our chapter would bring in workshop leaders, but have difficulty getting enough people to sign up. Those of us who wanted training often had to leave the city, but not all of us could get our companies to pay to send us for training, or even to annual conferences. About four years ago, the Manitoba chapter stumbled upon an easy, cheap solution: We started a journal club. Four times a year, several chapter members meet to discuss the contents of the latest issue of Technical Communication.

Campbell, Alexa. Tieline (2003). Articles>TC>Community Building

Teaching Professionalism in the Classroom    

Looks at what it means to be professional as a technical writer, as a teacher, and as a student and explains how to teach professionalism in the classroom.

Campbell, Alexa. Intercom (2008). Articles>Education>TC>Professionalism

Review: Technical Communication  

Rebecca E. Burnett covers all the topics you'd expect in an introductory textbook for technical communicators. And she covers them thoroughly.

Campbell, Alexa. Technical Communication Online (2003). Articles>Reviews>Textbooks>Technical Writing

Using Humor in the Technical Writing Classroom    

Humor in the classroom is about engagement and involvement. Learn some new techniques to use and when to tread carefully.

Campbell, Alexa. Intercom (2008). Articles>Education>Writing>Technical Writing

Teaching Students in Trades and Technologies    

Teaching students in academic settings can be very different than teaching technical communication to nonacademic students. Campbell gives tips on how to teach those in trades and technologies effectively.

Campbell, Alexa. Intercom (2008). Articles>Education>TC

Keeping Current    

In any field of applied studies such as technical communication, you have to be aware of industry changes. Keeping current with research and academic journals is important, but so is keeping current with what is going on in your industry, particularly in your own city. If you are educating people to get jobs as technical communicators, then you need to be sure you are giving them the right training for the markets they are entering.

Campbell, Alexa. Intercom (2009). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Usability

The Perils of Passion in the Classroom    

Discusses the intricacies of burnout and how to recognize, prevent, and cure it.

Campbell, Alexa. Intercom (2009). Articles>Education>Instructional Design