#28889
The incorporation of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in the teaching-learning process of technical education programs in Indian universities is a relatively recent and gradual phenomenon. Most technical education colleges in the country still follow the traditional classroom and blackboard oriented teaching approach. This study, conducted on a group of engineering students at Agra, India, evaluated the impact of using web-based audio-visual study aids alongside (and as a supplement to) the traditional classroom teaching methodology and observed a substantial improvement in the students' academic performance.
Sinha, Madhulika. International Journal for Technical Communication (2007). Articles>Education>Engineering>Online
#23598
Implementing the Online Classroom: Curriculum Development, Tutoring, and Teaching Initiatives 
Three facets of implementing the online classroom at University of Maryland University College have yielded promising results. The first facet, Curriculum Development, involved remaking a popular writing course. Humanities 390, Writing for Managers, was redesigned for online delivery with a new Course Guide, a revised syllabus, and new assignments, activities, and presentation strategies. The second facet, Tutoring, was realized in a project to match student users with online tutors for basic writing instruction. The third facet, Teaching, has provided training and support for online faculty -- including computer conferencing on Writing and faculty workshops for 'going online.'
Burke, Kathleen M. and Susan Nickens. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Education>Online
#22088
The Importance of Staff Induction
Staff induction activities are designed to provide new-starters with the information they need, as well as getting them up to speed on how the organisation works. Induction processes are vital to ensuring that new staff are productive as quickly as possible, and should play a key role in knowledge management initiatives.
Robertson, James. Step Two (2004). Articles>Education>Tutorials
#29823
Improved Student Writing in Business Communication Classes: Strategies For Teaching And Evaluation 
Students in business communication classes are expected to write various types of documents. Research has illustrated that undergraduate student writing skills have not improved even though most states have begun writing proficiency tests at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. By the time students enroll in college, students are expected to be proficient writers. In some cases, this is true. In far too many cases, students continue to need writing development. In business communication classes, these weaknesses cannot be ignored. This article's purpose is to give guidance to instructors to motivate their students to produce better written products. The difficulty is how to do this most effectively. The authors present some ideas on how to improve student writing through some creative teaching and evaluation strategies.
Stowers, Robert H. and Randolph T. Barker. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2003). Articles>Education>Business Communication>Writing
#26607
This paper describes the progress of an original pilot program that used surveys and reported results from students and faculty concerning student improvement in writing and presentation skills from a convenience sample of courses. Based on the responses to these surveys a pre-test writing instrument and a presentation assessment instrument were designed for and administered to incoming students during their MBA orientation session. Also included in the orientation session were two modules that focused on plagiarism issues and the use of web-based technology for research. This program will be expanded to include post-writing critiques and portfolio communication evaluations.
Alpern, Barbara E., David C. Odett and Richard Pietila. Association for Business Communication (2004). Articles>Education>Business Communication
#18405
I am not in favor of deception, trickery, fraud, or swindle. What I wish to change are the curriculum and examination practices of our school systems that insist on unaided work, arbitrary learning of irrelevant and uninteresting facts. I'd like to move them toward an emphasis on understanding, on knowing how to get to an answer rather than knowing the answer, and on cooperation rather than isolation. Cheating that involves deceit is, of course wrong, but we should examine the school practices that lead to cheating: change the practices, and the deceit will naturally diminish.
Norman, Donald A. JND.org (2001). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Testing
#30841
Incorporating Film Into the Research Paper
Teachers face two serious difficulties when assigning research papers. The first appears to be an issue of motivation but is really one of mental disposition. Many students are so deeply influenced by contemporary visual culture--especially by film--that they lack familiarity with close reasoning. They are accustomed to absorbing entertaining, but loosely connected, streams of images in an impressionistic way and are uneasy and anxious when given a major assignment in an exclusively written medium. Inexperienced in the systematic compilation and analysis of information, they often perform poorly. These students may appear to be unenthusiastic about their topics; in fact, they do badly because they are methodologically disoriented. They run aground while sailing in the unfamiliar seas of organized, sequential, linear logic. This problem often shows itself in the frequent, and frequently gratuitous, use of illustrations in research papers. Instructors often comment that 'students love pictures.' It would be more accurate to say that students understand pictures and are comfortable with them. The second difficulty is a by-product of the Web. Plagiarism has become so widespread that it poses a real threat to the academic enterprise. Yet its detection is both difficult and time-consuming, and an instructor must be on absolutely solid ground before bringing a student up on such serious charges. Furthermore, even if available, an expensive counter-plagiarism program such as Turnitin cannot always deliver conclusive evidence. Plagiarism must be addressed, but today, articles that existed previously only in print can be optically scanned, free essays are available online, and papers can be purchased and downloaded from numerous commercial outlets. We have addressed both of these problems by strategically using appropriate motion pictures as entrees into the subject matter and as points of comparison to help organize research papers. We first provide our students with a list of films that bear on relevant topics.
Fontenot, Michael J. and Karen A. Fontenot. Business Communication Quarterly (2008). Articles>Education>Research>Multimedia
#20077
Incorporating Human-Computer Interface (HCI) Technology Into the Technical Writer’s Role
At last year’s STC corlference in Seattle, Dr. Donald Norman spoke about the technical writing community becoming an integral part qf the design/development team. The HCI certificate program qfered through Renesselaer Polytechnic Institute @PI,) provides information and teaches skills that enable the technical communicator to become a valuable part of that team. This paper discusses my experience incorporating what I learned in the HCI class on a work project.
Oakley, Joanne. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Education>Human Computer Interaction>Technical Writing
#22769
Peer review is an exercise in which students review each other's written work. Peer review is often connected to revision, a part of the writing process in which writers refine and make substantive changes to their written work.
University of Minnesota (2004). Articles>Education>Editing>Writing
#22768
Revision refers to the process of reviewing one's work and making changes (either local or global) to improve the writing. Most teachers of writing encourage students to revise their work by creating drafts and going through a process of review -- either by having teacher review drafts or having other students review drafts.
University of Minnesota (2004). Articles>Education>Editing>Writing
#30725
This study investigates the influence of students' perceptions of task similarity/ difference on the transfer of writing skills. A total of 42 students from a freshman ESL writing course completed an out-of-class writing task. For half of the students, the subject matter of the writing task was designed to be similar to the writing course; for the other half, it was designed to be different. All students were also interviewed about the writing task. Reports of learning transfer were identified in the interview transcripts, and students' performances on the task and on a recent assignment from the course were assessed. Results indicate that the intended task similarity/difference (i.e., in subject matter) did not have the expected impact on learning transfer; however, students' perceptions of task similarity/difference did influence learning transfer. Implications of these findings for theory, practice, and future research are discussed.
James, Mark Andrew. Written Communication (2008). Articles>Education>Writing>Language
#19791
Our technical writers and course developers share several objectives. We must provide task oriented information to our customers, we create information for a variety of products, and we follow a similar information development cycle. We also spend a great deal of time re-creating the same information over and over. To make our efforts more efficient, and to creole better information for our customers, we’ve changed the way we think of information, how we initially create the information, and how we store and retrieve the information. This paper describes the methods we chose to accomplish these goals, the tools we use, and our successes, failures and frustrations.
Brockett, Susan H., James Cox, Lelanie S. Hellmer and Susan Katz. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Documentation>Education
#23381
Institutional Boundaries and Finding a Voice in Emerging Technical Communication Programs
The border between institution types has long been a site of conflict and interest in the field of technical communication. One related border is becoming increasingly important: the border(s) between a diversifying range of institutions interested in technical communication and the PhD-granting institutions supplying them with teachers/scholars.
Knievel, Michael. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>TC
#22446
Institutionally Mapping Professional Writing
We think it is critically important-especially in a time of declining budgets-for professional writing programs to position themselves in a vital and robust location in the university, and probably outside it as well. What institutional location(s) can best guarantee that professional writing thrive, and also provide it an opportunity to have significant impact?
Grabill, Jeffrey T. and James E. Porter. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>Business Communication
#13311
Instruction-Writing Exercises (for High School)
These guidelines and 14 scaffolded exercises respond to the unmet need for a psychologically solid, work-relevant way to learn technical writing by students who are NOT facile writers already.
Girill, T.R. STC East Bay (2001). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Documentation
#14129
Instructional Design and Learning Theory
To students of instructional design the introduction and subsequent 'sorting out' of the various learning theories and associated instructional design strategies can be somewhat confusing. It was out of this feeling of cognitive dissonance that this site was born. Why does it seem so difficult to differentiate between three basic theories of learning? Why do the names of theorists appear connected to more than one theory? Why do the terms and strategies of each theory overlap? The need for answers to these questions sparked my investigation into the available literature on learning theories and their implications for instructional design. I found many articles and internet sites that dealt with learning theory and ID, in fact, it was difficult to know when and where to draw the line. When I stopped finding new information, and the articles were reaffirming what I had already read, I began to write.
Mergel, Brenda. University of Saskatchewan (1998). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Theory
#14737
Instructional Design and Software Quality Assurance, Part II
In the second article of his two-part series on the application of principles of instructional design to quality assurance processes, Nayar discusses how these principles affect document development.
Nayar, Pawan. Intercom (2002). Articles>Education>Instructional Design
#23314
An Instructor Internship In Technical Writing
We cause ourselves problems by not knowing what our counterparts in industry are doing. In my case, I taught the textbook in my first business and technical writing courses at Indiana University East, Richmond.
Driggers, Stephen. ADE Bulletin (1986). Articles>Education>Writing>Technical Writing
#14218
Integrating Academics and Industry: A Challenge for Both Sides
Rapidly emerging technologies are bringing radical changes and challenges to today’s workplace, not just for our own profession but for many others as well. As society’s information needs change, so do the roles of technical communicators. Even the questions technical communicators face are constantly evolving: Which medium to use—and when, and how? Paper or online? Verbal or visual? Such questions were unheard of when many of us entered the profession, but they are commonplace for many practicing technical communicators today (as they certainly will be for many of today’s university students in their careers—and it’s impossible to guess what other questions will be just as routine for them, questions we cannot predict because quite likely the concepts and gadgets and words involved do not yet exist).
Sutliff, Kristene. Journal of Computer Documentation (2000). Articles>Education>TC
#30695
Integrating Business Core Knowledge Through Upper Division Report Composition
The most ambitious project of many undergraduate business communication courses is the formal report. This assignment typically requires the use of many writing skills nurtured throughout the course. Skills such as proper style, tone, organization, flow, and mechanics are enhanced through the writing of memos and various types of letters (persuasive, bad news, etc.). While these skills are all evident in a report, it is a much different kind of document. This synthesis of writing skills can be complemented by the integration of fundamental business subject knowledge. Both skill sets can be concurrently developed through business simulation report assignments, particularly in upper division business communication courses. Such courses are often required in business programs where students have already completed courses in business law, management, basic business statistics, and computer applications. Choosing an appropriate topic and scope for such a report writing assignment can be challenging. As offered in Business Communication Quarterly, many good assignments lend themselves to adoption, each with varying degrees of flexibility, coverage of current topics, and data analysis requirements. The following formal report assignment provides the opportunity to present a wide enough scope to integrate several business disciplines.
Roach, Joy, Daniel Tracy and Kay Durden. Business Communication Quarterly (2007). Articles>Education>Business Communication>Reports
#23715
Engineering 100/University Course 163 at the University of Michigan is structured as if the students were staff engineers for a company, and we have integrated technical communication by having the students write a laboratory report for the company managerial staff. Acunique component of this assignment is that the lab manager is equally able to evaluate the technical material as well as the communication in the reports. The students responded positively to the experience, but the results show a continued need to emphasize the informational needs of the audience regarding lab protocol and recommendations for future research.
Sulewski, Rob. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>TC
#30150
Integrating New Technology into Technical Communication Curricula
An increasing number of articles are appearing in communications journals calling for the need for instruction in new technology in the classroom. However, there are several obstacles in integrating new technology, such as Iack of teacher experience, lack of equipment, and adjusting the curriculum. To successfully integrate new technology into the curriculum, technical communication educators need to cooperate with other departments, make themselves available for training, and decide on which courses will integrate which technologies.
Campbell, Jennifer. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Education>Technology
#13856
Integrating Service Learning and Technical Communication: Benefits and Challenges
Our ethnographic study of a service-learning class revealed some students benefited in developing civic values, improving academic learning, and accepting responsibility for their own education. Other students struggled to see the connection between technical communication and service learning, felt frustrated with nonacademic writing, and experienced team conflict. We must redefine both technical communication and service learning, help students make the transition to the workplace, and educate community organizations about the role of technical communicators.
Matthews, Catherine and Beverly B. Zimmerman. Technical Communication Quarterly (1999). Articles>Education>Service Learning
#13912
Integrating Technical Editing Students into a Multidisciplinary Engineering Project
A three-year experiment in integrating technical editing students into a multidisciplinary engineering design project developed several ways of helping students apply classroom learning to practical problems. Each year, the engineering students formed Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) and the technical editing students provided editorial support, first as full members of IPTs, then as separate editorial support teams. Research from cooperative learning and teamwork indicates strategies and techniques for best integrating the technical editing students.
Norman, Rose L. and Robert A. Frederick. Technical Communication Quarterly (2000). Articles>Education>Engineering
#23287
Integrating the Web into Education for Technical Communication Majors: A Process-Oriented Approach
As the work of professional technical communicators has broadened in scope, so has the challenge of integrating this broader range of concerns into everyday practice.Within the academic world, the response has usually been separate courses. Many undergraduate and master's programs in technical communication sport courses in usability testing, visual communication, project management, and technical writing and editing.
Carliner, Saul. Saul Carliner Studio (2002). Articles>Education>Online
