Program/Professional Management/Identity    

Technical communication faces the same identity crisis in 2001 that it did in 1991, 1981, 1971,and 1901. It seems that no matter how much energy technical communicators invest in the development and promotion of their expertise in their social and economic marketplaces, there are always morepeople who do not know what they do or why than there are people who understand what technical communication is. Certainly, this forces program administrators to recycle old arguments while relivingold battles and working to maintain their own institutional and professional integrity. Here, years after the emergence of technical communication as a viable academic pursuit and career choice, people stillwonder if technical communication is a profession or not. There are two sources of identity crisis here: 1) mismatched standards for judging technical communication as a profession, and 2) ill-suited language for framing the qualities of technical communication professionals.

Williamson, William J. CPTSC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Education>TC

Promoting Ethical Practices within Institutions of Higher Education  

The public is continually bombarded with cases of wrongful practices in the work environment. As a result, the public has lost confidence in the ability of corporations and institutions of higher education to train individuals to behave in an ethical manner. Ethical practices in corporate America have resulted in institutions of higher education revisiting their ethical practices, which includes creating a learning environment where students develop the necessary skills to become ethical leaders and citizens. Many colleges and universities have adopted codes of ethics that emphasize core ethical principles and standards for their employees.

Weegar, Mary Anne. Association for Business Communication (2007). Articles>Education>Ethics

Proper Introductions  

Describes how teachers can begin their courses on a positive note by properly introducing students to the course material and to each other.

Doumont, Jean-luc. Intercom (2002). Articles>Education

Proposed Multimedia Courseware Documentation Design  

With the growth of multimedia, design techniques to manage the contents and data structures for the media are becoming required We call this courseware in distinction from hardware or software, and we produce a production model by developing a uique technique not in imitation of the conventional ones using the following three points, layout, framework and linkage management.

Hayashizaki, Akira. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Education>Multimedia>Documentation

Providing a Backbone for an Online Master's Program in Technical Communication    

Classrooms without walls. Textbooks without pages. Thinking outside the box. These are the hip phrases that describe contemporary e-learning. What is it, then, that provides structure, cohesion, and foundation for distance learning degree programs in technical and scientific communication?

Coppola, Nancy W. CPTSC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Education>Online

A Psychologist Astray in Computer Science

While more universities continue to develop HCI degrees and concentrations, things have not progressed this far in most computer science departments. Most computer science students still experience HCI as a single course that is frequently designed for juniors or seniors. Marilyn provides insight gained through ten years of teaching such a course to undergraduate computer science students at the University of Toronto. She began by accepting the reality of a single course, the diverse backgrounds of her students, and fact that many of these students may eventually be designing interfaces.

Mantei-Tremaine, Marilyn. SIGCHI Bulletin (1998). Articles>Education>Usability>Cognitive Psychology

Publications on On-Line Collaboration and Educational Technology

On-line collaboration enriches the educational experience, especially if instructors use software environments that support group-generated projects, products, case studies, and other kinds of academic deliverables. Such activities are not supported well by the standard 'threaded topic' discussion formats of e-mail and message-based conferencing systems.

Klemm, William. Texas A and M University (1998). Articles>Education>Collaboration>Online

Putting "Show Me" Demos to Work  

Follow the top five design tips--the five high C's--for creating a 'show me' demo that sings.

Beren, Wendy G. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Education>Tutorials

Putting A College Course Online: A Development Log  

The high dropout rate for many online college courses is due in part to a failure to adapt teaching materials and methods to the medium and to user needs. The author joined an intensive instructional design project and developed an online college course using WebCT with courseware development software. Constructivist pedagogy and today’s instructional technology are a good match, giving online instructors the conceptual and practical tools they need to construct a rich learning environment. The emphasis on user analysis and meeting users at the point of need inherent in technical communication is also vital to the success of online learning.

Pringle, Mary Margaret. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Online

Quality Systems in Higher Education  

Wiley shares the components of a quality system in higher education and offers examples of quality-management efforts undertaken by institutions of higher education.

Wiley, Ann L. Intercom (2007). Articles>Education>Assessment

Quantitative Evidence For Differences Between Learners Making Use Of Passive Hypermedia Learning Environments  

This paper presents a summary of the results of several relatively large studies which attempted statistical analysis of audit trails created by learners accessing information in typical hypermedia or hypertext learning environments, and interpreted them in relation to learner characteristics and study tasks. Significant differences in the information access strategy, amount of information accessed, student estimates of achievement and knowledge outcome were observed between learners in these studies. This paper concluded that some learners may be systematically disadvantaged where support for (or the delivery of) the curriculum depends on hypermedia, such as via a networked learning environment delivered passively over the WWW. It is suggested that the audit tools available from the WWW provide an opportunity to develop multi-discipline evaluation mechanisms which may enable researchers to provide learners with standard 'learning profiles' with which to reflect on their own learning effectiveness when using hypermedia educational materials.

Quentin-Baxter, Megan. ACM Computing Surveys (1999). Articles>Education>Multimedia

QuarkXpress Training Tutorials

QuarkXpress has become recognised as the world's best Page Layout program. From home users, putting together their club newsletter to multinational publishing giants producing newspapers, magazines and books, QuarkXpress is the standard. This tutorial is geared towards helping first time users become familiar with Quark XPress.

OpenEye. Articles>Education>Document Design>QuarkXPress

Rapid Instructional Design: Does it Really Work? The Pros and Cons  

A leading manufacturer of medical diagnostics products contracted with the consulting group, iDesign & Delivery to develop an e-Learning program for laboratory specialists. The medical diagnostic company is moving to e-Learning programs as a way to reduce expenses associated with classroom training such as development costs, travel expenses, and instructor-led training costs. The e-Learning site needed to provide all of the required training for the laboratory specialists. This training was previously delivered as instructor-led, classroom training, or ad hoc mentor-guided training. Additionally, the requirement of the e-Learning site to be a portal to other sources of knowledge was also part of the client’s vision. A rapid instructional design process was employed by the iDesign development team to meet the aggressive schedule outlined by the client during the proposal phase.

Sutton, Kristen. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>Instructional Design

Rating Classroom Presentations: Does Prior Acquaintance Matter?  

This study examines the effects of acquaintance on performance ratings. Models of cognitive processes in performance rating support the expectation that raters will judge ratees with whom they are acquainted differently from ratees with whom they are not acquainted. To test that expectation, 104 Air Force officers enrolled in Master's Degree communication methods courses watched four video-taped briefings and rated each briefer's performance. This population more accurately represents supervisors in the work force than previous studies. Results show that raters more accurately rated those with whom they were acquainted.

Freda E. Stohrer, James R. Van Scatter, Guy S. Shane, and Jennifer R. Burnett. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Education>Assessment

Re-Creating a PhD: From Technical to Professional Writing  

This presentation will investigate a number of questions involved in re-shaping a program, including: shaping a curriculum that adequately prepares students; creating opportunities to foster PhD candidates' professional development; identifying and capitalizing on our unique program strengths; balancing between theoretical knowledge and applied skills for PhD candidates; maintaining legitimacy in a traditional English department while still teaching applied skills; providing opportunities for intra-disciplinary research; and creating PhD candidates who are excellent teachers, researchers, and practitioners.

Tillery, Denise. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>Graduate>PhD

Re-Thinking Assessment: Assessment Measures for Online Writing Classrooms  

Because of the increase of fully online courses within the University setting, educators need to look more deeply at the teacher and student readiness and success in these environments. Assessment measures, such as self-assessments of technological comfort and online-specific course evaluations can assist with this examination. I will focus this discussion on observations and collection of interview data at Bowling Green State University using second semester fully online writing courses.

Monske, Elizabeth A. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Education>Online>Assessment

Reaching Out: Incorporating the Intercultural in our Programs  

New opportunities for program development are emerging as higher educational institutions are pressed to prepare graduates for the challenges of working in global markets. As communications program designers we must reach out, going beyond disciplinary boundaries in order to acquire new expertise. We need more investment in incorporating the 'intercultural' in our communications programs.

Atkinson, Dianne. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>International

Reading and Writing for Engineering Students  

Since numerous engineering colleges are currently creating or expanding programs in technical communication, many universities are debating whether the program should be placed in the English department or in the college of engineering itself. In arguing for the latter option, a number of technical writing teachers have published the opinion that our courses are markedly different from general courses on expository prose which are taught in English departments. This is true; there are essential points of departure. However, one difference that is frequently cited is the requiring of a good deal of reading during a writing course. This approach is generally associated with English departments, having no relevance to the way technical writing is properly taught. In this paper, I shall present two reasons for including numerous reading assignments when teaching technical writing to engineering students, and I shall suggest methods by which to do so.

Spretnak, Charlene M. JAC (1983). Articles>Education>TC

Recreating the Technical-Writing Classroom on the World Wide Web  

Many of the limitations inherent in technical-writing instruction on the World Wide Web can be overcome by intelligently designed web sites. Web-based instruction here refers to courses, in either the corporate or academic setting, where most ofthe instructional materials are supplied over the WorId Wide Web and where students and instructors communicate and exchange writing projects through e-mail. Acknowledging that few instructors have the expertise or technical support to create such web facilities, this paper makes available annotated Per1 source code for instructors ’ use or customization.

McMurrey, David A. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Online

Redefining Curriculum and Research Initiatives: The Human Computer Interaction Certificate Program, A Year Later  

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Graduate Certificate in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) celebrates its first birthday this spring. This program was the result of a joint university and industry partnership between RPI and IBM. Join the team as they discuss the HCI Certificate Program, a year in review.

Hans, David F., Roger A. Grice, Edward J. See and Robert Krull. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Education>Human Computer Interaction

Reflections of a GTA on the Teaching of Technical Writing

Though I have a degree in technical communication and have worked as a technical writer for four years, I still had no idea what should be taught in a technical writing classroom, or how one should go about teaching it. Before I ventured into the arena as an instructor, I wanted to find out what goes on in a technical writing classroom. Two types of practical research that I thought would provide some insight into technical writing instruction were: an observation of different technical communication classrooms; and a survey of various textbooks available for technical communication courses.

Anderson, Ginger. Michigan Tech University (1998). Articles>Education>TC>Technical Writing

Reinventing Invention: Writing Across the Curriculum without WAC      

Work for this essay began with a problem that will sound all too familiar to most of us in higher education: It has recently dawned upon administrators and faculty in many departments across our university's curriculum that our students can't write. Or more accurately, enough of our students write poorly enough that we have cause for concern. This concern is usually expressed in the uneqresolution that something ought to be done.

Odell, Lee and Burt Swersey. LLAD (2002). Articles>Education>Writing

The Relationship of Academic Programs to Industry  

Located within the School of Engineering, Mercer University’s academic programs blend industry needs, academic breadth, and innovative program design to influence the future development of the technical communication profession.

Davis, Marjorie T., Helen M. Grady and David C. Leonard. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Education

Remarks on Composition to the Yale English Department

What can I say about composition that will be useful to the Yale English department in setting up a good writing program? It's clear to me that I won't need to say anything about special teaching methods that are tailor-made for the Yale scene. Yale's admissions policy guarantees that entering freshmen are going to be very diverse in their backgrounds and in their writing skills, and Yale will want to adapt to this diversity by using methods that are flexible and eclectic. Even if Yale did try to create a novel program that could serve as a model for the rest of the nation, it's doubtful that the elements of the program could be new or that the human mind could devise more methods and programs than have already been tried out. The problem will be to choose methods intelligently and to apply them well; and in order to do this, the one thing needful is not machinery but motivation—professorial motivation.

Hirsch, E.D., Jr. ADE Bulletin (1979). Articles>Education>Graduate>Writing

Remediation, Genre, and Motivation: Key Concepts for Teaching with Weblogs

The concept of genre, as developed in the work of rhetoric and composition scholars like Carolyn Miller, Charles Bazerman, and Richard Coe, offers a key to understanding both formal features and motivations for weblogging, and their view of genres as dynamic and evolving complements Jay David Bolter and Richard Grusin’s theory of new media: remediation. Our goal in this paper is to bring some greater specificity to, and advance the understanding of, weblogs as educational tools relevant to any class that takes writing and reading seriously.

Brooks, Kevin, Cindy Nichols and Sybil Priebe. Into the Blogosphere (2004). Articles>Education>Writing>Blogging