Definitions of the field

Reading:

• Dubinsky- "Becoming User-Centered, Reflective Practitioners" (Teaching TC p. 1)
• Miller "A Humanistic Rationale for Technical Writing" (Teaching TC p.15)
• Dayton & Bernhardt- "Results of a survey of ATTW members, 2003. Technical Communication Quarterly" (PDF)
• Dobrin- "What's Technical about Technical Writing?" (PDF)
  

Reading:

• Allen- "The Case Against Defining Technical Writing"(Teaching TC p. 67)
• Conners- "The Rise of Technical Writing Instructions in America" (Teaching TC p. 77)
• Durak- "Gender, Technology, and the History of Technical Communication" (Teaching TC p. 99)
• Miller- "What's Practical about Technical Writing?" (Teaching TC p. 154)
• Thralls & Blyler- "The Social Perspective and Pedagogy in Technical Communication" (Teaching TC p. 110)

Tim facilitates discussion

Program Resource Sharing

Discuss findings from journal/program resource assignment

Reading:

• Kalmbach- "Technical Reports as Rhetorical Practice" (Resources in TC p. 21)
• Allen- "The Impact of Student Learning Outcomes Assessment on Technical and Professional Communication Programs" (PDF)
• Allen & Benninghoff- "TPC Program Snapshots: Developing Curricula and Addressing Challenges" (PDF)
• Blakeslee & Spilka- The State of Research in Technical Communication" (PDF)

Becki facilitates discussion

Journal Resource Sharing

Discuss findings from journal/program resource assignment

Reading:

• Cooper- "Exlpoding the Myth of Transparent Communication" (Resources in TC p. 309)
• Sheppard- "Using Multiple Source Research to Create Persuasive Evidence-based Communication" (Resources in TC p. 37)
• Cargile Cook- "Layered Literacies: A Theoretical Frame for Technical Communication Pedagogy" (PDF)
• Faber & Johnson-Eilola- "Migrations: Strategic Thinking about the Future(s) of Technical Communication" (PDF)

Lisa facilitates discussion

Textbook Review due

Discuss textbook reviews, relation of texts to classroom practice, and included pedagogical material

Reading:

• Freedman & Adam- "Learning to Write Professionally: 'Situated Learning' and the Transition from University to Professional Discourse" (Teaching TC p. 310)
• Blakeslee- "Bridgling the Workplace and the Academy: Teaching Professional Genres through Classroom-Workplace Collaborations" (Teaching TC p.348)
• Spilka- "Communicating across Organizational Boundaries: A Challenge for Workplace Professionals" (Teaching TC p.372)
• Paré- "Keeping Writing in Its Place: A Participatory Action Approach: to Workplace Communication" (PDF)

Ashley facilitates discussion

Common Assignment Review due

Discuss common assignments, genres, and approaches

Reading:

• Smith Taylor & Young- "Using Client-based Writing to Teach Problem-Solving" (Resources in TC p. 7)
• Savage & Hunt- "Preparing Students for Service-Learning Contexts with Case Studies, Scenarios, and Workplace Writer Studies" (Resources in TC p. 109)
• Turnley- "Integrating Critical Approaches to Technology and Service-Learning Projects" (PDF)
• Smith Taylor- "Assessment in Client-based Technical Writing Classes: Evolution of Teacher and Client Standards" (PDF)
• Kastman Breuch- "The Overruled Dust Mite: Preparing Technical Communication Students to Interact with Clients" (PDF)

Jeany facilitates discussion

Syllabi Review due

Discuss syllabi reviews and common approaches to teaching undergraduate technical/professional communication courses

Reading:

• Kastman Breuch- "Thinking Critically about Technological Literacy: Developing a Framework to Guide Computer Pedagogy in Technical Communication" (Teaching TC p.481)
• Selfe- "Technological Activism: Understanding and Shaping Environments for Technology-Rich Communication" (Resources in TC p. 145)
• WIDE Research Center Collective- "Why Teach Digital Writing?" (Kairos- available at http://kairos.technorhetoric.net/10.1/binder2.html?coverweb/wide/index.html
• Gurak & Duin- "The Impact of the Internet and Digital Technologies on Teaching and Research in Technical Communication" (PDF)
• Duffelmeyer- "Learning to Learn: New TA Preparation in Computer Pedagogy" (PDF)

Miley and Ricci facilitate discussion

Instructor Survey/Interview due

Discuss findings of survey/interviews, contexts for teaching English 218 and 318, ideas for evolution of the course at the individual, departmental, or disciplinary level

Reading:

• Mirel- "Advancing a Vision of Usability" (Teaching TC p.218)
• Redish- "What Is Information Design?" (Teaching TC p.211)
• Johnson-Eilola & Selber- "Understanding Usabiliity Approaches" (Resources in TC p. 195)
• Schneider- "Usable Pedaogies: Usability, Rhetoric, and Sociocultural Pedagogy in the Technical Writing Classroom" (PDF)

Jen and Rebecca facilitate discussion

Look at pedagogical affordances of different online/distance technologies

Reading:

• Cargile Cook- "An Argument for Pedagogy-Driven Online Education" (PDF)
• Whithaus & Neff- "Contact and Interactivity: Social Constructionist Pedagogy in a Video-based, Management Writing Course" (PDF)
• Hewett & Powers- "Guest Editors' Introduction: Online Teaching and Learning: Preparation, Development, and Organizational Communication" (PDF)
• Meloncon- "Exploring Electronic Landscapes: Technical Communication, Onlline Learning, and Instructor Preparedness" (PDF)
• Davis- "Applying Technical Communication Theory to the Design of Online Education" (PDF)
• Grady & Davis- "Teaching Well Online with Instructional and Procedural Scaffolding" (PDF)

Marc facilitates discussion

Write-up of major assignment for syllabus due

Peer feeback on assignment write-ups

Reading:

• Kitalong-Will- "Analyzing the Interactive Audience: Constructing a Communal Knowledge Base" (Resources in TC p. 179)
• Blakelock & Smith- "Distance Learning: From Multiple Snapshots, a Composite Portrait" (PDF)
• Hewett- "Synchronous Online Conference-based Instruction: A Study of Whiteboard Interactions and Student Writing" (PDF)
• Carr, Morrison, Cox, & Deacon- "Weathering Wikis: Net-based Learning Meets Political Science in a South African University"(PDF)
• Coppola- "Changing Roles for Online Teachers of Technical Communicaiton" (PDF)

Ryan facilitates discussion

Draft of syllabus due

Peer feedback on syllabi drafts

Reading:

• Wysocki- "Using Design Approaches to Help Students Develop Engaging and Effective Materials that Teach Scientific Concepts" (Resources in TC p. 63)
• Cooper- "Bringing Forth Worlds" (PDF)
• Journet- "Inventing Myself in Multimodality: Encouraging Senior Faculty to Use Digital Media" (PDF)
• Sorapure- "Text, Image, Code, Comment: Writing in Flash" (PDF)

Shanon and Norma facilitate discussion

Look at software applications for supporting visual and verbal communication development

Reading:

• Brumberger- "Visual Communication in the Workplace: A Survey of Practice" (PDF)
• Kitalong- "Select, Interpret, Produce: A Three-Part Model for Teaching Information Graphics" (Resources in TC p. 241)
• Ericsson- " Listen Up! Oral Presentations in the Technical Communication Classroom" (Resources in TC p. 265)
• Bays- "Let's Talk: Preparing Students for Speaking and Listening in the Workplace" (Resources in TC p. 281)

Elizabeth and Julie facilitate discussion

Reading:

• Gurak & Bayer- "Making Gender Visible: Extending Feminist Critiques of Technology to Technical Communication" (Teaching TC p.446)
• Lay- "Feminist Theory and the Redefinition of Technical Communicaiton" (Teaching TC p.428)
• Thrush- "Multicultural Issues in Technical Communication" (Teaching TC p.414)
• Praetorius- "Adapting Communication to Cultural and Organizational Change" Resources in TC p. 125)

Elaine and Frank facilitate discussion