I teach technical writing in a computer lab, so every student has a computer, and they are used multiple times during the class period, from online quizzes to searches for job postings to reviewing their peers’ work in a review forum. Juniors and seniors make up almost all of the course, and over 60% of the class is in some kind of engineering major with most of the remaining students pursuing a science or medical degree. These students are gifted in their specialty, but they may not have considered how they can showcase their knowledge and skills to the wider world.
One of the ways I teach the course is to have students consider their personal brand and complete an e-portfolio as part of a semester-long project. This project has five stages, and each one incorporates numerous elements of technology.
Job Application Package
The first assignment gets students thinking about their professional brand and how they want to present themselves in the working world. Students are required to find a job ad online and then write a resume, cover memo, and supporting documents (including a thank-you email for an interview and a job-rejection follow up email). They also write an instructor memo to explain their rhetorical choices.
One of the first activities the class does (on day two of the semester) is research a company. Typically, I have a speaker from a local company come in to discuss the hiring process with students, so they have to research that company. I say to the class, “You are all my employees. Find a partner and imagine I just walked into your cubicle and said, ‘Tell me everything you know about X Company. Meet me in my office in five minutes.'” This scenario sets a time limit, enables students to divide the work, and makes them think about what a boss might want to know about a company. I mention many things they may not have thought of, like the geographical location, cost of living, annual sales, social media presence, employee reviews, and so on.
We follow this assignment by having students find a job ad and then researching the company that posted the ad. Since students have the previous assignment fresh in their minds, they are able to do their research more effectively.
The e-Portfolio
After students complete their resume package and determine their personal brand, I introduce the semester-long project, the e-portfolio. Students are required to create a personal website with at least three writing samples, a biography, their resume, and reflections on writing. In the initial stages, I guide students through creating a website shell (so that they can add content as the semester progresses), present formatting options, and discuss accessibility issues.
Usability Study
Students are divided into teams of three or four to complete a usability study of a document (instruction set, application form, or some other piece of technical writing). Although the final project, a memo about the effectiveness of the piece of writing, is important, half of the grade comes from how well students work in a team. They are required to have meetings and communication in-person and online, learn various technologies for communicating in a group, and communicate this information to me. While writing is a huge part of technical communication, team work and how to communicate in a team through technological means is vital.
Technical Definition and Description
In order to teach students what this project is, I use examples of visuals online to illustrate the difference between something designed for a lay audience and one for a technical audience. Since we can all see the image at the same time, students can discuss as a group.
Image Source
Image Source
Instruction Set
As a classroom activity, students go to a website that links numerous instruction sets for board games. With a partner or group of three, students complete a usability study on the rules. This is just one of many examples of ways I have students use the internet for sources and discussions in this course.
