Unit 2

Reading Assignments On the Unit 2 Reading Page, click the link to take you to this article: "Podcasting: A new layer of communication" by Tom Johnson. Visit the Kaplan Library to access this article: Salz, P. (2006). Social networking tools on the road to enlightenment. EContent, 29(8), Retrieved from Business Source Premier.

Discussion #1 Technology and technical writing (1 of 2) Technology can be exciting and its use an incredible asset to many companies. Along with all the pros associated with new communication technologies comes caution. This week’s Discussion asks you to think critically about the two articles in the reading section. Consider the technology they discuss from both an employer and employee’s perspective; also, consider your own experiences with these technologies, and other related technologies as they may be used in the workplace. What are some of the benefits of online collaborative tools and social networking, and what are some of the drawbacks? For instance, in “Social Networking Tools…” the author mentions creating a ““thermograph of an organization”” to find the ““hotspots of innovation and the cold spots within an organization.”” While this sounds extraordinary from an employer or stakeholder’s perspective, what could this type of technology mean for the worker bees in an organization? This is just one example of how to use the reading to answer this question. You do not have to answer this question specifically, but you can instead use any of the articles to discuss other technologies mentioned. Contribute to this week’s discussion by responding to at least two student posts per thread by offering comments about experiences you have had with collaborative technological tools or further the conversation by offering thoughts about their critical assessment of the reading.

Discussion #2 Technology tools on the internet (2 of 2) The Internet is a great resource for software trial downloads and online tools; these resources can contribute to networking, communication, content management, multimedia development, and other tasks technical communicators are often assigned. Often, it is expected that technical communicators have significant knowledge of technology options available for use in the workplace; it becomes your role to research and keep abreast of new resources and their value throughout your career. The open-source content management system, Drupal, is an example of an Internet resource that a company may rely on in order to organize their documents. For this discussion assignment, find specific software or a tool on the Internet which can be realistically used in a workplace scenario. Consider finding a practical and unique resource to share with the class. Provide a link to the relevant website, along with responding in paragraph format to the following requirements: Summarize the resource by explaining how it is used and what purpose it can serve in the workplace Define the resource’s strengths and weaknesses Theorize the challenges that may be encountered when adopting the resource, or the questions/concerns users may have; explain how you might overcome these issues

Seminar What is web conferencing? Wikis? Podcasts? What are other current communication and/or online collaborative tools on the market today? How could these collaborative tools be used by a technical writer as an effective means of working with a group of experts to create one cohesive document? How can you get some first-hand experience with this type of technology as a student?