Education in Technical Communication Past, Present, India’s Future ? Presented to The STC India Annual Conference, Bangalore Presented by Carol M. Barnum, Ph.D.

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum2 What we’ll cover the evolution of technical writing the rapid U.S. expansion of programs the development of a professional community the situation in India the early efforts at collaboration

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum3 Part 1: The Evolution of Technical Writing

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum4 How it started emerged in the U.S. during World War II supported the technology developed in –engineering –computer science –medicine and health care –other technical fields

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum5 After WWII G.I. Bill - older, career-oriented college population increased interest in engineering programs service course in technical writing for engineers

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum6 Service course broadened to reflect growing need pharmacy agriculture chemistry home economics

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum7 Where technical writers worked military, manufacturing, or domestic product industry engineering departments or organizations science and research labs

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum8 Where technical writing was taught Engineering schools –by engineers –for engineers English departments –to engineering, science, and technical majors

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum9 Course content reports –feasibility studies –recommendation reports –status/progress reports –investigative reports proposals instructions (procedures) descriptions

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum10 First textbooks s large increase in composition and technical writing courses rhetoric based - emphasis on writing process and audience focus on products or genres new interest in proposal writing

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum11 Professional organizations Society of Technical Writers and Editors (1953) The Association of Technical Writers and Editors (1954) two organizations merged to become the Society of Technical Writers and Editors (1957) Renamed the Society for Technical Communication (1971)

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum12 First programs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute –MA in Rhetoric and Technical Communication –Technical Writers Institute

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum13 Part 2: Paradigm shift

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum14 Computers entered the mainstream Mainframe computers found commercial uses in 1960s 1960— 2000 computers in U.S. 1970—125,000 computers in U.S Apple II; 1981 IBM PC; 1984 Apple Macintosh 1985— 500,000 computers in U.S. 1990—World Wide Web

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum15 Discipline of technical communication s 10 academic programs –graduate programs added at MIT and Michigan Short courses for industry –offered by many institutions including MIT, Michigan, Georgia Tech Academic journals –Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum16 Academic organizations -1970s Association of Teachers of Technical Writing/Technical Writing Teacher Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication –19 programs in 1976 directory –51 programs in 1981 directory

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum17 Technical writing majors -1980s technical writing developed into technical communication graduate programs increased research published National Council of Teachers of English Committee on Technical and Scientific Communication established annual awards for technical communication publications

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum18 Technical communication -late 1980s to 90s shift from writing practice to theory shift from product emphasis to process approach (using composition theory) 203 programs (11 doctoral programs) in STC survey -1993

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum19 Technical communication majors write documentation (instructions) for computer hardware and software –on paper –online reports and proposals

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum20 Technical communication majors also write and design advertising materials articles, newsletters, press releases (marketing) newspaper and magazine pieces (journalism) training materials (print and online) Corporate communication web pages

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum21 Technical communication majors edit writing of others –documentation –engineering –medicine/healthcare

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum22 Careers in technical communication US Department of Labor - in top 10 fastest growing fields high starting salaries excellent career mobility

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum23 Work in many industries and government computer industry all areas of engineering local, state, and national government environmental safety health care and medicine training translation and localization

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum24 Future of technical communication continued expansion into new areas –internet (World Wide Web) –intranet –usability testing continued need to learn new tools and technology

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum25 Society for Technical Communication 25,000 members worldwide chapters around the world including –Canada –Europe (10 chapters) –New Zealand, Australia –Singapore –Taipei –Tokyo –India

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum26 Education in technical communication today more than 220 programs listed on STC website –most are in U.S. –Canada –France, Sweden, Netherlands –Germany (just starting 4-yr. program) –New Zealand –India (more about this later)

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum27 Types of programs two-year programs in technical schools certificates (undergrad, post grad and noncredit) BA and BS programs in colleges and universities distance learning/internet programs

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum28 Types of programs (cont.) Post-graduate programs –technical communication –rhetoric and composition –journalism –English –instructional technology –information design STC website lists 22 Ph.D. programs

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum29 Close ties with industry Advisory boards internships for students and faculty relevant work experience by faculty guest speakers from business and industry scholarships for students –from industry & business –from STC chapters

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum30 Part 3: Situation in India

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum31 IT software service professionals in India : 280,000 Jan. 2001:410,000 (according to Profit Magazine, Aug. 2001)

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum32 Technical communicators in India estimate of 600 (according to Frederick Menezes, article on twin-india.org)

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum33 Number of university degree programs in India zero

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum34 STC website lists program in India Indian National Scientific Documentation Center –A constituent of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Govt. of India –2-yr. Certificate, Associate of Applied Science

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum35 Other efforts underway SA International, Chennai, in association with Simon Fraser University, Canada –Certificate in technical writing Calicut University, as part of Mass Communication/Journalism course –Optional paper in technical writing Technowrites, Pune –Some basic courses in technical writing

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum36 India has 213 universities Resident university programs needed More collaborations needed that lead to BA, BS, and MA/MS degrees STC India is in the forefront of efforts to educate about the need

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum37 Collaboration efforts continue 350,000 students in University of Bombay 23 universities in Hyderabad Sind National Collegiate Board (HSNCB) Exchange agreement in place between University System of Georgia and HSNCB Interest in developing technical writing

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum38 Technical writing seminar 3 days in March, 2002 Program for management students in business college Program for faculty and administrators Outcome unknown …to be continued?

STC India ConferenceCarol Barnum39 Let’s work together to make it happen