1. Technology and the Technical Writing Curriculum
Dr. Robert Bergland
Missouri Western State College
Great Plains Computers and Writing Conference
Peru State College, April 26, 2003

2. Impact of Technology on Field
Fundamental change in what is done and how it is done, perhaps more than any other non-computer/engineering field
Change in what is taught and how it is taught
Instability of tools, technology and skills

3. Impact of Technology on Field
Page design
Web content and design
On-line documentation
Electronic publishing
Multimedia
Interactive training materials
Interactive and MM documentation

4. Ways Curriculum Has Changed
Spectrum--from little change to great
Maintain traditional focus and classes
Interweave technology into existing classes
Add courses which are oriented toward new technology
Add emphasis/concentration areas
Add new tech oriented majors

5. Reasons for Degree of Change
Existing faculty expertise
New hire search
# of majors
$ for new tech purchases
Department history
Institutional history
Other departments’ programs
Existing hard/software
# of courses offered

6. No Technology--Maintain Traditional Focus and Classes
“Luddite” approach
More common at smaller schools with only one or two professional writing classes
Byproduct of lack of computer lab/software facilities or lack of faculty expertise or interest

7. Interweave Tech into Existing Courses
Desire to maintain foundations or principles--fundamentals do not change
Example: Technical documentation course in 1988 used Word/Word Perfect, in 2000 uses Quark and Framemaker

8. Add courses which are oriented toward new technology
Believes that new technologies and distribution methods have changed some traditional Tech Comm foundations
Example: Adding a course in web authoring or multimedia

9. Add emphasis/concentration areas
Creates new tracks to cater to student interests or job market needs
Example: addition of web design minor/emphasis/track/concentration

10. Add new tech oriented majors
Sometimes abandons Tech Comm/ writing focus
Often takes a multi-disciplinary format
Found at some high-tech institutions
Example: Majors in human-computer interaction, digital media, multimedia, information architecture

11. Reasons for Degree of Change
Department history
Institutional history
Other departments’ programs
Existing hard/software
# of courses offered
Existing faculty expertise
New hire search
# of majors
$ for new tech purchases

12. Points to ponder
Benefits and Drawbacks of Each Approach for Schools, Student and Teachers
Need to match approach to needs of school and students
End sum game?