RE: Tech Writers & Educational Material

["D. Hailey" <fahailey -at- imail -dot- english -dot- usu -dot- edu>]

Cindy Edwards says:
"Although a tech writer will very likely improve the learner experience with
a cohesive and focused script, other instructional tools to supplement the
video would more likely provide the students with a true learning
experience."

I couldn't agree more.  In instructional design, Cindy will have to work
with different genres (demonstration, chalk talks, interactive workbooks,
tutorials, step-by-step instructions, maybe even sermons) in combination
with schemas such as quizzes, virtual reality, and email discussions to
produce effective learning. These are just a few of the instructional
ingredients a fully educated instructional designer will combine to make her
various instructions meet the needs of the specific purpose and audience.
There are technical communicators who know how to do this, but writing well,
per se, is not a complete solution. 

Unfortunately, it is all too true that more than a few educators are neither
good instructional designers nor good writers. 

As for technical communications entering the world of instruction? 

According to Herman et al. (Impending Crisis -- Too many jobs too few
people), over the next ten years employee turnover will be one of the
largest impacts on the economy, and the biggest cost in employee turnover is
bringing the new employee up to speed (largely training). 

David E. Hailey, Jr., Ph.D.
Associate Professor -- Professional and Technical Writing
Utah State University
dhailey -at- english -dot- usu -dot- edu


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