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Subject:Info request on teaching TW From:Tracy Johnson <tjohnson -at- MAILCLERK -dot- ECOK -dot- EDU> Date:Tue, 14 Oct 1997 19:57:27 -0600
I'm new to this list (interesting group you have here!) and a new instructor of
a first semester tech writing class (Spring 98). I've already made a cursory
visit to your archives in search of teaching info. I still have a few
questions for those of you in industry:
For the beginning TW student:
1) What critical _knowledge_ should be emphasized?
2) What critical _skills_ should be emphasized?
3) What critical _experiences_ should be provided?
The setting: a small university in _very_ rural Oklahoma. We have internet
access for all students via a central server (yuk!). The class is a
junior-level course and is part of our writing concentration
(tech/business/creative writing options). Students in the sciences, business,
and legal studies also take the course. I know that some sort of internship
would be valuable, but it may be next to impossible with the lack of
industry/businesses here. I was considering a "contract" with the university to
write a "manual" for either incoming freshmen or our large contingent of
non-traditional students.
I plan to incorporate a healthy dose of electronic communications; I'm even
considering using bits and pieces of several online textbooks so students are
forced to learn the technology. I hope to know HTML well enough by spring so
the students can write basic web pages.
You folks are the experts; that's why I'm bugging you with this! :-)
Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Reply off-list if you wish.
Tracey J. Johnson
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