A Systematic Approach to Improving In-House Computer Literacy

1992 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. Craig
Keyword(s):  
Computer Literacy ◽  
Technical Communication ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Computer Systems ◽  
Computer Training ◽  
Training Model ◽  
Writing Strategies ◽  
Computer User ◽  
Technical Writers ◽  
Technical Communicators

Computer trainers and technical writers responsible for instructing end users on the proper use of in-house computer systems are challenged with a task that is becoming increasingly complex and vital to an organization's efficiency. Since in-house computer systems are custom-designed for use within organizations, classroom trainers, writers, and other technical communicators must provide comprehensive classroom instruction and documentation for users. This article cites recent research on computer training and writing strategies in the technical communication and instructional technology fields, and how these strategies can be used by technical communicators to instruct users of in-house computer systems. An in-house computer training model is presented to help technical communicators design in-house computer training sessions, improve existing sessions, and create and revise in-house, instructional computer user documentation.

Managing Computer-Related Anxiety and Stress within Organizations

1994 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 309-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. Craig
Keyword(s):  
Job Performance ◽  
System Design ◽  
Management System ◽  
Management Strategy ◽  
Computer Systems ◽  
Training Model ◽  
Computer Users ◽  
Technical Communicators ◽  
And Training ◽  
Poor Management

Computer-related anxiety and stress affects everyone who uses a computer and is aggravated by poor management, faulty system design, inadequate training, misunderstandings by users of what computers can do, and substandard documentation. Research has shown that computer users, no matter how experienced they are, can experience anxiety and stress that negatively affect their job performance. The problem is so pervasive that no single management strategy, ergonomic plan, training model, or system design can resolve the dilemma. Physical and psychological problems that afflict computer users can be reduced only by a united effort of all people involved with designing systems, training, and operating computers within organizations. This article reviews research in the field, and outlines how management, system designers, and technical communicators can help users relieve stress and anxiety when using and learning how to operate computers. When managers, designers, and technical communicators work together, factors that create computer stress and anxiety can be identified and reduced when computer systems and training are properly designed and managed.

Writing and Compiling Computer user Documentation in a Text Processing Environment

1983 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 307-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger K. Toms
Keyword(s):  
Program Development ◽  
Technical Communication ◽  
Text Processing ◽  
Computer Systems ◽  
Computer User ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Application Program ◽  
Human Thinking ◽  
Application Programs

This article emphasizes the growing need for good technical communication in application program development, and relates the usability of program documentation to the productivity of computer systems. It describes in detail the process involved and the human thinking that must accompany the generation of high quality computer user documentation. The methodology described in this paper has been exercised by the author on two major interactive IBM application programs. However, the methodology should not be interpreted as an IBM discipline, and views expressed in this paper are those of the author.

Meeting the Realities in Technology Enhanced Learning

2010 ◽  
pp. 224-245
Author(s):  
Sibitse Mirriam Tlhapane ◽  
Sibongile Simelane
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Computer Literacy ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Computer Training ◽  
Technology Enhanced Learning ◽  
Learning Material ◽  
Cd Rom ◽  
Geographically Dispersed ◽  
The University ◽  
Enhanced Learning

The case discusses the challenges of introducing technology-enhanced learning in geographically dispersed learners, most of who are situated in rural areas. These are post-diploma nursing learners with minimal computer literacy. They also have limited or even no access to computers at the university because they attend part time, have full-time jobs and stay far from the university and so cannot even visit computer labs after hours. Despite these challenges, these students end up being motivated to learn computers so that they can access learning material and also use them for lifelong learning. The case also covers computer training, e-applications used, online learning, studies done, partnerships between faculty and the directorate and teaching and learning with technology. The value of simple, cheap technologies like an interactive CD-ROM in initiating students to e-learning and overcoming their bandwidth problems is emphasised, including the gains made from the project. Both staff and managerial challenges are discussed and recommendations are made.

scholarly journals Translation and Technical Communication: Chicken or Egg?

2011 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 752-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Minacori ◽  
Lucy Veisblat
Keyword(s):  
Technical Communication ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
The United States ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
The Core ◽  
Core Skills ◽  
Technical Communicators ◽  
Technical Communicator

Translation starts with a document in one language and ends with a document with the same meaning in another language. Technical communication entails designing and writing a document from scratch in one language. The answer to the question of “Which, of translation or writing, comes first?” seems relatively obvious – the document needs to be written before it can be translated. However, when looking at translation and technical communication as professions and examining how the professionals are trained, the answer is not quite as clear-cut. In the United States, translators and technical communicators have different qualifications, different skills – in particular different language skills – and have degrees in different fields. Only recently has there appeared a certain convergence between the professions. In Europe, and more specifically in France, the profession of technical communicator is quite recent, as are the corresponding academic programs. Many technical communicators came to the profession from translation. The convergence therefore is perceived as being far greater. The purpose of this paper is to launch a comparative study of the competences or skills of translators and technical communicators, based on the existing European Master’s in Translation (EMT) list of competences for translators. The goal of this study would be to define the core skills for technical communicators, to examine to what extent they overlap with the competences of translators and ultimately, to establish a referential for training programs in technical communication.

Creating Content That Influences People: Considering User Experience and Behavioral Design in Technical Communication

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 376-400
Author(s):  
Gustav Verhulsdonck ◽  
Nadya Shalamova
Keyword(s):  
User Experience ◽  
Technical Communication ◽  
Cognitive Biases ◽  
Experience Design ◽  
User Experience Design ◽  
Technical Communicators ◽  
Behavioral Design ◽  
Information Products ◽  
Digital Assets ◽  
People Today

As people today use information products in contexts with distractions, we need to design for people’s attention. User experience design routinely relies on behavioral design to engage distracted users and nudge them toward specific behavior. Although practiced in user experience design, behavioral design is less known in technical communication. In this article, we use the CHOICES (Context, Habits, Other people, Incentives, Congruence, Emotions, and Salience) framework developed by McKinsey’s Behavioral Lab to introduce students to learn about behavioral design principles that make use of cognitive biases to influence people. We maintain that behavioral design is useful for technical communicators because they create digital assets that are part of the user experience.

Writing Training Information: A Comparison of Books, Online Tutors, and Videotapes

1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette Norris Bradford
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Computer Training ◽  
Computer Industry ◽  
Interaction Patterns ◽  
Business Markets ◽  
Basic Organization ◽  
Online Tutorials ◽  
Training Materials ◽  
Technical Writers

The writing of computer training materials for both home and business markets is a vast and growing industry. Because these new users are making more stringent demands on the kinds of training materials that they receive, technical writers no longer have the luxury of writing only for the system programmer and dealing only with the printed page. The growing need for quality training on computers is offering technical writers in the computer industry the chance to expand their fields of expertise. Three training media are compared—books, online tutorials, and videotape—along these criteria: basic organization, interaction patterns, tools, special development needs, special environmental needs, goals, type of information taught, and suitability as a training medium. Finally suggestions are made about how practicing technical writers can learn about these new media.

scholarly journals Examining the instructors computer self-efficacy perceptions

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Semerci ◽  
Hafize Keser
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Computer Literacy ◽  
Computer Training ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Computer Skills ◽  
The Self ◽  
Scanning Method ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Perceptions Of Police ◽  
Computer Self Efficacy

In this study, instructors’ computer self-efficacy perceptions are examined in terms of variables such as age, gender, academic status, teaching experience, computer literacy and computer skills. The study is a descriptive one in which relational scanning method has been utilized. The study has been carried out within the framework of the data obtained from 172 police instructors who work in 28 Police Vocational Schools of Higher Education across the country. The data were collected by using a survey and “The Computer Self-efficacy Perception Scale”. A significant difference has been found between the self-efficacy perceptions of the instructors and their computer skills and computer training that they received. In addition to this, it has been seen that there was not any significant difference between self-efficacy perceptions of instructors and age, gender, position status, teaching experience and computer literacy. This is the first study carried out for determining the self-efficacy perceptions of police instructors. The results should be considered during the police trainer development trainings.  Keywords: self-efficacy, self-efficacy perceptions, training, education, police education.

scholarly journals Han Yu (2015). The Other Kind of Funnies: Comics in Technical Communication. New York, NY: Baywood Publishing Company.

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 25-27
Author(s):  
Suzanne Rintoul
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Technical Communication ◽  
Technical Writing ◽  
The Other ◽  
Graduate Courses ◽  
Theoretical Concepts ◽  
Visual Elements ◽  
Technical Writers ◽  
Communication Challenges

Han Yu’s "The Other Kind of Funnies: Comics in Technical Communication" challenges the notion that technical writing is too “rational” or “serious” to accommodate the conventions of comics-style communication. She does this by illustrating comics’ unique ability to distill and reinforce information in ways entirely appropriate not just for complementing the purposes of many technical writers, but also for fulfilling the needs of their diverse audiences. The book’s major strength lies in Yu’s capacity to locate the productive nexus between two ostensibly dissimilar modes so that by the final chapter those connections seem not only probable, but natural. This text will be especially useful to scholars of rhetoric (particularly those invested in visual culture and/or technical writing) and practitioners of technical writing eager to embrace new (or in some cases re-embrace older) ways of seeing the relationship between textual and visual elements. The clarity with which Yu distils complex theoretical concepts makes this book appropriate reading for undergraduate or graduate courses as well as for non-scholarly audiences.

scholarly journals Teaching Workplace Skills to Technical Communicators

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darina M. Slattery ◽  
Yvonne Cleary
Keyword(s):  
Technical Communication ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Workplace Skills ◽  
Technical Communicators ◽  
The University ◽  
Industry Needs

In this article, we introduce two programmes in Technical Communication (one distance, and one on-campus) offered by the University of Limerick. Both programmes have been running for several years, but are regularly reviewed to ensure that they remain relevant. We describe how these programmes correspond to industry needs, and how they develop core competencies of technical communicators. We outline two key types of assignment (writing and development), and explain their relevance to the workplace.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document