IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication Jun 2025

Using UX and LXD to Analyze Constructivism in Technical Communication Textbook Design

Kathryn Chunn Mercer University ; Bremen Vance Mercer University

Abstract

<bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Background:</b> Constructivism is a prevalent theory in technical and professional communication (TPC) pedagogy that extends to various aspects of learning, including textbook design. This study considers the way that learners interact with textbooks and how incorporating constructivist design elements is important for both instructors and students. <bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Literature review:</b> Previous research has highlighted the importance of textbook design in facilitating learning and the ways that textbooks reflect ideology. However, there is limited literature on the role of constructivist principles in textbook design and their impact on learners and faculty. <bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Research questions:</b> 1. What design elements in textbooks align with a constructivist pedagogy? 2. To what extent do textbooks in TPC follow a constructivist design? 3. Do students and faculty prefer constructivist designs? <bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Research methodology:</b> The study employed a heuristic review using a novel heuristic, the Constructivist Textbook Rubric, to evaluate a sample of eight technical communication textbooks. Following this, comparative usability testing was conducted with both professors and students to assess preferences and learning outcomes. <bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Results:</b> The study resulted in the development of a comprehensive tool for evaluating textbooks based on alignment with constructivist design principles and learning theory. Both the heuristic review and user testing demonstrated advantages associated with textbooks that incorporated constructivist elements in their design. <bold xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Conclusion:</b> The findings suggest that textbooks designed with constructivist principles can improve learning outcomes for both learners and faculty. By using the Constructivist Textbook Rubric, college instructors can make informed decisions when selecting textbooks, ultimately benefiting learners through enhanced information synthesis and retention.

Journal
IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Published
2025-06-01
DOI
10.1109/tpc.2025.3558371
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
Closed
Topics
writing pedagogy technical communication professional writing
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

Cites in this index (8)

  1. Chong (2016)
    The Pedagogy of Usability: An Analysis of Technical Communication Textbooks, An…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. White et al. (2016)
    Are We “There” Yet? The Treatment of Gender and Feminism in Technical, Business…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Wolfe (2009)
    How Technical Communication Textbooks Fail Engineering Students
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Matveeva (2007)
    The Intercultural Component in Textbooks for Teaching a Service Technical Writi…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Barker et al. (2006)
    Teaching Intercultural Communication in a Technical Writing Service Course: Rea…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
Show all 8 →
  1. You (2005)
    Ideology, Textbooks, and the Rhetoric of Production in China
    College Composition and Communication
  2. Devoss et al. (2002)
    Teaching Intracultural and Intercultural Communication
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  3. Connors (1982)
    The Rise of Technical Writing Instruction in America
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Also cites 13 works outside this index ↓
  1. 10.37514/tpc-b.2022.1381.1.3
     ↗
  2. 10.1007/s11528-021-00656-y
     ↗
  3. 10.4324/9781003060635-5
     ↗
  4. 10.1006/ceps.2000.1056
     ↗
  5. 10.2307/357747
     ↗
  6. 10.18848/1833-1874/cgp/v04i06/37994
     ↗
  7. 10.1109/ipcc.2005.1494249
     ↗
  8. 10.1080/0163853x.2017.1319655
     ↗
  9. 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11419
     ↗
  10. 10.1145/97243.97281
     ↗
  11. 10.4304/tpls.4.3.473-480
     ↗
  12. 10.1177/0018720812465082
     ↗
  13. 10.1055/s-0042-1760082
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 0 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Prompt: A Journal of Academic Writing Assignments Jan 2026
    A Murder Most Technical ↗
    Justin Cook
    genre theory writing pedagogy service learning teacher development argument collaborative writing technical communication professional writing
  2. Pedagogy Oct 2025
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism genre theory cultural rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy advanced composition creative writing writing across the curriculum graduate education two-year college service learning teacher development technical communication professional writing labor and working conditions archival research multimodality artificial intelligence literacy studies race and writing gender and writing disability studies literary studies editorial matter
  3. Technical Communication Quarterly Apr 2025
    Beyond Digital Literacy: Investigating Threshold Concepts to Foster Engagement with Digital Life in Technical Communication Pedagogy ↗
    Danielle Mollie Stambler; Nupoor Ranade; Daniel L. Hocutt; Stephen Fonash; Jessica Lynn Campbell; Ann Hill Duin; Isabel Pedersen; Jason Tham; Saveena (Chakrika) Veeramoothoo; Gustav Verhulsdonck
    writing pedagogy collaborative writing threshold concepts technical communication professional writing digital rhetoric literacy studies race and writing
  4. Pedagogy Apr 2025
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism african american rhetorics cultural rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy basic writing graduate education two-year college teacher development writing centers technical communication professional writing labor and working conditions digital rhetoric multimodality social media literacy studies race and writing gender and writing community literacy literary studies editorial matter
  5. Communication Design Quarterly Mar 2025
    Designing Accessible Tables: When Technical Communication Competencies Come into Conflict ↗
    Meredith A. Johnson; Lauren E. Cagle
    writing pedagogy technical communication professional writing digital rhetoric disability studies