IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication Mar 2021 Open Access

Engineers Taking a Stance on Technical Communication: Peer Review of Oral Presentations via the Trans-Atlantic and Pacific Project

Massimo Verzella Pennsylvania State University ; Elisabet Arnó Macià Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya ; Bruce Maylath North Dakota State University

Abstract

Introduction: To present technical content clearly and effectively for global users of English, engineering students need to learn how. About the case: Technical communication classes in Spain and the US engaged in an international telecollaborative project between cross-cultural virtual teams in which students in Spain developed oral presentations that were then peer-reviewed by counterparts in the US. Situating the case: Research on international professional communication and, more specifically, virtual exchange is rapidly growing to explore how instructors can help students gain key competencies such as audience awareness, intercultural sensitivity, and an understanding of English as a lingua franca. Approach/methods: As part of the Trans-Atlantic & Pacific Project network, this project focused on spoken communication. Data were analyzed from feedback forms used by US students to evaluate oral presentations, and on prelearning and postlearning reports completed by students in Spain, as well as from class discussions accompanying the project. Results/discussion: Through reflections on pragmatic strategies that facilitate exchange and collaboration in English as a lingua franca, the engineering students became more fully aware of the importance of rhetorical and linguistic factors that affect meaning-making for engineers internationally. Conclusion: Results suggest that students who participate in transnational virtual exchange projects integrate their desire to acquire knowledge with an awareness of the importance of sharing knowledge through mindful and inclusive communication practices. Technical and engineering communication instructors from different countries can heighten their students' audience awareness, and cultural and language sensitivities through such projects.

Journal
IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Published
2021-03-01
DOI
10.1109/tpc.2021.3057246
CompPile
Open Access
OA PDF Green
Topics
rhetorical criticism collaborative writing technical communication professional writing affect and writing book reviews
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

  1. Ghimire (2024)
    Understanding Transnational Technical Communication in Technical and Profession…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Pihlaja et al. (2024)
    Translation and Localization in Global Technical Communication
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  3. López-Arroyo et al. (2024)
    Building Bridges Between Technical and Professional Communication and Translati…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

References (60) · 10 in this index

  1. Walwema (2018)
    Transliteracies in Intercultural Professional Communication
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  2. Davison et al. (2017)
    Establishing Effective Global Virtual Student Teams
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  3. 10.1111/j.1540-4781.2007.00678.x
     ↗
  4. Herrington (2010)
    Crossing Global Boundaries: Beyond Intercultural Communication
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  5. 10.1163/9789087904753
     ↗
Show all 60 →
  1. dudley-evans (1998)
    Developments in English for Specific Purposes A Multi-Disciplinary Approach
  2. Batova (2018)
    Global Technical Communication in 7.5 Weeks Online: Combining Industry and Acad…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  3. Alaiad et al. (2019)
    Virtual Teams: Thematic Taxonomy, Constructs Model, and Future Research Directions
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  4. Fillenwarth et al. (2018)
    Quantification of Engineering Disciplinary Discourse in Résumés: A Novel Genre …
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  5. maylath (2013)
    Linking engineering students in Spain and technical writing students in the US as coautho…
    Connexions Int Prof Commun J
  6. 10.3828/ejlp.2019.14
     ↗
  7. akbari (2017)
    Peer feedback in learning a foreign language in Facebook
    Global Journal of Human Social Science
  8. 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2018.07.010
     ↗
  9. 10.1016/j.edurev.2015.02.002
     ↗
  10. 10.1002/j.2168-9830.2001.tb00660.x
     ↗
  11. 10.1080/03634520302457
     ↗
  12. seidlhofer (2002)
    Habeas corpus and divide et impera: ‘Global English’ and applied linguistics
    Unity and Diversity in Language Use
  13. 10.4018/978-1-60960-833-0.ch020
     ↗
  14. 10.1515/IPRG.2009.011
     ↗
  15. 10.1007/978-3-319-20877-0_5
     ↗
  16. crowther (2000)
    Internationalisation at home a position paper
  17. 10.1016/j.jslw.2008.06.002
     ↗
  18. 10.1177/1028315313496572
     ↗
  19. woolever (2005)
    Writing for the Technical Professions
  20. 10.1016/S1060-3743(02)00124-8
     ↗
  21. 10.4018/ALCS
     ↗
  22. estes-brewer (2015)
    Education and training for globally-distributed virtual teams: Preparing the workforce of…
    Connexions Int Prof Commun J
  23. Louhiala-Salminen et al. (2011)
    Professional Communication in a Global Business Context: The Notion of Global C…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  24. 10.2307/3587717
     ↗
  25. 10.2307/3588401
     ↗
  26. maylath (2008)
    Growing grassroots partnerships: Trans-Atlantic collaboration between American instructor…
    Designing Globally Networked Learning Environments Visionary Partnerships Policies and Pedagogies  ↗
  27. hofstede (1980)
    Culture's Consequences International Differences in Work-Related Values
  28. 10.1016/j.esp.2007.07.006
     ↗
  29. de grez (2013)
    Student response system and how to make engineering students learn oral presentation skills
    International Journal Engineering Ed
  30. 10.14705/rpnet.2018.jve.1
     ↗
  31. 10.1109/IPCC.2005.1494227
     ↗
  32. seidlhofer (2011)
    Understanding English as a Lingua Franca
  33. 10.1515/eip-2015-0003
     ↗
  34. 10.1075/mdm.2.18hul
     ↗
  35. kimura (2018)
    Translingual practice and ELF
    Routledge Handbook of English as a Lingua Franca
  36. jenkins (2000)
    The Phonology of English as an International Language New Models New Norms New Goals
  37. cogo (2018)
    The pragmatics of ELF
    Routledge Handbook of English as a Lingua Franca
  38. house (2003)
    English as a lingua franca: A threat to multilingualism?
    Journal of Sociology
  39. 10.3828/ejlp.2010.16
     ↗
  40. Paretti et al. (2008)
    Introduction to the Special Issue on Communication in Engineering Curricula: Ma…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  41. riemer (2007)
    Communication skills for the 21st century engineer
    Global J of Engng Educ
  42. 10.1109/TE.2009.2033041
     ↗
  43. arnó macià (0)
    Enhancing students’ skills in technical writing and LSP translation through tele-C…
    Proc 19th Eur Symp Lang Special Purposes
  44. 10.1177/0020720916659501
     ↗
  45. 10.18260/1-2--18809
     ↗
  46. lannon (2000)
    Technical Communication
  47. 10.1016/j.compedu.2009.01.005
     ↗
  48. piller (2011)
    Intercultural Communication
  49. 10.4018/978-1-4666-4757-2.ch007
     ↗
  50. 10.4018/978-1-61350-450-5
     ↗
  51. bosley (2001)
    Global Contexts Case Studies in International Technical Communication
  52. mousten (2008)
    Intercultural collaboration in the trans-Atlantic project: Pedagogical theories and pract…
    Designing Globally Networked Learning Environments Visionary Partnerships Policies and Pedagogies  ↗
  53. Mousten et al. (2010)
    Learning Localization through Trans-Atlantic Collaboration: Bridging the Gap
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  54. 10.4018/978-1-4666-6615-3.ch009
     ↗
  55. Maylath et al. (2013)
    Managing Complexity: A Technical Communication Translation Case Study in Multil…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
CrossRef global citation count: 8 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Pedagogy Apr 2024
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism feminist rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy creative writing teacher development collaborative writing assessment technical communication professional writing grammar and mechanics literacy studies gender and writing literary studies book reviews editorial matter
  2. Pedagogy Apr 2022
    Contributors ↗
    rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy creative writing writing across the curriculum teacher development collaborative writing assessment writing program administration technical communication professional writing digital rhetoric literacy studies gender and writing disability studies literary studies book reviews editorial matter
  3. Communication Design Quarterly Dec 2025
    Review of "Document Design: From Process to Product in Professional Communication By Derek G. Ross and Miles A. Kimball," Ross, D. G., & Kimball, M. A. (2025). Document design: From process to product in professional communication (2nd ed.). SUNY Press. ↗
    Amber Lancaster
    rhetorical criticism technical communication professional writing multimodality book reviews
  4. Communication Design Quarterly Sep 2025
    Review of "Queer Techné: Bodies, Rhetoric, and Desire in the History of Computing by Patricia Fancher," Fancher P. (2024). Queer techné: Bodies, rhetoric, and desire in the history of computing. National Council of Teachers of English. ↗
    Thomas Gurinskas
    rhetorical criticism technical communication professional writing archival research digital rhetoric gender and writing book reviews
  5. Technical Communication Quarterly Oct 2024
    ’F---- Shark Tank:’ Rethinking the Centrality of the Business Pitch in Microenterprise Entrepreneurship ↗
    Mason T. Pellegrini
    rhetorical criticism genre theory graduate education technical communication professional writing qualitative research race and writing affect and writing editorial matter