The Development of a Project-Based Collaborative Technical Writing Model Founded on Learner Feedback in a Tertiary Aeronautical Engineering Program

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jul 2012

The Development of a Project-Based Collaborative Technical Writing Model Founded on Learner Feedback in a Tertiary Aeronautical Engineering Program

Dietmar Tatzl FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences ; Wolfgang Hassler ; Bernd Messnarz FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences ; Holger Flühr FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences

Abstract

The present article describes and evaluates collaborative interdisciplinary group projects initiated by content lecturers and an English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) instructor for the purpose of teaching technical writing skills in an aeronautical engineering degree program. The proposed technical writing model is assessed against the results of a learner survey and refined accordingly. The survey showed that learners appreciated the cross-disciplinary collaboration in projects, and it delivered important insights into learning effects and student progress in both language and content matters. The article concludes with a list of recommendations for the implementation of project-based collaborative technical writing instruction, which may support or complement academic writing courses in similar contexts. The proposed model considers the circumstances of students in workload-intensive tertiary settings and synthesizes approaches such as problem-based learning, content-based instruction, task-based language teaching, a guided product approach to collaborative writing, and learner autonomy.

Journal: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published: 2012-07-01
DOI: 10.2190/tw.42.3.f
Open Access: Closed
Topics: writing pedagogy multimodality technical communication multilingual writers

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

Tham (2021)

Engaging Design Thinking and Making in Technical and Professional Communication…

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Melonçon et al. (2020)

A Field-Wide Metasynthesis of Pedagogical Research in Technical and Professiona…

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Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

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