Re-negotiating with Technology: Training Towards More Sustainable Technical Communication

Authors: Clark, Dave; Andersen, Rebekka

Source: Technical Communication, Volume 52, Number 3, August 2005 , pp. 289-301(13)

Publisher: Society for Technical Communication

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Abstract:

Technical communicators have often defined their relationship with technology using a metaphor of “technology as tool,” an outlook that reinforces perceptions of practitioners as “tool jockeys,” threatens the sustainability of the field, and isolates academics and practitioners alike from design and business decision-making and from better intellectual connections with other fields. We suggest that one potential solution is a new approach to training; if technical communicators can conduct technology training in ways that shift this metaphorical focus, they can not only better connect academics with practitioners but also create new connections with other fields, outlooks, and theories, becoming the sort of profession that survives global economic shifts and succeeds in both academic departments and industry.

Document Type: Journal article

Publication date: 2005-08-01

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Technical Communication, the Society's journal, publishes articles about the practical application of technical communication theory and serves as a common arena for discussion by practitioners. Technical Communication includes both quantitative and qualitative research while showcasing the work of some of the field's most noteworthy writers. Among its most popular features are the helpful book reviews. Technical Communication is published quarterly and is free with membership.
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