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Proposal
ESL Certificate in Technical Communication via Asynchronous Learning
Ted Knoy
Associate Researcher
Planning and Marketing Division
Union Chemical Laboratories
Instructor of Technical Writing
National Tsing Hua University
National Chiao Tung University
1. Description:
The ESL Certificate in Technical Communication consists of eight
courses delivered by asynchronous learning that provide Chinese
technology professionals with the opportunity to build a writing
portfolio that demonstrates their strengths and abilities. The Certificate
program introduces students to the high-growth technical communication
field by helping them clearly explain complex technical information
in written form. In particular, the ESL Certificate in Technical
Communication Certificate focuses on the following areas: (a) Writing
style. Archaic ways of writing (often resulting from literally copying
phrases from other texts) must be transformed into a more active
and direct writing style that makes the author's main ideas easier
to identify; (b) Structure and content. Organizing research papers
and other technical reports is another important area in technical
communication; and (c) Quality. Manuscripts must be prepared to
meet the expectations of an international audience such as journal
editors and reviewers.
2. Rationale
An increasing number of Chinese technology professionals are writing
technical articles in English, as evidenced by the growing number
of engineering and science colleges in Chinese speaking universities
that require doctoral and even master candidates to publish in international
journals. However, limited resources are available for helping Chinese
technical writers proofread, edit and prepare their manuscripts
for publication. Moreover, in addition to grammatical and writing
style errors, Chinese-English colloquial habits often prevent Chinese
authors from concisely expressing their intended meaning. Moreover,
despite the increasing number of technical writing programs that
cater to the needs of non-native English speaking writers, their
materials and services rarely pinpoint the language-related stumbling
blocks that Chinese technology professionals face when writing.
To effectively respond to such needs, the ESL Certificate in Technical
Communication helps students learn to link technology and science
to the information consumer.
3. Process
The ESL Certificate in Technical Communication will be delivered
via asynchronous learning. This allows each student to participate
during his or her own schedule of days and hours. Course objectives,
details of class assignments and a video feedback are placed on-line.
A mailing list will be distributed by email to all students so that
they can query each other and share findings and ideas with each
other. The instructor will correct the completed assignments and
provide personal feedback to each student.
The program consists of eight courses, all to be
completed on-line. However, the instructor will be available for
face-to-face consultation upon appointment. The following courses
are required to earn the certificate.
CTC 2101 Editing for Science and Technology
Course Description:
This course focuses on developing copy editing skills in a technical
manuscript in terms of (a) translation errors made from Chinese
to English and (b) general writing style errors.
Benefits:
After taking this course, students will be able to
(a) Use proofreading marks when editing with a pen
(b) Edit technical documents using a computer
(c) Identify wordy phrases
(d) Incorporate conciseness and clarity into one's writing style
(e) Understand Chinese-English colloquial habits in technical writing
Intended Audience:
This course is designed for anyone who is developing or revising
documentation and needs to know how to write more concisely.
CTC 2102 Writing Technical Correspondence
Course Description:
This course introduces common types of technical correspondence
and orients students on using a software template to create a correspondence
file that meets their specific situations.
Benefits:
After taking this course, students will be able to
(a) Identify common types of technical correspondence in the workplace
(b) Create a tailor-made correspondence file based on the student's
writing needs
(c) Identify the reader's interests before writing to make the letter
more effective
Intended Audience:
This course is designed for technology professionals who frequently
correspond with overseas information consumers.
CTC 2103 Organizing Technical Research Papers and
Reports
Course Description:
This course concentrates mainly on teaching Chinese technology professionals
how to
combine the writing and research processes so that the paper is
written efficiently and with a clear structure.
Benefits:
After taking this course, students will be able to
(a) Organize and write research papers or technical reports in a
time-efficient manner.
(b) Identify the reader's interests so that the paper is more user
friendly
Intended Audience:
The course is designed for technology professionals who need to
publish their research findings or write technical reports.
CTC 2104 Organizing Technical Oral Presentations
Course Description:
This course focuses on improving the presentation skills of Chinese
technology professionals by creating several writing and oral tasks
frequently encountered in the workplace.
Benefits:
After taking this course, students will be able to
(a) Identify common types of technical oral presentations
(b) Create a personal language file of oral presentations that meets
the specific situations of the technology professional
(c) Create a personal language file of circumstances in which the
technology professional commonly encounters an overseas information
consumer.
Intended Audience:
The course is designed for technology professionals who must frequently
make technical oral presentations and want to take a more organizational
approach to giving a talk rather than an impromptu one.
CTC 2105 Developing Negotiating Skills
Course Description:
This course orients students on how to methodologically approach
negotiations of a technologically oriented agreement.
Benefits:
After taking this course, students will be able to
(a) Identify the following steps in a negotiation: preparing the
ground, setting the agenda, establishing positions, clarifying positions,
managing conflict, making and responding to proposals, bargaining,
and conclusion and agreement
(b) Address different cross-cultural issues in negotiating.
Intended Audience:
The course is designed for technology professionals who must negotiate
with overseas information consumers.
CTC 2106 Writing in the Workplace
Course Description:
This course concentrates on teaching basic principles of technical
writing and helping students create a portfolio of related work
assignments.
Benefits:
After taking this course, students will be able to
(a) Complete descriptive, classification and definition assignments
(b) Write descriptions of objects, mechanisms and processes
(c) Identify and write for the reader's interests
Intended Audience:
The course is designed for anyone who wishes to enter the field
of technical writing.
CTC 2107 Technical Promotional Writing
Course Description:
This course focuses on structure and style presentation of technical
promotional writing in a high-tech environment.
Benefits:
After taking this course, students will be able to
(a) Organize promotional materials for laboratory and research developments
such as technical brochures, articles, slide presentations, and
video scripts.
(b) Learn how to adapt technical information to nonspecialist audiences
to inform, instruct, or persuade them
(c) Properly plan a technical writing document by analyzing the
purpose of a document and its audience.
Intended Audience:
This course is designed for students who wish to begin a career
in technical writing as well as for students who simply wish to
improve their writing skills in their present positions.
CTC 2108 Writing Successful Proposals
Course Description:
This course focuses on
Benefits:
After taking this course, students will be able to
(a) Produce a proposal based on the organization, style, and format
taught in this course.
(b) Produce a recommendation report based on the organization, style,
and format
taught in this course.
(d) Produce a business plan according the content, organization,
style, and format requirements of this course.
Intended Audience:
This course is designed for students who wish to begin a career
in technical writing as well as for students who simply wish to
improve their writing skills in their present positions.
4. Staffing:
Language development coordinator.
The language development coordinator is responsible for
(a) Developing curricula for the eight courses in the ESL Certificate
in Technical Writing.
(b) Orienting students on how to adapt to asynchronous learning
as well as monitoring their progress, correcting their assignments
and providing personal feedback.
(c) Promoting asynchronous learning as a viable alternative to traditional
classroom teaching.
Technical specialist
The technical specialist is responsible for
(a) Coordinating the transference of curricula materials into HTML
format and taping the video sessions
5. Evaluation:
The effectiveness of the ESL Certificate in Technical Communication
will be measured by several means. Attitudinal surveys will be issued
to determine the ability of students to adapt to asynchronous learning.
Independent observers will also assess the content and structure
of the program. Homework samples will be gathered and stored.
6. Equipment:
The ESL Certificate in Technical Communication requires technical
equipment to tape video sessions for , which includes a specially
designed monitor, microphone and related equipment.
7. Costs:
Costs for initially setting up the the ESL Certificate in Technical
Communication will be the salaries of the language development coordinator
and the technical specialist and the videotaping equipment for the
classes.
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