Algonquin College Technical Writer program priority: developing links with local industry

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Algonquin College Technical Writer program
priority developing links with local industry

• The new programs
• Two kinds of links
• finding sites for student project work
• finding practicing technical writers who can
  create and deliver courses in the programs
• Question can the STC help us develop these links
  (and/or others)?

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Algonquin College technical writer offerings

• Technical Writer (a full-time, post
  diploma/degree program September-June 1000
  hours to a certificate)
• Concepts and Tools for Technical Writers (a
  continuing education program 12-18 hour
  courses 100 hours to a certificate)

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Why full-time attendance for ten months?

• Writing skills are developed only through
  practice and that takes time.
• Development of technical writing skills has to be
  done in a context that involves
• meeting face-to-face with people
• learning new technical subject matter
• learning new authoring tools.

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Algonquin College Technical Writer Program
subject-area time distribution

• Writing/communication courses 60
• Technical primers 30
• Authoring tools 10

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Full-time program Technical Writer Semester I

• Technical writing IDocument planning and
  management I
• Introduction to basic electronicsComputer
  technology hardware basicsComputer technology
  software basics
• Adobe FrameMaker desktop publishingOn-line
  Documentation I

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Full-time program Technical Writer Semester II

• Technical writing IIDocument planning and
  management IIDesigning technical documentation
  basic principlesOn-line documentation II
• Telecommunications digital and analogComputer
  and network technologies selected topics

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Full-time program Technical Writer Project

• An on-site documentation project preparation
  done in Document planning and management I and
  II

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Link 1 Industry participation in the program
project

• We need placement sites for students to do their
  two-month on-site projects.
• We want students to do a comprehensive project
  from needs analysis, to proposal, to deliverable.
• We are open to any form of co-operative
  arrangement to achieve the goal of having
  students complete a comprehensive project.

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Algonquin College technical writer offerings

• Technical Writer (a full-time, post
  diploma/degree program September-June 1000
  hours to a certificate)
• Concepts and Tools for Technical Writers (a
  continuing education program 12-18 hour
  courses 100 hours to a certificate)

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The audience for the C.E. program, Concepts and
Tools for Technical Writers

• People already practicing as technical writers
  who want to improve their skill sets
• Most technical writers in the area have not gone
  through our program.
• Skill-set upgrading is an ongoing process
  graduates from our program are potential users of
  a continuing education program.

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Concepts and Tools course offerings (general)

• So far, course subject matter has been auxiliary
  to the activities of actual writing.
• Other possibilities
• Technical subjects, both primers and advanced
• More authoring tools courses
• Writing courses focusing on specialized areas

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Examples of writing courses focusing on
specialized areas

• Accessibility techniques
• Writing and visual support
• Marketing-oriented writing
• Specific kinds of documents e.g. proposals
• Specific writing issues associated with concepts
  like single-source documentation

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Concepts and Tools course offerings (specific)

• FrameMaker (21 hours)
• On-line documentation (18 hours)
• Writing for on-line documentation (12 hours)
• Document planning and management (12 hours)
• Designing technical documentation for print and
  on-line (18 hours)

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Link 2 Teachers from industry

• For the full-time day program, we would like to
  have a mix of full- and part-time teachers.
• For the Continuing Education program, Concepts
  and Tools for Technical Writers, we would like
  to have teachers who are practicing writers.

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Improving the general level of technical writing
services in the Ottawa area

• Those of us in the STC and at Algonquin College
  know that ongoing technical writer development
  has at least three benefits
• Clients get better services.
• The reputation of the technical writer field is
  enhanced if clients regularly get good services.
• Individual writers have the opportunity to grow
  in a career that theyve chosen.

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Get involved in technical writer professional
development

• Teach part time in the Algonquin College
  full-time day program.
• Teach in the Algonquin College continuing
  education program.

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Benefits of participation in Algonquin College
technical writer programs

• Benefits to employers who support their employees
  teaching in Algonquin College Technical Writer
  programs
• Benefits to individuals who teach in Algonquin
  College technical writer programs

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Benefits to employers of having their writers
teaching in a professional development program

• Direct curriculum input
• Active participation in the development of a
  larger pool of competent writers
• Pre-interview acquaintance with employee prospects

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Benefits to individuals of teaching in a
professional development program

• The experience of teaching enriches your concept
  of what instruction means an important
  consideration for a technical writer.
• Teaching a subject gives you new perspectives on
  creating useable documentation for customers.
• Classroom experience is a good item on a résumé.
• Reference Gary Bist, intercom, November 2000

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If youre interested in organizing and delivering
a course or want more info about the programs

• Contact Jan Boogerd 727-4723 x3402 boogerj_at_alg
  onquincollege.com David Matheson 727-4723
  x3327 mathesd_at_algonquincollege.com
• Also visit the Algonquin College Technical Writer
  Web site www.algonquincollege.com/technicalwriter