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| navigate: home: magazine: spring 2002: article | |
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Professional Studies in Technical Communications addresses need for effective communicators By Kerry A. Newman | ||||||
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“Knowledge is power” is a common mantra in today’s information-driven society; the key to knowledge is the right information. Communicating what information is meaningful is critical in a world where people are inundated with information from seemingly endless sources. This need for accurate, well-presented information has heightened the role of the technical communications field and the demand for effective communicators. The Professional Studies in Technical Communications area was created as a Continuing Education program and outreach effort of Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts to respond to the need for technical communicators. Directed by Robert Reitman, the first objective was to launch a noncredit graduate certificate program that gives professionals background in the fundamentals of technical communication and helps them develop hands-on skills to use in the workplace. “We have something unique. We have a really powerful combination of practitioner knowledge from the field mixed in with the mainstream academic teachings,” Reitman said. The idea for the program began when primary and secondary research conducted by a team from Outreach Program Development units showed a need for a postbaccalaureate technical communications program in Pennsylvania. Led by senior program developer Dr. Avis Kunz, the team conceptualized and began the development of a five-course program tailored to meet the needs of working professionals. The primary target audiences are communicators already working in the field who are looking to supplement their skills and professionals who want to move their career in a new direction. The five courses in the certificate are Technical Writing, Technical Editing, Information Design, Usability, and Project Management for Technical Communicators. Both Penn State faculty members and experienced professionals teach the courses. “This is a good opportunity for professionals to go through a manageable, in terms of time and money, sequence of courses and get a core education,” Kunz said. “There is emphasis across the board on how you will use the course experience on the job,” Reitman stressed. He also emphasized the courses are designed to extend the learner’s perspective and will address the different elements of Web and print communications. “We have really tried to pay attention to all the different markets and media types.” In addition to its balance of theory and practice, flexibility is another benefit of the program. Demand for the program will determine whether multiple cohorts are offered for each course. Each course meets for 24 contact hours; each class is held one weekday evening for three hours. Location is another flexible component of the program. Technical Writing, the first course in the program, began in March at Penn State campuses in Abington, Altoona and State College and in downtown Pittsburgh (through the Penn State McKeesport campus). According to Dr. Patricia A. Book, associate vice president for outreach and executive director of the Division of Continuing Education, who launched the discovery process for this program, “The future holds many possibilities for Professional Studies in Technical Communications. Partnerships can be established with private companies to present courses for their employees. Professionals from industry and academia will also sit on an advisory board and help set the direction of future initiatives. Other opportunities include the creation of specialized courses that will complement the certificate program and meet special continuing professional education needs of technical communicators in select fields. Potential topics include a certificate that covers the tasks and tools in technical publishing and writing ISO 9000 quality procedures.” Both Kunz and Reitman agree Professional Studies in Technical Communications is an asset to Penn State, because of the way the technical communications field is interwoven into other programs. The technical communication courses complement those offered by other programs, specifically the Web Professional Certificate program. “Technical communications is a highly interdisciplinary field, and we have to constantly evaluate need so that we develop highly responsive courses,” Kunz concluded. “It’s one of the critical things,” Reitman said, referring to technical communications. “In almost any application, you can apply the skills.” Reitman brings a wealth of experience to his new role as director of Professional Studies in Technical Communications. He has degrees in computer science and technical writing and work experience with government, business and academe, as well as service in the Peace Corps in the Seychelles. Many Penn State professionals contributed to the development of the technical communications certificate program. Team members included: Dr. Stuart Selber, assistant professor of English; Dr. Don Bialostosky, professor of English; Dr. Jack Selzer, professor of English; Dr. Ronald Filippelli, associate dean for administration and undergraduate studies, College of the Liberal Arts; Dr. Babs Bengtson, senior program developer, Outreach Office of Program Development; Talat Azhar, senior marketing research associate, Outreach Office of Marketing Research; Laura Bernhard, marketing research associate, Outreach Office of Marketing Research; Mindy Meyers, marketing aide, Outreach Office of Marketing Communications; Ed Donovan, director, Outreach Office of Statewide Programs; and Maureen Dodson, graduate assistant, Management Development Programs and Services. For more information about Professional Studies in Technical Communications, contact Bob Reitman at 814-865-9342 or visit the Web site at www.psutechcomm.org. An outreach program of the College of the Liberal Arts and the Division of Continuing Education | |||||
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