TEACHING THE HISTORY OF TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION: A LESSON WITH FRANKLIN AND HOOVER by Jeff TODD

Source: J. TECHNICAL WRITING AND COMMUNICATION, Vol. 33(1) 65-81, 2003

As I am mostly interested in the pedagogical side of Technical Communication, I have chosen this article which covers the history of the field and the pedagogy of teaching Tech Comm.

Jeff Todd (from Georgia Southern University) highlights the progress of Technical Communication history as an emerging field but also one whose literature has considerably grown over the years. Besides, the articles sheds light on the disconnection between academia and industry. One of Todd’s takes on Tech Comm’s history is the necessity to work within an English language research sphere. Then, he argues that once the field is delineated, it becomes easier to introduce history within the academic curriculum. Such approach will make the curriculum more reasonable and more reflective of the market needs especially if the texts produced are simulated with what a student will produce once a professional. The article also claims that teaching Tech Comm history is beneficial for students because they will get to watch the progress of information transfer and be consciously able to locate their framework and therefore be more efficient. Finally, Todd uses the examples of Roosevelt’s Fireplace talks and Hoover’s writing on Mining to revisits the value of communication in American history and establish its own "American English" rhetoric.