October 20 Discussion Guide: Knowledge: How do technical communicators construct knowledge?

For October 20, we are reviewing only two articles (see the full references below).

The learning objective for this class focuses us on exploring the construction of knowledge, particularly as this is done by technical communicators. The question we are exploring is,

"How do technical communicators construct knowledge?"

This question specifically targets the knowledge construction of technical communicators, which may be difficult without first examining the human process of constructing knowledge. Before we are able to discuss or even see clearly what our authors are saying, it seems that a broader initial approach may be valuable. As an educator whose students previous experiences have been (generally) akin to swallowing someone else's knowledge whole, I relish every opportunity to help them learn how to chew, savor, and fully digest knowledge on their own.

This is one of my favorite topics and I hope you will fully engage in and enjoy the process we're using this week to learn about knowledge construction through a collective analysis and composition experience, followed by our classroom discussion. So here's the plan:

1. Spend 00:04:30 watching an online commentary on undergraduate learning through collaborative composition: http://youtu.be/dGCJ46vyR9o
   
2. Spend 00:04:34 watching an online summary video on how our digital composition, organization, and distribution mechanisms are fundamentally changing the ways in which we communicate, compose, and collaborate: http://youtu.be/NLlGopyXT_g
3. Spend 00:02:51 watching an online video about what GoogleDocs is and the fundamental ways of how it works: http://youtu.be/eRqUE6IHTEA
4. Participate actively in the following GoogleDocs
• Collaborative Review of Sullivan & Porter Article
• Collaborative Review of Harrison Article
5. Come prepared to enjoy the ensuing discussion.
6. Watch the keynote referenced below, beginning at 00:13:10 and consider Wesch's triangle of knowledge-ability versus Sullivan & Porter's triangle of praxis in research.
7. Comment here to continue the interaction and extend our class beyond its typical time/space constraints.

References

Harrison, T. M. (2004). Frameworks for the Study of Writing in Organizational Contexts. In J. Johnson-Eilola & S. A. Selber (Eds.), Central works in technical communication (pp. 255-267). New York: Oxford University Press.

Sullivan, P., & Porter, J. E. (2004). On Theory, Practice, and Method: Toward a Heuristic Research Methodology for Professional Writing. In J. Johnson-Eilola & S. A. Selber (Eds.), Central works in technical communication (pp. 300-316). New York: Oxford University Press.

Wesch, M. (2010, June 24). Knowledge-able. Opening Plenary presented at the STLHE Annual Conference 2010, Ryerson University. Retrieved from http://j.mp/wesch_at_ryersonon_2010-jun-24. Skip to 13:10 for beginning of actual presentation.