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Samples for Technical Communication Courses

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Reflections on Teaching

The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically: Dr. King’s words most eloquently reflect my outlook on education and the process of earning the Graduate Teaching Certificate through TILT at Colorado State University. The workshops, short courses, and education resources helped me build classrooms where students could be active participants in learning to foster intensive and critical thinking.

Based on the TILT teachings to achieve the active classroom culture, I integrated:

flipped classroom strategies
creative projects
comprehensive grading
and choice

For example, in my Technical/Specialized Writing Courses (upper-division writing credit), I translated academic assignments into applicable work-place scenarios.

To teach students the principles of email writing, I tasked them with "scheduling an interview" or "setting up a meeting" with members of their imagined company. The core expectations (a definite date/time, location, and instructions for the recipient) remained the same, and students had to think critically about how that applied to their chosen scenario. They had the choice to write for the situation that resonated with them the most. The original email assignment asked students to write a complaint letter; however, complaint letters are not reflective of typical workplace communication, nor did my students relate to the task. If anything, we complain on social media to gain the attention of companies today. Changing the assignment to reflect a daily interaction translated more strongly for my students because they could see the skill applying to their careers regardless of industry and discipline. We still covered complaint letters and discussed how the underlying skillset of email and message writing refers to a diverse set of situations.

Another example of critical thinking mixed with workplace applicability was the classroom culture I developed.

Students were called "associates" and treated as if they worked for our 300 Technical Writers Co. I wrote the assignments as memos with precise tasks and expectations but not step-by-step guidance. I focused on fostering creative thinkers rather than copiers by telling them what I expected in the final product but not how, exactly, to go about the development (I taught them how to use technical tools and why writing/design features were important, obviously). My associates were expected to analyze the memos, interpret the client's needs--because each associate came from a different discipline and career goal, and deliver a product that fits their subject and relied on the foundations of writing from the lecture and textbook. The final products were diverse, while the foundations of technical writing remained.

Lastly, I developed a new strategy for grading that rewarded creativity, critical thinking, and effort more than the traditional rubrics I was given. The diversity of the products required a more realistic and flexible approach to grading. I assessed each associate on their ability to meet the assignment objectives (clearly marked on each memo) with an emphasis on innovation based on their discipline. To follow the workplace framing, I graded products into four categories:

“A” level work (95%) met the assignment objectives with critical and creative elements that impressed the boss/client. The associates who earned A's demonstrated effort and a clear grasp of information design by integrating tables, illustrations, graphs, and other personal touches (like a company logo they designed) to their documents.
I explained to my associates that “B” work (85%) equates to doing what you are paid to do. The basics of the assignment were met without significant errors, but the product lacked improvements or more in-depth engagement with the materials. For example, most assignments did not explicitly ask for document design features (e.g., a bulleted list), yet we consistently discussed in class how lists help technical audiences scan information quickly. The difference between the "A" and the "B" student was the application of design tools to enhance the product.
And “C” level work (75%) indicated completing the bare minimum asked but with problems that would not be valuable in the workplace.
Associates who did not complete the 3-4 minimum requirements on each assignment received less than 70%, based on the work turned in.

Check out this sample assignment with feedback to see what I mean.

Framing the abstract values of 95%, 85%, 75%, and down in workplace terms with clear distinctions between an A and other grades allowed my associates to connect a relatable value to their effort.

In the TILT seminars, I learned about the value of self-efficacy for students. I found that relatable framing with clear minimums but open-ended expectations gave students a sense of autonomy and power in the documents they turned in. The highs were spectacular compared to my first year of rigid and traditional classroom practices. And the lows were...parallel in both strategies; however, I found students had belief in their ability to grow with my workplace frame because of the freedom to improve on the next assignment based on compounding feedback rather than "one-off" assignment perceptions.

Overall, this strategy provided more fruitful, qualitative feedback for the associates while lessening my load as an instructor.

Adding up point totals and waffling between a 6 or 7 out of 10 on any particular section of the rubric was time-consuming and conveyed little meaning for students. What does a 6 mean...really... anyway? Instead, I spent the time offering voice memos and inline comments to help students focus on the big picture and the feedback rather than the point totals. The focus on qualitative feedback for writing was something I learned in TILT seminars, and the practice improved the classroom outcomes. By the end of the semester, my associates were integrating information design and practicing more creativity across their work.

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Teaching Philosophy

When I was young, my peers called me "bossy," but I wasn’t bothered because I loved to take the lead. As I grew older, I refined my approaches to be more dialectic and less commanding. I have always enjoyed mentoring through my high school 4-H chapter, but I didn't realize how at-home I would feel engaging, inspiring, and assisting students until I was a Graduate Teaching Assistant. My position in the Journalism and Media Communication Department charged me with weekly recitations of Professional and Technical Writing. Each semester the 50 students that I worked with pushed me towards my interests in education and academic success. To further increase my ability to help students, I registered for the Graduate Teaching Certificate. Through the nine seminars and two short-courses that I completed, I learned about disabilities, digital classrooms, diversity management, curriculum development, and much more. Not only did I attend exciting workshops but this program also prompted me to find ways to refresh the curriculum with new activities. The classroom experience as a GTA and personal learning from my trials in academia led to my teaching philosophy grounded in respecting student agency and encouraging students to help themselves gain confidence and self-efficacy through projects and qualitative-focused feedback.

Facilitating Learning through Agency

Agency, or acting to produce a particular result, is a key to facilitating learning in my classroom. Through my recitation experience, a position that allowed me to engage with small groups of students, I found that students responded well to a sense of control over their learning. I always start the first day of classes with a speech on "earning cookies." I explain that I will provide all the resources, the assignment details, the instructions, and the hero support needed for success, but I will evaluate their work critically with high expectations.

Students do not "earn a cookie" for doing the bare minimum.

This approach is "sassy" but tends to play well with the audience. My teaching persona is grounded in "real-talk" and a kind yet firm truthiness.

I always explain to my students that “A” level work requires innovative use of the resources provided to transform their knowledge into effective, creative final products. Rather than assigning point values to a lengthy rubric (what is the real difference between a single point... no one seems to know and everyone has a different answer), I break my rubric into four larger categories centered on workplace language:

Very Effective/Impressing the Boss 95%--this is for products that integrate class materials and demonstrate extra effort. This also reflects a "Complete +" for activities I grade complete/incomplete.
Solid Foundation/Doing your Job 85%-- this is the most common product that fulfills the assignment expectations without significant errors. This also reflects a "Complete" for activities I grade complete/incomplete.
Needs Revisions/Disappointing the Boss 75%--this is for products that complete the bare minimum with room for significant improvements. This also reflects an "Incomplete" for activities I grade complete/incomplete.

Assignments that do not meet the minimum are considered “Unacceptable Errors/In Danger of Demotion” at 60% or Fail mark. I rarely give out 0s because the point gaps are inequitable: a 0-60% is a far greater penalty than the 10% points between other letter grades. While a success coach, I witnessed too many students who made mistakes early in the semester and couldn't mathematically overcome those 0 grades with the remaining assignments.

I believe that with the proper sense of control, applicability, and pride students are more likely to push themselves to their full potential. Top grades are hard-earned but attainable: in my classroom, students have the choice of what grade they earn. Those who choose to apply extra effort beyond the assignment sheet are rewarded; those who submit work that needs revisions are always given that opportunity to reach a "complete" or higher grade. The expectations are simple with feedback that puts the power back into the hands of the students.

Applying Educational Theory

In accordance with creating agency among students and metacognitive engagement, I focus on many low-stakes projects to build confidence and apply concepts. The combination of short projects, reflection essays, and peer discussion fosters metacognition. Metacognitive-based study skills require students to apply their knowledge in specific situations. This approach requires recall and critical thinking to understand what pieces of information are most applicable to the question or assignment at hand. I start class sessions with a question related to the past week's unit and ask the students to take 5 minutes and write down their answers. Then we share out as a group to build on the knowledge, review any gaps, and prepare for the upcoming lesson.

Additionally, I expect students to apply the previous concepts on writing and document design to subsequent assignments. When giving feedback, I often pull my comments from previous assignments to show the student how I already addressed or commented on the error. If students repeat the same issues across many assignments I pull them in for a conversation and weigh that error more heavily each time. Exams follow metacognitive processing as well through a mixture of multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and mini-projects.

For example, on a technical writing exam, I provide a poorly designed memo and ask students to critique and redesign the document. Rather than quizzing students on terms, I ask them to perform the skills we have learned during that unit.

Lastly, the opportunity for students to learn from their mistakes and turn in a corrected assignment further fosters the metacognitive process as students reflect on their knowledge.

Supporting Diversity

As a mixed-race Black woman, I support the diverse situations that all students come from. Some may feel like they are outcasts in the room. Others may feel like they are unfairly judged. Others still may have invisible disabilities such as ADHD. To understand all of my students, I sought out seminars in teaching diverse groups and completed graduate courses in Ethnic Studies. I also prioritize Universal Design in my classrooms to reduce the barriers of students who need accommodations: for example, I don't place arbitrary time limits on exams and I provide the lecture notes or recordings to all students.

I integrate examples of diverse figures to portray wider representation in my lectures. I like to curate YouTube vlogs of "Day in the Life" for various careers, and I am intentional in selecting a wide range of people sharing their career experiences to reflect the students I teach.

Lastly, I encourage all of my students to have agency in their attitudes toward adversity while demanding respect while they are in my classroom. I acknowledge and often accommodate students who speak up for their needs and positions when deadlines are not met or grades considered--to a point. For example, if a student can persuasively ask for an extension due to an adverse situation in their life, I listen and carefully consider the request as a learning opportunity.

Teaching Courses

My background is in writing and digital content; I taught advanced technical and specialized writing to students from across disciplines as well as Public Relations Techniques and Tools. Although I spent five years in a writing role, I can lead a public speaking course because of the time spent in professional public speaking positions. I am also qualified to teach Popular Culture, Television/Film Criticism, and New Media in Society courses based on my research paradigm: Pop Culture, New Media, and Critical Cultural Studies. The courses that I am most interested in teaching allow students to have agency over their lives. Effective communication, including a firm understanding of how to interpret the media, assists students as consumers. Agency in and out of the classroom is the foundation of my teaching philosophy.

STUDENT FEEDBACK

I will use the public relations knowledge that Professor Blackburn provided throughout my educational career and moving forward. She also had so many tricks about career readiness as well as provided a positive vibe for students to feel comfortable with her. This course was designed like a real career and that will only help me succeed when I'm in the job market in this industry.

Spring 2022

I just wanted to say that I really learned a great deal from taking this class, and that I truly appreciated your constructive ability to assist in my further understanding of technical communication. This class allowed me to investigate my career path in ways I had been almost avoiding addressing,

Summer 2019

Hayley went above and beyond when giving feedback. Honestly, I am surprised she had enough time for all of the work she put into this class with her grad workload on top of it. I am very impressed with her as a teacher and I honestly think she's one of the most driven and caring people I have ever come across. She gave feedback verbally, through audio, and written.

Spring 2019