This is the presentation for my capstone defense in the completion of my M.S. in Technical Communication at NC State University.

1. SOCIAL MEDIA and
TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION
A Course in Progress
By Jennifer Riehle
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 | April 26th, 2011

2. PREVIEW
• Opportunity
• Objectives
• Constraints
• Methodology
• Rhetorical Strategy
• Results
• Review
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

3. OPPORTUNITY
The emergence of social media has
created new jobs for technical
communicators
‣ Interestin a course on social media and
emerging technologies
‣ Currentlyoffered but timeline for
permanent implementation is limited
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

4. OBJECTIVES
• Research similar courses
• Develop a course that considers the use
of social media from a technical
communication perspective
• Build in flexibility for study of emerging
technologies
• Make the course content available to
others
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

5. CONSTRAINTS
TIME
Stefan

6. CONSTRAINTS
• Time: the research
• Time: the lesson plans
• Time: staying relevant
• Personal background
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

7. METHODOLOGY
• Research
• Reading
• Planning
• Creating
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

8. methodology: RESEARCH
• Indiana University • Bowling Green
University
• University of
Massachusetts • Clemson University
• Kansas University • Minnesota State
University
• University of
Central Florida
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

9. methodology: RESEARCH
• Indiana University • Bowling Green
University
• University of
Massachusetts • Clemson University
• Kansas University • Minnesota State
University
• University of
Central Florida
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

10. methodology: RESEARCH
• Indiana University • Bowling Green
University
• University of
Massachusetts • Clemson University
• Kansas University • Minnesota State
University
• University of
Central Florida • NC State University
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

11. methodology: READING
Engage: The Complete Guide for Brands and Businesses to Build,
Cultivate and Measure Success in the New Web
Brian Solis
Conversation and Community: The Social Web for Documentation
Anne Gentle
Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works
Janice (Ginny) Reddish
Designing Social Interfaces: Principles, Patterns and Practices for
Improving the User Experience
Christian Crumlish and Erin Malone
The Yahoo Style Guide: the Ultimate Sourcebook for Writing, Editing,
and Creating Content for the Web
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

12. methodology: PLANNING
• Tying readings to in-class discussion
• Getting the students to write
• Finding time for presentations
• Keeping the content relevant
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

13. methodology: CREATING
• The website
• The syllabus
• Writing the
lesson plans
Stefan

14. RHETORICAL STRATEGIES
• Course content
‣ Online ethics and privacy issues
‣ Managing employees and management
‣ Evaluating and writing for your audience
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

15. RHETORICAL STRATEGIES
• Course organization
‣ Canons of Rhetoric - Arrangement
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

16. RHETORICAL STRATEGIES
• Project delivery via WordPress
‣ Immediacy of related information
‣ Using the public sphere
‣ Ethos
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

17. RESULTS
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

18. RESULTS
• Shared work with others
‣ Schools who indicated interested
‣ Dr. Gretchen Perbix, Minnesota State
University
‣ Dr. Richard Waters, NC State University
• Hope to see some of my work used in the
creation of a permanent course
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

19. REVIEW
• New technologies mean new opportunities
for technical communicators
• Course designed to fill a need and still be
flexible for future technologies
• Content to be shared with others
ENG 675 | Spring 2011 April 26th, 2011

20. with gratitude...
• Dr. Stan Dicks
• Dr. Brad Mehlenbacher
• John Martin
• Sarah McKone
• The NCSU Tech Comm
Community
Stefan

21. Questions?
Visit the project site at
http://jenreally.com/675project/
Stefan