Spilka: Resarch Instruction/ Rickly Jr Rev

Spilka, Rachel
Practitioner Research Instruction: A Neglected Curricular Area in Technical Communication Undergraduate Programs
JBTC 2009; 23; 216

216
circa 65% UG programs in TC do minimal/no research training

217
given rsrch's importance in field, this neglects the vital role of research
practitioner research defined
"any type of research conducted by technical communicators
as part of either their routine or their specialized job responsibilities."
"this type of research as a core job activity"

217-18
methods:
collection of data in workplace
collection of info in libraries, databases, on internet
observations
interviews
surveys
focus groups
usability tests
experiments


218-219
"Practitioner research is so integral to communication in industry that it is difficult to imagine a technical communicator functioning well without doing research or knowing how to do research competently"

219
not having reseach skills is a professional disadvantage

219-220
in spite of industry's valuing of research, undergrad tching ignores it

221
even though many grad students get good research trng, most UGs do not return to do grad work, so if they are going to be trained in doing research for TC, it should happen in UG work

221-222
method description
analysis of websites
centered on 60

223
discussion of secondary research questions
looked at course descriptions & research methods offered


224
FINDINGS
Is the Word Research (or Are Related Words) Mentioned or
Featured in a Web Site Program Description?
rarely mentioned
may be present but not called research
may be used but not actually be present

225
Is Any Research Training Available in an Institution’s
Undergraduate Program?
only at 35%

225-226
If Research Training Is Available (in a Program or College), Is It
Available in Required Courses or in Electives?
figure on 227

227
What Types of Research Training and Courses Are Available in
Undergraduate Programs That Offer Some Research
Instruction?
list of varying & included research methods

228
examples of variation in research training

228-229
possible contributors to the problem
"Most practitioner research is invisible to academics"
discussed up thru 230

230
"Academics might assume that research is an advanced skill that belongs
in graduate training"

231
discussed further on

"Academics might lack knowledge about practitioner research and feel
unqualified to teach it."

"A variety of institutional constraints, in programs at the undergraduate
level in particular, can discourage academics from offering research
training"


231
Most UGs new to the field are often doing research w/in a few months of arrival


232
Suggested next steps
“The most important goal is to give research training more presence and
priority in an undergraduate program so that this critical area of instruction
is not ignored or underrepresented.”

Research is a fundamental part of what TCers do
ID ways to alter UG TC programs to fit this

233
Require UG research
Include a variety of methods as options
Try and have Ss conduct their own studies
Expose Ss to politics of research

234
Make research a priority