March 2, 2016 – STC Multi-Community Techcomm Showcase Round 2

Recording

The event recording is available free at
http://stc.adobeconnect.com/p65lsf93in3/

 

Wednesday, March 2, 2016 from 6:45 PM to 8:45 PM (EST)

Register on Eventbrite
eventbrite-142

 

Join the IDL SIG, STC Twin Cities chapter, and Greater Pittsburg STC chapter for another Virtual Chapter Techcomm Showcase.

This multi-community STC educational event is offered virtually to IDL SIG members. We encourage you to host a viewing party to provide opportunities for networking. Note that all times are Eastern Standard.

Each hosting community is providing a speaker for the event who will provide a brief presentation and a question and answer period.

About the programs and speakers 

STC Certification: Why, and Where are we Now? presented by Alan Houser

STC re-launched its certification program in 2016. Alan will discuss the design of the STC certification program, lessons learned from the original certification program, who might consider certification and why, and steps to become a Certified Professional Technical Communicator.

Alan Houser is a technical publishing consultant and trainer with Group Wellesley, Inc., a Pittsburgh, PA-based company that provides authoring, content management, and workflow services to technology-oriented businesses. Alan is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, where he earned an MA in Professional Writing and a BS in Electrical Engineering.

Alan is a Fellow, former member of the Board of Directors (2011-2014), and a past international President (2012-2013) of the Society for Technical Communication.

Audio Editing Tips: 3 Easy Steps to Improved Voice Recording presented by Robert Hershenow

Robert Hershenow’s affinity for audio recording spans not only decades but also diverse technologies, and over the years he has developed efficient methods for producing high-quality recordings on the cheap. This session explores the editing steps that are critical to professional-sounding recordings. Examples will focus on voiceover and will use Audacity (the free, open-source audio recorder and editor), but the concepts are applicable to any recorded content and any editing software.

Robert Hershenow is an independent technical communicator, recording engineer, and musician who has years of experience in sharing knowledge with others.

He is Co-Manager of the STC’s Instructional Design and Learning SIG and resides in Berkeley, California.

The Science and Psychology of Persuasion presented by Barbara Beresford

A successful technical communicator not only manages deadlines and deliverables, but also manages his or her influence with coworkers and superiors. If you have strong writing and editing skills, but are not as schooled in the soft skills needed to understand and positively influence the people with whom you work, attend this presentation on psychology and persuasion:

Learn about recent research on the conscious/unconscious minds that affect our behavior and decision-making

Identify how well people know themselves and what they want

Learn to use this information to understand and influence others

Barbara has been a technical writer and editor for 23 years, the last 12+ at MorphoTrust USA, Inc., where she writes user documentation for finger, face, and iris biometric technologies. Her minimalist writing style reflects her preferred approach to helping users quickly identify why a specific software system is used, what tasks are performed with the system, and how the tasks are successfully completed. She also advocates for the end user by working with developers to improve GUI design and usability.

Outside of work, she enjoys the arts community in the twin cities, especially the theater, and plays the violin in a community orchestra. In the warmer months, she tends a large garden, featuring native plants and boulders.

Register today and then join us online on March 2nd. 

About the in-person meeting: (register on the Rochester STC chapter’s site)

  • 6-7 PM Networking
  • 7-8:30 PM Presentations
  • 8:30 PM Wrap-up

Light refreshments will be provided.

Rochester Location Barnes & Noble at RIT (upstairs in the community room) 100 Park Point Rochester NY 14623

Walk-ins are welcome.

 

Instructional Designer job posting in Winchester VA

Apply on the American Woodmark jobs website http://americanwoodmark.com/careers/employment-listings/

Instructional Designer

Tracking Code
1209-683
Job Description
PURPOSE:

To design and develop learning, practice and assessment materials for all areas of assigned responsibilities. The goal is to create effective and engaging learning materials that facilitate learners in acquiring the knowledge, skills and competencies that allow them to competently complete their work.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

  • Create engaging learning activities and compelling course content that enhances competency and retention.
  • Use the ADDIE Method to design learning, practice and assessment materials for all areas of assigned responsibilities.
  • Works with subject matter experts to understand needed content and to identify target audience’s training needs.
  • State instructional end goals and create content that matches them.
  • Visualize instructional graphics, the user interface and the finished product.
  • Conduct instructional research and analysis on learners and content.
  • Apply tested instructional design theories, practices and methods.
  • Provide exercises and activities that enhance the learning process.
  • Create supporting material/media (audio, video, simulations, role plays, games, etc.)
  • Decide on the criteria used to judge a learner’s performance and develop assessment instruments.
  • Applies project management skills to ensure stakeholders are kept abreast of progress and ensures the timely completion of projects. Additionally, maintains project plans and documentation.
  • Structure and facilitate a materials review process to gain client buy in.
  • Research and recommend current software products that will enhance learning development.
  • Be a role model for our CITE principles and our Working in Teams principles.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position typically does not have any supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS:   (Education, Experience and Skills)

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required.

                Education, Experience and Skills

  • An undergraduate degree in instructional Design, educational design, educational technology or related field an advanced degree is a plus.
  • A minimum of 5 years of experience in instructional or educational design
  • In depth knowledge and experience applying adult learning theories in a business setting;
  • Successful track record of project management and team experience;
  • Knowledge of instructional technology tools such as Captivate
  • Demonstrated ability to create high quality, effective and innovative instructional materials.
  • Excellent personal computer skills to include a good, working knowledge of Microsoft Office – particularly Excel, Access, Word and PowerPoint.

Language Skills:

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, statistical reports, and financial documents. Ability to listen and communicate effectively with customers/clients in an effort to carry out responsibilities or respond to common inquires. Ability to develop presentations to be delivered to groups of employees and management.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to apply advanced mathematical concepts like exponents, algebra, quadratic equations and basic logic functions such as if-then-else statements. Ability to apply mathematical operations to such tasks as statistical and financial math calculations, determination of test reliability and validity, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory, and factor analysis.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions in written, mathematical or diagram form and develop a plan of action to follow those instructions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk.  Lifting requirements are typically less than 20 pounds on an infrequent basis.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Typical office environment.  The noise level is usually moderate.  Work hours will generally range from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.  Occasional weekend work required.   25% travel is required for specialized training and for exposure to operations in the field.

Job Location
Winchester, Virginia, United States
Position Type
Full-Time/Regular

Update: Instructional Design issue of Intercom articles needed by April 1st

After the Summit last year, we were all fired up to conquer the world and arranged with Liz Pohland to guest edit an issue of Intercom. We need articles supplied by you by April 1st.

These articles can be on any aspect of Instructional Design and Learning. Two questions we were asked at the Summit were: “How does ID differ from regular ‘technical writing’?” and “How do I break into ID?”

This is your honest-to-goodness chance to be PUBLISHED in a magazine that reaches an international audience. Pick one of the ideas above or your own area of expertise and let me know that you will commit to getting an article to me in the next couple of weeks. Be honest with yourself… had you been given 3 months’ notice (and really, you were) you’d still just be sitting down to write this weekend. So it’s not totally crazy to ask you to have something ready so quickly.

Everything you need to know about writing for Intercom is on http://intercom.stc.org/author-guidelines/ and there are no onerous requirements. In fact, you can re-use a previously-published article according to these notes from that page: An article should be accompanied by a note stating whether the article has appeared in another publication and whether you plan to submit it to another publication. At the end of the article, please include a brief biography of the author(s) and email addresses, or other contact information for the reader.

Publishing Rights
Authors retain copyright to their work in Intercom. The Society for Technical Communication requires that author(s) grant STC print rights to articles appearing in Intercom. The Society also requires that author(s) grant STC permission to reproduce the article for an indefinite period of time in any media. We also ask authors to wait six months before re-publishing an Intercom article elsewhere (such as on a personal blog). Once an article has been accepted for publication, authors will be asked to sign a licensing agreement. (this link works on the STC site).

So please leap into action, grab your pens, and save our rep for promising to help out and delivering on that promise.
Mellissa & Robert