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Atlas Shrugged: Assessing Communication and Global Competence Skills in a Technical Writing Course

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Conference

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

San Antonio, Texas

Publication Date

June 10, 2012

Start Date

June 10, 2012

End Date

June 13, 2012

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Advances in Assessment of Communication and Interdisciplinary Competence

Tagged Division

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society

Page Count

15

Page Numbers

25.238.1 - 25.238.15

DOI

10.18260/1-2--20998

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/20998

Download Count

593

Paper Authors

biography

Carolyn Kusbit Dunn East Carolina University

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Carolyn Kusbit Dunn is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Technology Systems at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. Dunn holds a Ph.D. in English with a concentration in professional and technical discourse, and she teaches technical writing. Her research interests are crisis communication, language and power, and teaching technical and professional communication.

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Abstract

Atlas Shrugged: Assessing Communication and Global Competence Skills in aTechnical Writing CourseAt least one theme of Ayn Rand’s dystopian novel “Atlas Shrugged” is the role of the individualmind in a successful society. While engineering and technology programs focus on preparing thestudent to perform the technical tasks required of them upon graduation, many count upon thegeneral humanities education of the freshman and sophomore years to provide the liberal artsbasis for such necessities as global awareness and professional communication competence.This paper will explore one university program’s attempt to assess both global andcommunication competence using a required technical writing course normally taken in theJunior year, and how that course is attempting to meet these two required competencies, and anumber of others surrounding professional communication. The paper will detail theorganization of the overall course, along with its objectives, and explain the assessment tools andoutcomes used to measure global and communication competence. It will also address thechallenges of focusing on two outcomes while still trying to meet the myriad other outcomesrequired by the course, and possible solutions.

Dunn, C. K. (2012, June), Atlas Shrugged: Assessing Communication and Global Competence Skills in a Technical Writing Course Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--20998

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