Interdisciplinary approach to the teaching of technical writing in two technological institutes in Brazil and Norway

Abstract

The teaching of technical writing to novice STEM researchers in two technological institutes, in Brazil (IFSP) and in Norway (NTNU), has been an interdisciplinary effort that integrates linguistic and technical disciplines, while building on the local context and fostering student autonomy. Within this approach, we use two tools: the career-related Design Thinking framework, in a pedagogical application that teaches writing alongside project development for problem-solving (RODRIGUES; BAPTISTA, 2019); and the Writer’s Wheel (HAAS, 2009), a writing model that guides students to the understanding and management of their own technical scientific writing process. We show how an integrated approach involves drawing appropriately from several disciplines, leading students from convention to innovation, from the development of linguistic, cognitive and technological strategic competence towards autonomy, based on their needs. We find that teaching writing in parallel with project development guides students to understand and manage their own communication process. We outline possible next steps in the improvement of the approach, with regard to theory and educational practice.