The College Writing Toolkit - Tried and Tested Ideas for Teaching College Writing - Martha C. Pennington
13. Writing the "Professional": A Model for Teaching Project Management in a Writing Course
The College Writing Toolkit - Tried and Tested Ideas for Teaching College Writing - Martha C. Pennington
Sky Marsen [+]
Victoria University of Wellington
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Description
In the next chapter, “Writing the ‘Professional’: A Model for Teaching Project Management in a Writing Course,” Sky Marsen presents an approach to instruction in professional writing derived from narrative theory. Marsen’s approach to writing instruction for professional purposes was developed in the university classroom with undergraduate students and has also been applied with professional and business clients. Marsen argues that narrative theory can be used not only as a means of explicating professional texts, but as a source of valuable concepts and strategies for writers. Countering the common and superficial view of writing instruction as a secondary and remedial activity in business and professions, Marsen positions writing as “part of a network of mutually reinforcing activities” in realizing any successful project. The author outlines a semester-long workshop course using narrative theory as a framework for discussing case studies such as the Challenger disaster and for teaching project management through text analysis and writing.