Welding Technical Communication explores the teaching and learning of welding through two narratives. The personal narrative relates the author's experience as a woman learning how to weld. The academic narrative draws upon scaffolded learning theory to examine how four welding teachers' verbal and nonverbal communication--their tutoring strategies and their gestures--facilitated students' embodied knowledge and enculturation into a community of practice. This book fills a gap in technical communication research: we do not fully understand how teachers' pedagogical technical communication scaffolds students' learning within the skilled trades. Novel in its approach and coverage, Welding Technical Communication will interest researchers in technical communication and technical education.
Author(s): Jo Mackiewicz
Series: SUNY Series, Studies in Technical Communication
Publisher: SUNY Press
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 244
City: Albany
Contents
Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Welding as Embodied Technical Knowledge
Scaffolded Teaching with Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
A Typical Day in the Welding Lab
Conclusion
Chapter 1 Situating the Study
Intersubjectivity
Ongoing Diagnosis
Contingency
Interactivity
Fading
Checking Students’ Learning
Conclusion
Chapter 2 A Mixed-Method Approach
Autoethnography
Discourse Analysis
Teacher Participants
Student Participants
Data Collection and Transcription
The Data: Welding Interactions and Interviews
Discourse Analysis of Welding Interactions
Analysis of Gestures
Conclusion
Chapter 3 Teaching Core Components of Welding
The Role of Instruction in Teaching Equipment Setup
The Role of Instruction in Teaching Body Position
The Role of Instruction in Teaching Technique
Conclusion
Chapter 4 Teaching Expert Perception
Seeing as an Expert
Hearing as an Expert
Feeling as an Expert
Conclusion
Chapter 5 Developing and Maintaining Students’ Motivation
Giving Sympathy
Being Optimistic
Using Praise
Reinforcing Positive Behaviors
Balancing Negative Evaluations
Closing Down Interactions
Pointing Out Students’ Progress
Showing Concern
Using Humor
Conclusion
Conclusion Teaching and Learning Embodied Technical Knowledge
Intersubjectivity
Ongoing Diagnosis
Contingency
Interactivity
Fading
Checking Students’ Learning
Contribution to Scaffolding Research
Possibilities for Future Research
Appendix A Informative Interview Questions for Teachers
Demographic Information
Potential Questions
Appendix B Postinteraction Interview Questions for Teachers and Students
Teacher Demographic Information
Potential Questions for Teachers
Student Demographic Information
Potential Questions for Students
Appendix C Informed Consent Form for Welding Teachers and Welding Students
Introduction
Description of Procedures
Risks or Discomforts
Benefits
Costs
Participant Rights
Confidentiality
Sharing Results
Questions
Consent and Authorization Provisions
Appendix D Solicitation Message for Students
Glossary
Notes
References
Index
