I am pleased and proud to present the first edition of IDeaL: Design
for Learning -- the official newsletter of the Society for Technical
Communication's Instructional Design and Learning (IDL) SIG. We hope it
will be useful to you!
Some of you may be wondering how this newsletter came to be? You may
also be asking yourselves how we can work together to ensure that this
newsletter serves the collective needs of the IDL SIG membership? Well...
The Genesis
At the 2002 STC Annual Conference in Nashville, several IDL SIG members
met and expressed the need to have a newsletter that would provide information
that specifically addressed the needs of those of those who do instructional
design and training. At that time, I volunteered to be the Editor of such
a newsletter.
The Creation
As I sent messages to the listserv calling for input, suggestions, assistance,
and articles, many of you responded by taking an active role in contributing
to this newsletter. Your contributions have included suggesting and voting
on the newsletter title, contributing artices, sharing your ideas about
what you'd like to see in a newsletter, and volunteering your time to
assist with creating the Newsletter.
Then, with your input and assistance as well as that from as the IDL
SIG Leadership Team -- Jane Smith (Manager), Jackie Damrau (Copy Editor
and Proofreader), Chris Emanuelli ( Web Master), Sylvia Miller (Membership
Coordinator) and Yvonne DeGraw ( past Manager) -- we produced this newsletter.
These team members shared their insight, wisdom, and expertise and have
been instrumental in producing this newsletter. Special thanks goes to
Jackie Damrau whose support, advice regarding the production process,
and solid editing have proved invaluable to this process!
I'd also like to thank Jeff Staples, Carol Eyman, Kristin Bojanowski,
Jan Wright, and Lana Walker-Helmuth (current and former Newsletter Editors)
who shared their experience on being effective newsletter editors. And
of course, we couldn't have a newsletter without those who contributed
articles including my Online Documentation professor, Michael Tillmans,
as well as members who are experts in their fields such as Dave Smulers,
Peter Heikes, Christina Morfield, and Jeff Staples.
It's been exciting and rewarding working with such a professional and
collegial group of individuals, and I want to thank all who have helped
with this first issue!
The Work in Process
But we're not done yet! As with all things, we can improve upon IDeaL:
Design for Learning. To do this, we need your articles, feedback,
input, and expertise! With your help, we can help ensure that this newsletter
provides you with information you need.
How You Can Contribute
Our membership consists of an extremely talented group of individuals
-- you all must be aware of this. And due to your talents and skills,
most of you are extremely busy in your professional lives. So I understand
that you may not have much time to spare. And yet, I also understand that
you all have much expertise and information into which I can (and will,
if I may) tap. What we particularly need is:
Feedback
What sort of information would you find useful? Is there a particular
topic about which you'd like to learn more?
What sort of information regarding Instructional Design and Learning
do you need to know more about?
Are there any columns or features that you would like to see on a
regular basis, such as "Employement 101" or "Writing
and Editing Instructional Design Materials" or "Design Tools
for the Instructional Designer."
Are there newsletters (paper or electronic) that you've seen that
are particularly useful and effective?
Content
Have you written articles or led presentations that we could use in
our newsletter? (See article
guidelines.)
Would you be wiling to write an article or articles?
Do you know a tool particularly well, that you've found helpful in
the Instructional Design and Learning work that you do? Would you be
willing to write about how that tool can be helpful and how to use it?
(See article guidelines.)
Would you be willing to write a book review on an IDL-related book
you read or resouce you've used? (See article
guidelines.)
Expertise
Would you be willing to serve as a Subject Matter Expert, allowing
us to contact you if we are looking for information in your area of
expertise?
Do you know a software tool particularly well? Would you allow us
to contact you if we need information about the tool for an article
a member would like to write?
Would you be willing to serve as a member of the newsletter staff,
proofreading or copy editting submitted articles?
What's in It for You
Of course, not only will you be serving your colleagues by providing
valuable information and skills, but you will also be able to enhance
your résumé by adding your active involvement in your professional
organization (STC) as well as listing your on-line "publications."
As Technical Communicators, this can be helpful in strengthening our credentials
when applying for jobs or landing that contract.
So please, please, please, please (just making sure I say, "please")
contact us with any suggestions or ideas you may have or if you would
like to contribute in any way by sending an e-mail to at stc_idl_newsletter@yahoo.com.
Don't be shy! Having your input really is the only way that we can create
a newsletter that serves the needs of our membership.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Dave Williams
Editor, IDeaL: Design for Learning (Newsletter of the STC IDL
SIG)
The contents of this site, including all images and text, are for personal,
educational, non-commercial use only. The contents of this site may not be reproduced
in any form without the permission of the content author.
Volume
1 | Number 1 | Spring 2004
