ANNC: 'Professional XML Authoring' and 'Professional Technical Writing' courses
Richard Lander
York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is sponsoring a research project
with watAGE Inc. of Waterloo, Ontario. watAGE Inc. currently offers two
Internet-based courses in technical communication via its online domain,
www.on-line-learning.com : Professional Technical Writing and Professional
XML Authoring. In September 1999, these courses will be offered as
non-credit certificate courses via York University's Center for Distance
Education at Atkinson College (http://www.atkinson.yorku.ca/cde/), a project
sponsored by the Computer-Assisted Writing Centre at York. Participants may
register now at www.on-line-learning.com.
These courses will be offered to individuals at $750 CDN plus 7% GST
($802.50) each; groups of 5-10 may enroll at $600 (plus tax; $642.00) per
person; and groups of more than 10 may enroll for $500 (plus tax; $535.00)
per person.
Below is a brief summary of the two courses. For more information, please
visit www.on-line-learning.com.
Professional XML Authoring
Professional XML Authoring is a comprehensive expression of the Extensible
Markup Language, related XML-based technologies, and their use. As a student
of Professional XML Authoring, you will learn how to create XML documents,
document type definitions, and stylesheets, and how to use all your skills
in creating XML-based information systems. Students are expected to spend
about 5-10 hours per week working on the course over a four month period.
During this time, you will have access to XML/SGML experts and a
comprehensive set of online course materials.
"All this XML activity," says Intercom, the magazine for the Society for
Technical Communication, in its April 1999 issue, "promises to have a
profound impact on the way technical communicators work."
Professional Technical Writing is appropriate for junior technical writers
and those who are interested in making a transition into technical
communications from another job. It is an introductory course, but has many
benefits for writers with some experience. For example, students use an SGML
editor to complete their assignments; this may be valuable for writers who
wish to develop a portfolio of varied experience, especially since the
course allows students to customize their final project. SGML is also an
excellent way to engage the concepts of XML, an slim version of SGML with
HTML's Web publishing capabilities.
Professional XML Authoring is intended for students with some experience
with either HTML or SGML.
Professional Technical Writing
Professional Technical Writing course encourages self-directed learning in
an interactive environment that simulates the virtual office. Participants
should expect to spend about 5-10 hours per week working on the course over
a four-month period, but the actual time spent on the course and the limits
to what participants can learn are entirely up to them.
The course teaches sound communications methods, which require the
composition of a business letter, résumé, technical manual, final report,
and usability testing. Participants make extensive use of the InContext 2.1
SGML editor for all of their assignments.
--
Richard Lander
relander at uwaterloo.ca
http://pdbeam.uwaterloo.ca/~rlander/
Professional XML Authoring
http://www.on-line-learning.com/