Author: TechCommGeekMom

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e-Learning – A Growing Field For Technical Writers | Immerse CMS.

This great little article makes a point that I’ve been trying to make on my own quest to find an e-learning positions. In no way am I putting down instructional designers, but as a trained technical communicator, I know that technical writers have the right stuff to be effective in writing for e-learning. Technical writers most often create user documentation and training manuals. With some creativity, imagination, and some quick learning of the basics of instructional design, technical writers can be quite capable of writing up e-learning content.

Now, with the advent of m-learning, the skills to be able to curate content and whittle it down to comprehensible, short yet clear information for smartphones and tablets will be vital. Technical writers are used to working with a mountain of information, and paring it down to the essential information needed to learn how to make something work or take a next step. Isn’t that a valuable skill to have as an instructional designer?

As more e-learning and especially m-learning programs expand, technical communicators are truly going to be needed to help bring things up to speed quickly to keep up with constantly emerging new mobile technologies.

So, if you are looking for a new instructional designer, think about giving a technical writer a chance. I’m sure there are plenty of them (including me especially) who would jump at the chance to write training materials in a new and exciting way, and technical writers already have most of the skills needed. The instructional design will come…most of the essential concepts aren’t that difficult. Give technical writers a chance!