Northeast Ohio Society for Technical Communication
I had the pleasure of interviewing STC Vice President and Associate Fellow Ben Woelk for this piece. Thanks Ben! While talking to Ben, I saw one theme emerge: he enjoys a challenge. And that drives him in his work and personal life, from his membership on the STC Board of Directors to his hobby of … Continue reading…
“STC is an outstanding organization I wish I had known about years ago.” So said Paul Joseph who is currently an STC member and host of a recent NEO STC webinar on technical writing. Paul hosted the webinar in connection with his work as CEO of the International Writing Institute (IWI) and promotion of a … Continue reading…
Paul Joseph, CEO of the International Writing Institute, discussed different types of writing at our January 28 free mini-webinar. NEO STC held this free mini-webinar via Gotomeeting. All 150 tickets sold out. The event was open to STC members and non-members. The goal of the event was for those new or interested in the field … Continue reading…
Recently, Jennifer Yaros presented a mini-webinar on Tapping into the Creative Mind: The Science Behind Generating Ideas. Jennifer is the founder and Chief Creativity Officer at BrainSpark, a program that consults with businesses to help them foster creativity and innovation. In this mini-webinar, Jennifer explains the difference between creativity and art, saying “creativity is about … Continue reading…
Building LEGO structures isn’t just for entertainment purposes anymore – you can use them to encourage team communication and problem solving too! Heidi Spangler, owner of Backwards Bicycling, LLC and certified LEGO Serious Play facilitator, led attendees in exploring their creative sides by providing topics to illustrate and discuss using LEGO Blocks. Building with LEGO … Continue reading…
The word that comes to mind when I think of the contents of The Teacher’s Role in the Changing Globalizing World is “smorgasbord” as in a smorgasbord of interesting ideas. The chosen works ably address with their smorgasbord of ideas the notion that the role of teachers today is changing throughout the world. Today a teacher … Continue reading…
NEO STC wishes you and yours a wonderful new year. Did you set any resolutions? I did the obligatory “be healthier” resolution which means hitting my Fitbit step goal and water intake goal everyday. Speaking of resolutions, make sure you check out the President’s Column written by Bob Young. He talks about upcoming events and … Continue reading…
The champagne may be uncorked but there still is plenty to celebrate with NEO STC for the new year! We have some interesting and unique activities planned, starting with the January meeting. This will be a hands-on experience that you don’t want to miss. We hope you will join our friends at Keithley Instruments on … Continue reading…
Barb Philbrick, Jason Vensel, and Lisa Mileusnich visited the University of Akron on November 9. Students from Kelly Webb Bronstrup’s technical writing classes braved the cold and snow to meet with us. We discussed our career paths, how to work with SMEs, what we do at our jobs, and general tips for becoming a successful … Continue reading…
A mix of familiar and new faces gathered to share some holiday cheer at the annual NEO STC Holiday Party on December 13. More than 20 people met at Burntwood Tavern in Lyndhurst to network, laugh, indulge in tasty appetizers and beverages, and kickoff the holiday season. Members and friends traveled from Cleveland, Akron, Canton, … Continue reading…
A new book entitled “Conditioning Your Mind to Fuel Creativity”—written to unleash readers’ minds and empower them to think differently while imagining new ideas—is now available for purchase at http://www.brainspark-creativity.com/book and on Amazon.com. “Conditioning Your Mind” shatters preconceived notions about what creativity is and means, explaining that it is not a talent only some people are born with, but instead … Continue reading…
The Horizon Report continues to provide, as it has for over a decade, ideas about higher education developments, trends, and challenges. Published by EDUCAUSE and the New Media Consortium, the report identifies what is “likely to have an impact” on learning and teaching. See https://library.educause.edu/resources/2018/8/2018-nmc-horizon-report for the full report. See Students of the Future for a … Continue reading…
The Paper It’s Written On fills the particular needs of an independent editor. Authors Karin Cather and Dick Margulis ably tackle their subject matter with Cather being a former litigator and freelance editor working with academic works, memoirs, police procedurals, science fiction, thrillers, true crime, and fantasy (wow!). Margulis is an editor and book designer with … Continue reading…
If you were not able to attend our November, 2018, meeting and want to see Kim Lindsey’s presentation on the important topic of learnability, you can now access a pdf file and recorded webinar to see what you missed, This material is available for your personal use only, Kim has some great insights in her … Continue reading…
Our program year is off to a great start as evident by all the great content in this newsletter. Be sure to check out the following articles: President’s Column: Recap and Upcoming News by Bob Young Get Off Your Duff and Build Relationships Says Aschwanden by Bob Young Recap of Bernard Aschwanden’s Technical Communication 2020 … Continue reading…
One Bernard presentation plus eight wooden pumpkins equal an educational and fun start for our expanding NEO STC circle! (See exciting membership news in this column.) Bernard Aschwanden, past president of STC and recognized publishing technologies expert, kicked off our program year in September with a full-day seminar packed with information, insightful tips, and software … Continue reading…
The second most important business advice that Bernard Aschwanden received was also his best lesson in life. “The course is entrepreneurship. After (the professor) stands up and introduces himself, he says ‘I want everyone to stand up and take the chairs and turn them over on your desk’,” recalled Aschwanden. “One of the girls says … Continue reading…
Hello NEO STC members! I’m a working technical writer in Cincinnati who was graciously invited to attend the Technical Communication 2020 event presented by Bernard Aschwanden. I am considering membership, and I appreciate the opportunity to experience the benefits of the organization, courtesy of Sara Buchanan’s encouragement and Adobe’s generosity. Aschwanden presented a wealth of … Continue reading…
Cornstalks, pumpkins, and apple cider, oh my! It was an absolutely boo-tiful evening of Fall fun for our October social at Szalay’s Farm, in Peninsula. As we waited for everyone to gather, there was time to shop the farm market, overflowing with fresh fruit, cheeses, bread, pies, and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. Across … Continue reading…
We hear much today about the possibilities of the use of blockchain in education and other applications. Let’s consider how we should understand blockchain terms and concepts and be able, if needed, to explain the technology for the audiences we serve. One take on the subject comes from the Why Higher Ed Should Do More … Continue reading…