Technical Writing & Communication
A Portfolio of My Learning at Arizona State University
Portfolio Purpose
Welcome to my Technical Writing and Communication Portfolio! This project was developed as a capstone analysis of my learnings throughout my time in the Master of Science in Technical Writing and Communications program at Arizona State University. My name is Emily Popple, and I am glad that you have found this portfolio to learn more about my development and growth throughout my TWC education.
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Within this portfolio you will find a metacognitive reflection focusing on how I have learned and navigated a threshold concept that is critical knowledge to any Technical Communicator: All projects for a technical communicator must be approached with the end-user in mind. Along with a metacognitive reflection, you will also find several artifacts - examples from my own assignments - on how my learning has centered around this threshold concept and help display how I have made great progress in mastering this threshold concept leading up to the conclusion of my degree program.
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To conclude my portfolio, you will also find an "About the Author" page where you can learn more about who I am as a person, alongside who I am as a Technical Communicator. While this portfolio focuses in on my growth and learning throughout my education, this knowledge and experience has held a great impact on my personal life as well and has helped to round out who I am as a person, academic, career woman, wife, and communicator.
What I Assumed TC Was:
Writing and Editing
What I Learned TC Included:
User Design and User Experience
What I Learned TC Included:
Data Analysis and Visualization
What I Understand Now:
Overall Goal is to Help the End User
My Growth in Technical Communications
When I enrolled in this program in 2018, I held one main goal - to utilize my learning in this program to successfully change careers. At the time I was a high school English teacher, and I was eager to jump into a career field where I would have more opportunity to continually learn, grow, and find fulfillment in my projects. I decided that this ideal field would be Technical Writing, and I embarked on expanding my knowledge of the practice at Arizona State University in August of 2018.
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Since beginning the program, I have had the opportunity to make a major career change and now work as a Learning and Development Manager for a national quick-lube oil change company. My role now incorporates all aspects of Technical Communications, but between my current role and my academic career at ASU, I have learned and grown in my knowledge of what Technical Communications entails, but also who Technical Communicators work for: the end user. In my role now, I thought I would be writing manuals, publishing one-pagers, and producing whole-company communications; the reality is that I am a graphic designer, data analyst, and user advocate in addition to all of the tasks I assumed would be part of the role. My education at ASU has set me up for success in this role as I have had the opportunity to learn and grow in each of those areas that my job requires. My portfolio will be further exploring how my threshold concept has not only been vital for understanding my assignments for school, but also allowed me to be successful in my career and will provide me continued growth as a Technical Communicator.