Simulation Jr: - using modified problem-based learning in technical communication undergraduate courses

Teaching technical communication concepts and skills to undergraduate students is enhanced by the presence of simulated experiences. While pure simulation is impossible to achieve, problem-based learning (PBL) is a reliable method by which students can practice their evolving technical communication skills in situations that seem realistic. Although PBL is not simulation, it does provide the ability for students to be immersed into pseudo-real world scenarios, thus encouraging them to take more responsibility for their own learning and apply their knowledge at successively higher levels. This paper describes the implementation of a modified PBL instructional strategy within an undergraduate technical communication course and how PBL provides some of the benefits of simple simulation.