Instructional & Technical Writing

Learn instructional and technical writing skills through team collaboration on practical issues of sustainability and repair

Program Highlights

Work closely with local company iFixit to write repair guides for iFixit.com

Reverse engineer devices such as vacuums, laptops, and printers

Learn instruction-writing techniques including concision, voice & style, and writing for a lay audience

Residential Tuition:
$5,298

Session 2:
July 14, 2024 July 26, 2024

Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly SLO - San Luis Obispo, CA

Testimonials

"My experience was unforgettable. I enjoyed all the activities, classes, and friends I met. With that being said, Summer Springboard really served as an eye opener for me. SSB has taught me what college will be like, from home sickness to adapting to new environments. In all this was an unforgettable experience and I have no regrets coming..."

Michael T.
"This experience was very rewarding. I gained a lot of independence and really learned a lot, I would definitely to this program again."

Julia J.
"I enjoyed getting a taste of the college experience and meeting new people. Both the mentors and the students were very friendly."

Mia M.

Course Overview

In our two-week session, students will work closely with local company iFixit to write repair guides for iFixit.com. In teams of 3-4, students will pick out a device (such as a vacuum, laptop, or printer) at the iFixit office and will reverse engineer it to write these repair guides. Once students take apart their devices, they will photograph the steps of putting the devices back together and will write repair guides to empower others to engage repair their items. In addition to improving writing skills and learning the syntax and format of instructional and technical writing, students will gain valuable group experience and learn how to effectively communicate in workplace teams.

Meet your instructor

Morgan White

Instructional & Technical Writing Cal Poly SLO

Morgan has been teaching writing and technical communications in the English department at Cal Poly for 10 years. She teaches Technical Editing, Writing Arguments about STEM, Technical Writing for Engineers, Writing & Rhetoric, and Argumentation and loves anything related to the field of technical communications.

Learn more

Topics you'll explore

Course Structure

There are nine 3-hour class sessions over the two-week course. During week one, students have class from 9am-12pm, Monday - Friday. During week two, students have class from 9am-12pm Monday through Thursday. Wednesday afternoons are dedicated to additional academic time (excursions, speakers).

Career Exploration

iFixit EDU team will join the class for a guest practicum. Students will go on field trip to the iFixit office to meet with tech writers and Cal Poly grads