The grand challenges within technical communications

Abstract

This paper examines the introduction of the Grand Challenges as a subject into a required Professional and Technical Communications course and how it affects students' level of motivation and professional engagement with their collaborative project and the course. In addition, it reflects on whether the project is successful in increasing students' sense of ethical responsibility as engineers. This paper argues that projects that develop students' sense of professional identity will be most successful in both developing their technical communication skills as well as their sense of ethical responsibility.