Email: ember.deboer@ndsu.edu
Office: no NDSU office
DeBoer earned a B.A. in Scientific and Technical Communication and
Minor in Journalism from Michigan Technological University in 2001
and M.S. in Technical Communication and Graduate Certificate in
Human-Computer Interaction from Rensselaer Polytechnic University
in 2006.
Classes Typically Taught:
Engl 320: Business and Professional Writing
Engl 321: Writing in the Technical Professions
Having worked for several years in industry as a technical
communicator and information architect, and now dividing my time
between corporate training and marketing/public relations for a
regional K-12 educational services organization, my teaching
philosophy is to bring as many "real-world" examples to business
and technical writing instruction as possible. As an undergraduate,
I was hungry for advice from experienced professionals, and I hope
to provide the same type of practical guidance to my
students.
Although teaching classes from a distance comes with its own set of
challenges, I am a strong proponent (and example) of
well-organized, effective online education. I truly believe that
"meeting" online can remove some of the barriers that may hinder
in-class student-to-student or student-to-teacher communication.
Online learning can be a great equalizer, allowing students who
might not speak up in person the opportunity to share their
thoughts in an open discussion forum, with fewer interruptions and
time constraints.
My areas of academic interest are: engineering writing,
user-centered design, information architecture, process
improvement, corporate training, public relations, and
journalism.
Ember lives in West Michigan, near the shores of Lake Michigan, with her husband and two dogs.
Last updated: Sept. 5, 2008