Course Description
At the intersection of writing, design, and technology, AI to Zines and the Future of Technical Communication offers an experiential approach to technical communication through the study and use of artificial intelligence (AI) assisted communication design and do-it-yourself (DIY) zine-making. Coursework involves a deep explorations of AI and zine-making within the framework of public interest technology and technical communication. Students will examine how AI, as an emerging tool in content creation, and zine-making, as a DIY grassroots method of communication design, represent two contrasting yet complementary forces shaping the future of technical communication. By engaging critically with both high-tech (AI) and low-tech (zines) methods, students will learn to navigate the complexities of creating and distributing meaningful content in an increasingly automated world. The course emphasizes how writing, design, and technology can converge to empower marginalized voices and positively influence public discourse. Through practical community-based projects, students will use generative AI design tools and zine-making techniques to produce innovative forms of advocacy for challenging traditional power dynamics in science, technology, and society.
Course Goals
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Make zines that communicate complex ideas in an accessible and socially impactful manner.
- Experiment with and assess AI design tools.
- Integrate high-tech and low-tech design tools into their project workflows.
- Analyze the impacts of AI on technical communication and related fields..
- Develop multimodal projects that use AI tools to advocate for social change.
- Evaluate the ethics of using AI in communication design projects.
- Practice independent publishing processes and techniques.
