Grand Challenges and communication: Developing technical solutions in context

This paper discusses the inherent complexities students confront as they design technical solutions for the Grand Challenges. These complexities are an important site for technical communication instruction, whether the course content is specifically communication-centered or is targeted to engineering or science content. This paper explores the assignment development process we have adopted at our college and highlights the non-technical issues that faculty must consider as they begin to incorporate the Grand Challenges into their pedagogy.