Enhancing University Honors Students’ Experience with Technical Communication and User Experience Projects

Abstract

Honors programs at colleges and universities often aim to provide undergraduate students with supplemental experiences that enhance their education across various majors. In 2023, our university introduced an “honors enhanced” (HE+) initiative, allowing honors students to earn course hour-equivalent “honors credits” toward graduation by completing additional components within designated courses. To explore the potential impact of this initiative on program design, we conducted a pedagogical case study of our Introduction to Technical Communication service course that was adapted for HE+ students by incorporating user experience (UX) projects as the learning enrichment component. Working closely with the instructor, we developed an HE+ plan, which was implemented and delivered to participating students. As part of this process, we documented the instructor’s experience and captured insights into student learning. This article presents our findings, shares pedagogical strategies derived from the instructional experience and student responses, and discusses the implications of aligning high-level university initiatives with localized disciplinary priorities.