Rachel Tofteland-Trampe (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the English and Communication Studies Department. In her classes, students use rhetorical theory to analyze texts and write for a range of contexts so that messages are useful and accessible.
I teach introduction to professional writing and rhetoric, first-year writing, and upper-level writing courses that center on user experiences, podcasting, social media, and community-engagement (on and off campus). Students reflect on their current and future writing contexts, practice using theory to critically analyze texts and create audience-centered messages, and gain experience collaborating with peers and community partners.
I take a networked learning approach to teaching, which means I encourage students to make connections across their learning networks. As we look at what writing is, how it works, who it reaches/leaves behind, where it happens, and how we engage with it ourselves, we unravel important dimensions surrounding writing that highlight how writing has always been connected to issues of ethics, culture, technology, and power. This understanding, paired with practical experience, equips students to be more effective writers themselves.
I have my BA in Communication Studies and Sociology (Concordia College, Moorhead), MA in Communication Studies (New Mexico State University, Las Cruces) and PhD in Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication with an emphasis in digital literacies (University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 2017).
My research focuses on the intersections of user experiences, digital literacies, rhetoric, accessibility, and multimodality. I’ve published on the user experiences of older adults taking computer classes at a community technology center and how the tutors there served as local technical communication experts, professional writing for employment, and inclusive design.