Jason Tham
Dr. Jason Tham is an associate professor of technical communication and rhetoric in the Department of English at Texas Tech University. He is chief editor of Computers and Composition. He is author of several books, including Design Thinking in Technical Communication (2021, Routledge/Taylor & Francis), which applies user-centered design methodologies to pedagogy and professional practice. He has published articles and given talks about design thinking, UX, emerging technologies, digital literacy, and writing pedagogy.
Education
Ph.D. in Rhetoric & Scientific & Technical Communication, University of Minnesota
M.A. in English, St. Cloud State University
M.S. in Mass Communication, St. Cloud State University
Publications
Shivener, R., & Tham, J. (2025). Capturing the experiences of simulated writing for novice virtual reality users. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 68(1), 118–134.
Tham, J. (2024). Teaching UX amid the hype of generative AI. Journal of User Experience, 20(1), 1–8.
Tham, J. (2024). Researching with virtual reality: Exploring the methodological affordances of VR for sociotechnical research and implications for technical and professional communication. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 67(2), 192–210.
Verhulsdonck, G., Weible, J., Stambler, D. M., Howard, T., & Tham, J. (2024). Incorporating human judgment in AI-assisted content development: The HEAT heuristic. Technical Communication, 71(3), 60–72.
Stambler, D. M., Ranade, N., Hocutt, D. L., Fonash, S., Campbell, J. L., Duin, A. H., Pedersen, I., Tham, J., Veeramoothoo, S., & Verhulsdonck, G. (2024). Beyond digital literacy: Investigating threshold concepts to foster engagement with digital life in technical communication pedagogy. Technical Communication Quarterly, 34(2), 218–238.
Tham, J., Howard, T., & Verhulsdonck, G. (2023). UX writing: Designing user-centered content. Routledge/Taylor & Francis.
Tham, J., & Hennes, J. (2023). The Great Plains Alliance for Computers and Writing (GPACW): The history of a cornerstone regional conference and scholarly network for field development, 1997–2019. Computers and Composition, 70, 102804.
Tham, J., & Verhulsdonck, G. (2023). Smart education in smart cities: Implications for networked and pervasive learning. IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society, 4(1), 87–95.
Tham, J. (Ed.). (2022). Keywords in design thinking: A lexical primer for technical communicators and designers. WAC Clearinghouse/University Press of Colorado.
Tham, J. (Ed.) (2022). Keywords in design thinking: A lexical primer for technical communicators and designers. WAC Clearinghouse/University Press of Colorado.
Tham, J., & Verhulsdonck, G. (2023). Smart education in smart cities: Implications for networked and pervasive learning. IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society, 4(1), 87–95. DOI: 10.1109/TTS.2023.3239586
Tham, J. (2022). Instructional design pedagogy in technical and professional communication. Technical Communication Quarterly.
Jiang, J., & Tham, J. (2022). Tracing new materialist rhetoric across physical and cultural borders: The thing-power of Ring Fit Adventure as embodied play. Computers and Composition, 65.
Das, M., & Tham, J. (2022). Tactical organizing: What can the r/wallstreetbets and GameStop frenzy teach us about technical communication in a networked age. Technical Communication, 69(2), 36–57.
Tham, J., Verhulsdonck, G., & Howard, T. (2022). Extending design thinking, content strategy, and artificial intelligence into technical communication and user experience design programs: Further pedagogical implications. Journal of Technical Writing Communication, 52(4), 428–459.
Verhulsdonck, G., & Tham, J. (2022). Tactical (dis)connection in smart cities: Postconnectivist technical communication for a datafied world. Technical Communication Quarterly, 31(4), 416–432.
Tham, J. (2022). Pasts and futures of design thinking: Implications for technical communication. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 65(2), 261–279. (Awarded the 2023 Rudolph J. Joenk Award for Best Paper in the IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication. Awarded honorable mention, 2023 NCTE/CCCC Best Article Reporting Historical Research or Textual Studies in Technical and Scientific Communication.)
Tham, J., Burnham, K., Hocutt, D., Ranade, N., Misak, J., Duin, A.H., Pedersen, I., & Campbell, J.L. (2021). Metaphors, mental models, and multiplicity: Understanding student perception of digital literacy. Computers and Composition, 59. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compcom.2021.102628
Tham, J. (2020). Engaging design thinking and making in technical communication pedagogy. Technical Communication Quarterly. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/10572252.2020.1804619
Tham, J. & Grace, R. (2020). Reading born-digital scholarship: A study of webtext user experience. Computers and Composition, 58. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compcom.2020.102601
Tham, J. (2018). Interactivity in an age of immersive media: Seven dimensions for wearable technology, internet of things, and technical communication. Technical Communication, 65(1), 46-65. (Awarded the 2019 Society for Technical Communication Frank R. Smith Award for Outstanding Article)
