Solving Problems in technical Communication

First of all, I find it interesting that the title isn't capitalized.
But on a less shallow note...

I'm all about this chess business that the last article speaks to. I think the fact that we can't expect everybody to know the rules, or know where we are coming from, is kind of the point that every author we have read has been trying to make (especially with the intercultural-focused ones) but its never been so perfectly stated before. I actually could see myself using this analogy to explain to my students why heuristics are necessary instead of teaching one-size-fits-all problem-solving. Because without an explanation like this, I'm pretty sure theyre gonna complain. only problem is that I'd probably have to repeat it over and over until they all hate it as much as the 102 students hate AFOSP.

I also noticed from the introduction that this book (seemingly unlike the past ones) is meant specifically for 402 students. (The others seem more oriented towards teachers.) However, I wonder how effective using a book like this (or just selected essays perhaps) in a 402 class might be. The outline set up by the intro in each chapter is really logical and straightforward, but I wonder to what degree the students would consider these essays accessible. would it be better instead to have teachers teach the principles laid out by them through more hands-on activities? how much reading do they need to do, exactly, if any?

I've also been trying to think more about class and race, especially after Anna brought up class and prison in relation to privilege a few weeks ago. The one centered on students as professionals kind of made me uncomfortable in relation to this. The author said that most people have a pretty general idea of how to get/keep a job. That may be true, but I feel like its also oversimplified (granted, he does go into more detail). Sometimes, it really isnt the fault of the person-- they may be victims of discrimination, OR they may NOT really have an idea of what it takes, by no fault of their own. This IS, to an extent, something that needs to be taught, and if they have not had a good education in general, then they are much farther behind than their peers. Plus, I will be the first to admit that even as a result of being well-off, students might not be familiar with what it takes; I am of an upper-middle class family, and this privilege has afforded me so that I have never had a job. So I really DON'T know what it takes, because I've never been asked to try to demonstrate this. Even my friends who have had many jobs over the years are still scared to death when they're asked to enter "the real world".