Instructional Technologies Specialist

Date Posted: 03/13/2024
Req ID: 36518
Faculty/Division: UofT Mississauga
Department: UTM: Library
Campus: University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM)
Position Number: 00036786

Description:

About us:

U of T Mississauga—the second largest campus of Canada’s top-ranked university and the only research university in Ontario’s booming Peel Region—is one of the world’s great catalysts of human potential.

Our employee community hums with the energy of 3,400 faculty, librarians and staff, who power our campus with curiosity, connection and care. We work together to spark life-changing research and innovation, make an indelible mark on the world by building equitable cities and societies, enable healthy lives, create a sustainable future and ignite entrepreneurship. Above all, we prioritize student success, and seek to give our 16,500 students the lift of a lifetime through learning and discovery. We love to open opportunities available nowhere else for our community to achieve their ambitions and make their unique contributions to Canada and the world.

This work all comes together on a spectacularly green campus, alongside the Missinihe-ziibi (Trusting Creek or Credit River), where we seek to honour truth, reciprocity and reconciliation on the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, Seneca and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We’re thrilled to welcome those who want to learn more about us and to be part of what we do.

The University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) system is the largest academic library in Canada and is consistently ranked among the top-10 research libraries in North America. The system consists of 40 libraries located on three University campuses: St. George, Mississauga, and Scarborough that together provide access to more than 12 million print volumes, millions of electronic resources in various formats, and almost 30,000 linear metres of archival materials. The Libraries’ data centre houses more than 200 servers with a storage capacity of 1.5 petabytes.

The U of T Mississauga Library (UTM Library), located in the award-winning Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre (HMALC), is a leading, world-class Library committed to providing students with an open and collaborative environment - one that embeds rich information and technology resources, integrates expert services into a dynamic and imaginative experience, and inspires and facilitates learning. The UTM Library offers inspiring study and research spaces, a dedicated team of Librarians and Library staff, and a suite of public, instruction and research support services that support faculty, staff and students.

Your opportunity:

The UTM Library offers a dynamic and professional environment that fosters a culture built on respect, accountability, teamwork and a shared commitment to customer service. This position will collaborate extensively with various Library units in offering innovative and comprehensive solutions for a variety of Library initiatives. Our core mission is to support the learning, teaching and research needs of all UTM undergraduate and graduate programs.

Working in a busy academic library environment, the incumbent is responsible for the provision of instructional technology support to faculty, staff, and students under the direction of the Head, UTM Library & Instructional Technologies. The Instructional Technologies Specialist provides support and training to instructors, staff, and students using the institutional Learning Management System (LMS), as well as a range of other instructional technologies. The Instructional Technologies Specialist assists in the identification, implementation, and evaluation of educational technologies that support teaching and learning at the University of Toronto Mississauga. The incumbent also collaborates with Library staff regarding the operations, service delivery, evaluation, and program planning related to instructional technology. In addition, the incumbent will develop content for instructional technology workshops, facilitate instructional technology workshops and seminars, implement library staff in-service training programs, support in the development of learning initiatives, and assistance with a variety of other administrative and service-related projects.

Helping users to understand effective use of instructional technology, and developing best practices, are core components of this position. In order to achieve these outcomes, the incumbent requires outstanding public service/customer service skills, knowledge of a broad range of instructional technologies, including in-depth knowledge of learning management systems, skill in using a wide range of software products to create digital materials, and outstanding written and verbal communication skills. The incumbent is expected to develop and maintain training materials, web documentation, and tool guides and to troubleshoot instructional technology service/technical issues in person, by phone, or electronically.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Assessing and determining best practices and standards for multiple instructional modalities by conducting needs assessments to determine end-user technical requirements
• Facilitating educational and training workshops, seminars, and sessions by developing, editing, and presenting content
• Training end-users on procedures and the use of supported IT systems, including the institutional learning management engine and related instructional technologies
• Updating and maintaining user documentation and training plans
• Creating and maintaining course shells on the learning management engine
• Evaluating systems/software to determine if client needs are met through tracking service metrics, analyzing datasets, preparing statistical reports and recommending changes
• Responding to end-user service requests including troubleshooting and resolving technical issues, resolving issues within the scope of the role, and escalating problems as required
• Keeping well-informed on current technologies, the use of academic and collaborative technologies, faculty requirements, the University structure, academic policies and procedures, best practices, industry standards, and specific learning requirements within courses and programs

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree or acceptable combination of equivalent experience
• Minimum four (4) years of experience providing public or customer service, including at least two (2) years of experience working directly with Learning Management System(s) to support faculty and students in an academic library or equivalent environment
• Demonstrated experience instructing with or supporting Learning Management System(s), and developing audio and video resources for Learning Management System(s)
• Advanced proficiency in the use of Learning Management System(s), with experience training faculty in the use of Learning Management System(s) through the use of presentation software, such as PowerPoint, Articulate Storyline, and Zoom, or other comparable applications
• Intermediate proficiency in creating and maintaining web pages in Drupal or other comparable content management systems in support of training or using Learning Management System(s)
• Demonstrated understanding of graphic design principles and skill in creating and maintaining digital/web materials, such as images (using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or comparable graphics or animation software applications), and videos (using Camtasia, Premiere, or other comparable video editing or screencasting software)
• Demonstrated understanding of AODA and accessibility as it applies to multi-media digital materials
• Intermediate skill using Excel or other software for collecting and analyzing data
• Superior analytical skills and demonstrated creativity and initiative in resolving problems, as well as exercising judgment to negotiate for positive service outcomes
• Dedicated to promoting a positive and productive work environment through excellent customer service to faculty, students and staff, and excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Able to work accurately and effectively in a busy, fast paced environment, including adapting quickly to evolving needs
• Ability to perform duties requiring a high level of muscular coordination and/or manual dexterity where precision is essential (e.g., setting audio/visual equipment)

Assets (Nonessential):

• Interest in emerging and instructional technologies
• Knowledge and/or experience with creating audio and video (e.g., podcasts, vodcasts)
• Knowledge of Windows and Mac environments
• Experience working with team members using collaborative software such as Microsoft SharePoint and Office 365

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Communicator
• Organized
• Possess a positive attitude
• Problem solver
• Resourceful
• Team player

Closing Date: 04/04/2024, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing
Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:45 am to 5:00 pm
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:
USW Pay Band 12 -- $78,308 with an annual step progression to a maximum of $100,144. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.
Job Category: Library Services

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.