Instructional Technologist - Vanderbilt University

Job Description



It is an exciting time at Vanderbilt as the University officially welcomed C. Cybele Raver as its new Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs on July 1, 2021. Under the leadership of Provost Raver, the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professional Education is leading bold new initiatives and strengthening existing programs.



The Instructional Technologist will play a key part in shaping and implementing the Office of Learning Innovation’s educational technology services. This role will provide frontline instructional technology support to instructors across the university, while serving as the team’s in-house technical expert on educational technologies that will advance learning at Vanderbilt.



The Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Education (OFAPE) in the Office of the Provost is led by the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professional Education. OFAPE exists to support and champion Vanderbilt faculty at every stage of their career and to promote and advise professional academic programs. Vanderbilt University has over 4,000 full-time faculty across ten schools and colleges. The OFAPE includes the Institute for Advancement of Higher Education, the Office of Academic Program Review, Assessment, & Accreditation, the Office of Educational Design & Development, the Office of Faculty Appointments, the Office of Faculty Development, the Office of Learning Innovation, and the Office of Professional Education. The OFAPE leadership team includes two associate provosts, two assistant provosts, two senior faculty fellows, and six directors.



Created by the University Provost following an external review of the University’s Center for Teaching and Office of Digital Education, the new Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education (AdvancED) exists to promote cutting-edge innovations in higher education pedagogy and student experience in order to maximize the impact of new ideas on society. The Institute provides university faculty development and training, optimizes student learning in all environments, drives technological and pedagogical innovation, and charts the course for a best-in class future. The Institute includes the Office of Education Design and Development and the Office of Learning Innovation.



The Office of Learning Innovation is dedicated to advancing new, uniquely Vanderbilt ways of delivering education to meet the evolving needs of learners and maximize the university’s global impact. The team focuses on supporting the growth of the university’s digital and lifelong learning portfolio, providing expertise in educational technologies, and elevating Vanderbilt as a leader in cutting-edge learning innovation.



Duties and Responsibilities





The Instructional Technologist provides technical and pedagogical support for academic stakeholders, plays a key role in shaping the university’s educational technology strategy and serves as the technical expert on the university’s educational technology ecosystem.







Provide frontline technical and pedagogical support for instructors and students using Vanderbilt’s course management system (CMS) and related technologies.





+ Respond to support requests from faculty and students by email (through the Freshdesk ticketing system) and phone M-F, with additional support hours as appropriate.



+ Manage the documentation and announcement of any possible Brightspace related outages through messages in Brightspace and on the Vanderbilt Brightspace website.



+ Manage the creation of any new Brightspace courses not created by the Registrar (non-SIS Courses).



+ Support faculty and graduate student instructors by providing detailed online guides and in-person consultation about features available in Vanderbilt’s course management system.



+ Conduct testing of new and existing tools and coordinate testing with faculty, staff, and student partners.





Engage in the development of the university’s ed tech strategy.





+ Conduct in-depth research on emerging educational technology tools, necessitating an advanced comprehension of the underlying technology and the supporting operating systems.



+ Leverage ed tech expertise to evaluate the potential of new tools and platforms that can enhance instructional design, content creation, and student engagement.



+ Collaborate with faculty, instructional designers, and other staff to explore how instructional technology tools can be integrated into various courses and disciplines.



+ Provide workshops and training sessions for faculty and staff to facilitate their understanding and use of educational technology, including generative AI tools.



+ Collect and analyze data on the effectiveness of educational technology implementations, making data-informed recommendations for continuous improvement.





Serve as the technical lead for integrations between the university’s learning management system and other campus applications.





+ Collaborate with cross-functional units and academic stakeholders to understand integration needs and develop technical solutions.



+ Configure, test and maintain integrations to ensure reliable performance and data integrity.



+ Drive the continuous improvement of the university’s educational technology ecosystem.







Qualifications









+ Bachelor's degree is required.



+ At least 2 years of experience supporting educational technologies, including Brightspace D2L or similar learning management system is necessary.



+ Demonstrated expertise in developing, implementing, and maintaining technical integrations between learning management systems and other campus applications is necessary.



+ Demonstrated expertise in emerging educational technologies is necessary.



+ Strong understanding of common integration protocols, APIs, and data interchange standards (e.g. LTI, SIS integrations) is necessary.



+ Proficiency in programming languages and frameworks used for integration development (e.g. Python, JavaScript, PHP) is preferred.



+ Superior verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to articulate and present information to various and diverse audiences is necessary.



+ Evidence of exceptional judgment and decision-making skills is necessary.



+ Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information is necessary.






Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education. Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities, and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.