eLearning Specialist Job

Provide direct and indirect support to campus faculty, instructors, staff, and students in order to enhance the instructional efficiency and learning outcomes of the campus. Guide research, testing, evaluation, and support of educational technologies. Address customer requests and support tickets related to supported educational environments. Deliver excellent service to the campus in support of service levels defined by Technology Services. Apply consultancy skills to assess and respond to the needs of faculty, staff, and students.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

Support web-based learning systems and solutions provided by Technology Services including, but not limited to, learning management systems, web-based content and environments, collaboration tools, instructional spaces, and content sharing systems.

• Provide timely support and troubleshooting to faculty and campus staff in response to academic technology issues and resolve issues to customer satisfaction.
• Work with vendors to resolve customer satisfaction issues.
• Provide support for enhancements to existing offerings and/or new and emerging online tools to support educational initiatives.
• Liaison with the Technology Services service teams on product problems and service delivery.
• Work with faculty, instructors, staff, and CITL in migrating and converting existing courses to the latest web-based learning systems
• Apply current online and blended instructional practices to web-based learning systems.
• Facilitate workshops and presentations on the use of teaching and learning with technology, specifically Technology Services product offerings.

Provide support for technology-based learning and teaching methods.

• Consult with instructors, units, and departments to match instructional goals with the most suitable technologies and best practices in order to optimize course management and instructional outcomes.
• Provide guidance to faculty and instructors on the availability of instructional and content technologies to improve the design of courses.
• Demonstrate knowledge of, and remain current in, training best practices as applied to faculty, instructors and staff with respect to technology-based learning and teaching methods.
• Facilitate workshops and presentations on the use of teaching and learning with technology, specifically Technology Services product offerings.
• Demonstrate expertise in usability and accessibility practices and standards, collaborating with information and course designers to insure accessible and usable teaching and learning applications.

Assess and report on educational effectiveness.

• Deliver and/or implement methods to assess the effectiveness of campus educational methods and processes
• Participate in and deliver methods of assessment and feedback, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, data gathering, and ethnographic studies.
• Continually monitor and evaluate the impact of emerging technologies on the educational environment.
• Participate in faculty forums to collaborate and share institutional knowledge and assessments.
• Conduct and/or participate in the annual classroom instructor survey and/or other instructor feedback methods.

Assist in the identification and selection of technology to enhance the campus learning environment.

• Evaluate instructional technologies for possible application to University courses and programs.
• Provide advanced, second- and third-tier support and troubleshooting for classroom technology issues and emerging technology pilots.
• Test updates to existing software applications to the parameters defined by service owners.
• Provide input and direction into service roadmaps and new service offerings.
• Document resources and enhancements to new and existing production services.
• Provide communication on new features and offerings to campus via defined communication processes within Technology Services.

Senior eLearning Specialist – Additional Responsibilities

• Participate in strategic planning as an eLearning subject matter expert.
• Develop and implement methods to assess the effectiveness of campus educational methods and processes
• Develop, deliver, and/or participate in methods of assessment and feedback, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, data gathering, and ethnographic studies.
• Advise campus and Technology Services leadership on campus and industry trends and news. Actively research and report on new and emerging trends and educational technologies.

Required Qualifications

Experience may be concurrent:

• Two* years of progressively more responsible IT experience in one or more of the following: online and blended learning; instructional/computer-based technologies; IT-related training, customer service, and/or the support of faculty, students, or staff in online interactions.
  • College course work which included Information Technology (IT), IT Management, or a closely related discipline may substitute for experience: 60 semester hours or Associate’s Degree equals one year, 90-120 semester hours or Bachelor’s Degree equals two years.
• Demonstrated experience in a higher education environment in a faculty, instructor, or staff position.
• Demonstrated experience in one or more: web-based course development, learning/course management software, face-to-face training, technology assessment, application of technology and media in classrooms and/or online environments.
• Experience teaching, coaching, managing, and/or mentoring others.

• Senior eLearning Specialist requires five years of experience

Preferred Qualifications

•Three years of experience in a higher education environment in a faculty, instructor, or staff position. •Two years of experience in one or more: web-based course development, learning/course management software, face-to-face training, technology assessment, application of technology and media in classrooms and/or online environments. •Demonstrated experience with supporting and/or training in the Canvas Learning Management System. •Experience in developing and implementing IT or educational technology initiatives tied to organization level strategic goals. •Experience in participating in diverse workgroups.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5031 – Information Technology Technical Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 2/13/2023. Salary range starts at $56,000 annual with final amount commensurate with experience.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on Tuesday, December 13th. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Samantha Willits-Rosten at swill9@illinois.edu or 217-300-9188. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu