Teaching and Learning Consultant (Trades and Technical Programs Focus )

at  North Island College

POSITION SUMMARY

The Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI) is North Island College’s teaching, learning and technology teaching commons for faculty, support staff and administration. The Centre staff assist the programs, people and places engaged in designing and facilitating quality student learning experiences.
We do this by creating high quality curriculum-supported learning opportunities, individual and group facilitated consulting support and developing resources to assist instructors in redesigning/designing evidence-based and pedagogically-sound learning for all students.
CTLI manages the institution’s program review process while supporting many programs each year as they progress through the phases and activities related to reflective renewal of quality academic programs. CTLI also manages the course feedback survey service. The Centre also is the key point for instructor support of all NIC learning technologies such as: Brightspace, Kaltura, and Kaltura Virtual Classroom.
Reporting and working closely with director of the Centre and dean’s office for Trades and Technical programs, the position functions in a collaborative team-based role that adapts as the institution matures and needs arise.
The position focuses on consultation and facilitation with instructors as the core aspects of the work. Facilitation happens typically with small to large groups, both in-person and online. Facilitation work might be part of a project, program review activity, workshop, or a custom professional development session. The work involves preparation and presentations, active listening, and adjustments along with recommendations and suggestions for next steps. Consultations typically happen one-on-one with an instructor or a small group and often about a specific question or need. The consulting cycle of exploring, inquiring, actioning and celebrating outlines other aspects of the core work.
The position is geared for those who have already demonstrated strengths in their own teaching and learning, have undertaken a collection of recent and aligned professional learning experiences, have educational technology experience (e.g., Brightspace and Kaltura), had demonstrated leadership experiences with respect to academic quality work, can work in challenging and frequently changing situations and are looking to expand their skills and knowledge in helping peers, support areas and administration in pursuit of advancing quality student learning.

REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Completed or in progress Master’s degree preferably in educational leadership or curriculum development.
• Completed Red Seal designation or professional designation.
• Minimum of five years of successful teaching experiences at the post-secondary level in credentialed programming within one of the areas of trades and technical programming
• Minimum of five years of experimenting with and reflecting upon evidence-based pedagogies and practices for enhancing own teaching practice and courses, improving student learning, adapting to changes etc.
• Multiple examples of the attributes, qualities, skills, knowledge, and applications of the competencies of a successful educational developer/teaching and learning consultant
• Minimum of five years of professional development activities related to enhancing teaching, learning and/or educational technology such as workshops, institutes, courses etc.
• Experience working with NIC’s Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI) in a variety of teaching and learning activities and projects including the NIC Program Review Process, professional development activities, etc.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Knowledge of current issues in post-secondary education and the application of those issues to the context and culture of North Island College’s trades and technical programs
• Able to describe current themes and the impact of those themes in the work of teaching and learning centres in supporting trades and technical programs
• Knowledge of the decanal area’s trades and technical programs (foundations and apprenticeship levels)
• Knowledge of essential and evidence-based pedagogies and practices of effective post-secondary teaching and learning and how to apply them into various student learning experiences
• Knowledge of components of quality assurance, quality enhancement and improvement of practices and how these components are connected to curriculum development, teaching practices, and change
• Skills and abilities to successfully manage challenging consulting conversations, controversial situations and/or difficult interpersonal relationships that are common components of the work
• Skills and abilities to facilitate groups of instructors who may be uncomfortable, reluctant, and possibly in disagreement with suggested directions and actions or enthusiastic and keen but require direction
• Able to deliver effective and timely teaching, learning and technology programming on a range of topics
• Able to conduct research and engage in scholarly teaching and learning including data gathering of impacts of change on student learning and teaching practices
• Able to work with new and experienced instructors to help them enhance their teaching practices, course design and engagements with students, tailor responses and follow up in alignment with their needs
• Able to facilitate sessions and do effective consulting through all the phases of the institutional program review process given that this process is new for most instructors and departments and requires elements of change management principles and introduction of new practices
• Able to successfully facilitate curriculum development activities with program areas including learning outcome development, curriculum mapping, department professional development plans, department identity, course development and curricular alignment, data gathering and reflective practice
• Able to work with uncertainty, discomfort, and situations where there is no clear path or easy solution requiring the consultant to quickly ascertain out how to work together and solve problems resulting in a positive working relationship
• Skills in organization of work, such as planning, project management, time management, supervision, initiative, resourcing, time on task, employing efficient and effective strategies etc.
• Experiences in successfully using a learning management system (e.g., Brightspace) and other learning technology tools (e.g., Kaltura, WordPress, Padlet etc.) in own practice and also to assist instructors with a good degree of competence and confidence and demonstrations of your own technology competencies
• Able to work flexibly, independently, and successfully in a team structure
• Demonstrate successful interpersonal skills in communicating, collaborating and constructively managing interactions with CTLI team members, faculty members, support staff and administration
• Able to reason analytically and problem-solve independently and with others
• Very good oral, non-verbal and written communication skills in both in-person and online formats
• Very good presentation skills both in-person and online, with whiteboards, chart paper, slide decks and without supports to convey key information, respond to questions, and present a professional message
• Flexibility to travel between campuses and adjust work hours as required (may include evenings and weekends)

• Communicate and connect regularly with the director, CTLI members and the dean’s office to ensure priorities and work duties are in alignment with changes and needs of the institution.
• Duties will fall under the breadth of activity related to quality assurance, quality enhancement and improvement of teaching practices as outlined in NIC’s Academic Quality Framework.
• Lead or co-lead the development, planning, implementation and evaluation of both new and ongoing initiatives, activities, and projects to support teaching and learning at NIC.
• Lead or co-lead departments through program review activities items aligning with foundational quality learning action items such as learning outcomes, curriculum mapping, department identity and PD plans, evidence gathering, course alignments etc.
• Lead or co-lead initiatives, projects, and activities to support new hires with orientation and onboarding activities to align with the institution, department, courses, and student needs.
• Lead or co-lead instructional support and learning opportunities via a variety of formats from workshops to custom sessions, learning activities and projects both via in-person and virtual formats.
• Lead or co-lead small, medium, or large projects including organizational components, project management and communication strategies, tracking, sharing, and presenting.
• Research, review, and summarize student-centered and evidence-based learning strategies that address diverse learning needs, abilities, and backgrounds of NIC learners.
• Provide pedagogical and educational technology assistance for in-person, digital, and blended courses adapting support for instructor experience, discipline area and student needs.
• Identify and create digital teaching and learning resources including videos, handouts, website content, and workshop materials for publication and sharing via websites, emails, department needs etc.
• Conduct inquiries and share knowledge on educational development and learning technologies as part of professional learning plan and the development of an educational development portfolio. Demonstrate growth in the depth and breadth of all educational developer competencies.
• Other duties may be assigned as priorities or needs arise by the director.