Associate Instructional Technologist

Western Governors University•Salt Lake City, UT

26d•$60,600 - $90,900•Hybrid

About The Position

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Faculty 504 Pay Range: $60,600.00 - $90,900.00 Working closely with a team of more experienced assessment developers and instructional designers, the associate instructional technologist supports the development of an online learning product which in turn supports the vision and design of WGU courses and learning experiences. The associate instructional technologist works with the development team to explore technologies which address the needs of the curriculum (e.g., simulations, virtual reality, AI scoring, etc.) and collaborates to recommend technologies that best meet the instructional and assessment practices. This role focuses on building skills in troubleshooting, solving technical problems related to delivery of learning and assessment materials, and creating a consistent, beautiful learning experience in the selected platform. The associate instructional technologist also ensures that all aspects of the course work properly (hyperlinks, videos, sandboxes, third-party integrations) and collaborates with the standards and practice teams to ensure accessibility, asset management, content delivery, user experience, and universal design practice standards are met. The person in this role is responsible for supporting the success of simultaneous projects, including assessing risk, reporting progress, and communicating effectively with stakeholders to promote collaboration and accountability.

Requirements

Current, solid knowledge of instructional design and learning theory
Current, solid knowledge of instructional technologies or learning platforms
A drive to build "near perfect" online courses according to project requirements and style guide
Strong interpersonal skills and history of positive results achieved collaboratively
Experience with UDL, ADA, or copyright compliance
Experience with existing quality standards for course design
Commitment to adding value to the team through efficiency and lean, iterative development
Commitment to creating beautiful, friction-free learning experiences for students in competency-based programs
Ability to manage multiple projects at different stages while meeting deadlines and quality standards
Ability to work independently under supervision
Planning, organizing, and self-management skills
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in a related field of study or equivalent work experience with online university course design, curriculum development, online learning technologies and pedagogies

Nice To Haves

Strong experience with distance education and distance learning students is preferred.
HTML coding skills with additional skills in CSS, AWS Cloud, Google Cloud, and Azure
Background in learner experience design
Familiarity of competency-based learning
Knowledge of available open educational resources (OERs)
Quality assurance training and certification (CBEN, OSCQR, other)
Post-secondary teaching and learning experience
Experience in developing courses characterized by innovation in instructional design
Experience with online assessment and survey tools
Knowledge of LMS systems and assessment delivery systems such as Blackboard, Canvas, Smart Author, Brightspace, Moodle, etc.
Competency with educational technology and assessment/testing tools

Responsibilities

Coordinate the build process for new courses and learning experiences and attend to continuous improvement and technology innovations of assigned projects
Ensure the quality of the visual and functional design of courses and assessments
Collaborate with development team members to build superior online courses that are supported by research-based best practices in online learning.
Work with program owners to explore technologies which address the needs of the curriculum (e.g., simulations, virtual reality)
Serve as consultant, partnering with instructional designers, assessment developers, and other team members to innovatively apply WGU instructional and assessment tools.
Maintain a complete understanding of all WGU learning and assessment tools and resources.
Work closely with the accessibility team to ensure that instructional and assessment tools and services are fully accessible to students.
Work with project managers and other team members to ensure all deadline dates for assigned projects are met throughout the design and development process
Implement required revisions based on quality assurance reviews
Assist with identifying and resolving challenges related to technology, to online delivery of content and assessments, and to the student experience
Appraise capabilities, strengths and weaknesses of existing, new, and emerging and innovative e-learning technologies and tools that support college instructional, assessment, and student engagement goals
Stay informed about updates, changes, retiring assets, innovations, and opportunities related to WGU’s selected platforms and delivery tools and processes
Be trained and mentored by experienced team members on assigned WGU technologies, department processes, and instructional technologist best practices.
Receives objectives, deadlines and specific instructions from supervisor and others regularly. Work is reviewed and employee receives instructions throughout processes.
Performs other related duties as assigned.