Job Description
This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).
This position offers a comprehensive benefits package .
Location - This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in-person. Work primarily takes place at Enterprise Square.
There are also two tempoary Learning Experience Developer positions (2 years) available. Applicants who wish to be considered for those opportunities must submit a separate application to competition 3132 on the University of Alberta Careers portal.
Online Learning & Continuing Education (OCE) is a central U of A service unit that partners with colleges, faculties, and external partners to develop and deliver online courses, programs, and micro-credentials. By leveraging our deep expertise, we build high-quality, scalable online offerings to expand the U of A's enrollment capacity, reach new student populations, and provide accessible educational pathways.
The Online Learning team focuses on institutionally prioritized programming, particularly on developing high-demand graduate certificates and course-based master's programs.
To succeed in this role as an LXD, you'll need a unique combination of skills: an understanding of digital user experience (UX), knowledge of how creative design influences learning, and the technical ability to develop complex online course builds.
You're a skilled developer, comfortable creating online graduate and undergraduate courses—primarily within the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS)—and proficient in developing HTML pages with inline CSS, and tools including the Articulate Suite, the Adobe Creative Suite, Office and PowerPoint 360, Google Suite, and Yuja Video Editing/Streaming services.
In each project, you will combine the faculty’s vision with the instructional designers’ recommendations to create experiences that boost engagement and learning outcomes. You will create intuitive, responsive, and adaptive course layouts and develop compelling interactive elements. Additionally, you will develop and customize templates for each course to ensure they are both engaging and consistent.
Throughout the process, you'll proactively anticipate learner challenges, detect overlooked issues, and advocate for strategies that ensure usability, accessibility, and a superior overall learning experience. You will also contribute to the ongoing refinement of our course design system to ensure consistency and scalability across all projects.
Responsibilities
Digital Course Production
- Apply best practices for online learning to all digital builds, including online pedagogical/andragogical approaches to teaching and learning with consideration for the type of project (credit, non-credit) and desired outcomes.
- Collaborate with the ID and academic lead/SME on any changes or updates and make recommendations for activities, interactives, complex interactions (such as branching scenarios or gamification) or multimedia that will enable a high degree of learner engagement.
- Incorporate elements of storytelling, creating flow between digital learning elements and the teaching and learning experience.
- Design templates or other visual elements to enhance the look and feel of the online offering to meet the needs of partners.
- Create or maintain course homepages and reusable course templates with consistent navigation, layout and branding for use in course projects.
Multimedia, Enrichment, Assessment
- Plan, design, and create new digital assets and multimedia for online courses, including presentations, podcasts, Pressbooks, audio, animations, and custom graphics.
- Curate and adapt existing multimedia for integration into courses, e.g video editing, stock assets.
- Provide light post-production editing for media assets, e.g. podcasts or videos.
- Design interactive learning objects using course authoring tools or web technologies to enhance engagement and knowledge retention.
- Collaborate with vendors on the creation of multimedia that may require external support, e.g. video production.
Quality Assurance
- Using OCE’s quality assurance resources in course development, e.g. quality checklists, accessibility guidelines, Style Guides, or third-party scorecards, thoroughly evaluate prototypes and drafts of project modules to test for accuracy, quality, accessibility, responsiveness and functionality.
- Version control learning objects, such as SCORM, as applicable and monitor sections and archives of LMS courses.
- Perform QA at various stages of course development, making revisions, and verifying if QA changes have been made.
- Use available tools and processes to manage the QA testing process with team members and academic content creators. Provide tool orientation, monitor the issue list, and drive reported issues to resolution in a timely manner.
Work Environment
- Collaborate with external units, such as Information Services and Technology (IST) and the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), as needed for institutional tool-related resources, digital learning technology support/integration, and instructor resources/support.
- Alongside the OCE team, collaborate with IST on ideas, use cases, and innovation related to the digital learning environment.
- Collaborate and communicate with team members about potential issues impacting course development, development tools, process gaps, etc.
- Be a champion for the end user experience and drive positive change for digital course delivery and the learning experience.
Qualifications
- An Undergraduate degree in educational technology, design, instructional design, adult education or a related field is required. A diploma with strong online course development and multimedia experience may be considered.
- A minimum of two years of developing online courses and multimedia is required; preference given to those with experience developing credit, non-credit, and corporate digital learning experiences.
- Must have experience in and knowledge of web, graphic design, and multimedia development (i.e. HTML, CSS, Adobe Suite, Camtasia, Microsoft Office Suite, Yuja, Google Suite, Dreamweaver, LaTEX, etc.).
- Experience working with integrating courses in Learning Management Systems, including experience building custom courses in Canvas, or willingness to learn.
- Experience supporting and including Indigenous Initiatives and Access, Community and Belonging (II and ACB) across the digital learning experience.
- Exceptional creativity, passion, and ability to develop enriched, innovative online learning that utilizes a variety of modalities, technologies, and multimedia.
- Multimedia portfolio of previous work, including graphics, animations, audio, or other multimedia work.
- Knowledge and experience with accessibility guidelines, UDL, and digital LX/UX.
- Familiarity with copyright legislation and compliance, fair use guidelines, Creative Commons licensing, and intellectual property rights related to the use of digital content in educational settings.
- Keen eye for detail to conduct quality assurance reviews and user acceptance testing.
- Must have technical skills required to resolve technical issues related to the digital build and multimedia.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to positively influence partners, build trust, and generate excitement.
- A background in graphic design is considered an asset to this role.
- Our work environment is hybrid. Adaptability and seamless communication with remote team members is required.
About Us
The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all FirstPeoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.
The University of Alberta is a community of knowledge seekers, change makers and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to over 14,000 faculty and staff, more than 40,000 students and a growing community of 300,000 alumni worldwide.
Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross-section of people - from our students and community members, to our renowned researchers and innovators, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger and more just. Learn more .
At the University of Alberta, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates. If you require accommodations to participate in the interview process, please let us know at the time of booking your interview and we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.
All University employees have a responsibility to foster a workplace that prioritizes safety in all its forms—physical, cultural, and psychological. This is achieved by promoting a safe environment, adhering to all safety laws, policies and procedures, completing all required safety training, identifying hazards and implementing controls, reporting incidents, and contributing to a culture of belonging and respect, while endeavoring to ensure that all colleagues feel valued and safe to express their thoughts, perspectives and concerns.
The University of Alberta is committed to creating a university community where everyone feels valued, barriers to success are removed, and thriving connections are fostered. We welcome applications from all qualified persons. We encourage women, First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons, members of visible minority groups, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity and expression, and all those who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas and the University to apply.
L’Université de l’Alberta s’engage à créer une communauté universitaire où chaque personne se sent valorisée, où les obstacles à la réussite sont éliminés et où des connexions enrichissantes peuvent se développer. Nous accueillons les demandes de toutes les personnes qualifiées. Nous encourageons les femmes; Premières nations, Métis et Inuits; membres des groupes minoritaires visibles; personnes handicapées; personnes de toute orientation sexuelle ou identité et expression de genre; et toutes les personnes qui peuvent contribuer à la diversification des idées et à l'université à postuler.
About The Team
Online Learning & Continuing Education (OCE) is a central U of A service unit that partners with colleges, faculties, and external partners to develop and deliver online courses, programs, and non-credit micro-credentials.
OCE leverages its deep expertise, skills, and experience to build high-quality, scalable online offerings, enabling the U of A to expand its enrolment capacity, reach new student populations, and provide accessible pathways into its offerings.
From the creation of new online courses, programs, and micro-credentials to the expansion of existing courses online, OCE supports our college and faculty partners from ideation to launch.
