Instructional Technology Specialist

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST

DEPARTMENT: Curriculum

UNIT: Professional and Administrative Exempt

WAGE: Grade 106 – Compensation is based on the candidate’s years of verified and relevant experience, as determined by Human Resources.

DIRECT SUPERVISOR: Director of Curriculum

GRPS MISSION
Our mission is to ensure that all scholars are educated, self-directed and productive members of society.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Director of Curriculum, the Instructional Technology Specialist is responsible for leading the district’s technology academic focus including planning, developing, and implementing a vision and supporting the district’s comprehensive plan for the effective use of technology for Pre-K through 12, course design, course assessments, technology assessments and student, staff, and leadership training.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree A minimum of three years successful teaching experience in a K-12 environment
  

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in educational/Instructional Technology

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Successful experiences in leading systems’ change
• Experience in integrating curriculum and technology in the classroom or with curriculum staff
• Knowledge of online course development, standards, and procedures
• Experience working with educational applications and management of social media
• Able to work collaboratively to identify adult and student learning outcomes and supporting strategies that are curriculum based and supported by technology
• Experience in identifying the tools, strategies and structures needed to implement 24/7 teaching and learning opportunities supported by digital content.
• Able to conduct a system wide needs assessment and develop a comprehensive plan reflecting long and short-range objectives for developing and transforming classroom instruction and daily operations using technology
• Experience providing technical training in group and individualized sessions
• Intermediate to advanced skill in the use of major learning Management Systems such as Schoology and Seasaw or equivalent Management Systems, single sign in tools like Clever or Class Link, filtering tools like Go Guardian, casting tools such as VIVI.
• General knowledge of grade books such as Synergy and how it works with Learning Management Systems.
• Intermediate to advanced skill in using web and media-based technologies for education such as but not limited to Camtasia, Google Workspace, Office 365, Adobe Creative Suite, HTML, HTML5 etc.
• Curiosity about and commitment to learning cutting edge technologies for support of education online
• Knowledge of instructional design principles
• Knowledge of educational theories, including instructional systems design, and adult, adolescent, and young child learning theories
• Knowledge of asynchronous and synchronous instructional models, course design, and pedagogy
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Knowledge of formative assessment
• Excellent customer service skills
• Positive can-do attitude

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Essential functions under the Americans with Disabilities Act may include any of the following duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is illustrative only and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by employees in this position. Regular on time and in person attendance is an essential function of this job. Other essential functions may include, but are not limited to the following:

Curriculum and Learning

• Apply knowledge of instructional design in the development and trouble shoot and evaluate course design and ensure high standards of technology integration
• Develop instructional web, media based, interactive tutorials and learning opportunities
• Assist instructional staff in planning and incorporating technology in specific subject areas and across grade levels
• Assist teachers in understanding the pedagogy that support online, asynchronous, and synchronous learning
• Ensure that Pre-K-12 technology standards are clearly articulated and understood throughout the district.
• Trouble shoot and evaluate course design and ensure high standards of technology integration
• Develop instructional web, media based, interactive tutorials, and learning opportunities
• Assist instructional staff in planning and incorporating technology in specific subject areas and across grade levels
• Assist teachers in understanding the pedagogy that support online, asynchronous, and synchronous learning
• Ensure that Pre-K-12 technology standards are clearly articulated and understood throughout the district.
• Lead monthly technology meetings to support building level appointed Technology Liaisons and Device 1:1 Coordinators.

Leadership

• Establish and lead one or more cross functional technology leadership teams for the purpose of:
• • Developing and implementing and supporting a comprehensive plan for the effective use of technology Pre-K-12
  • Developing a comprehensive plan to implement online assessments associated with Common Core State Standards and Smarter Balance Assessments
  • Conducting research to identify potential applications for new and emerging technology; make recommendations to the administration
  • Evaluating teacher technologies and applications for equipment and systems upgrades
  • Developing and communicating the district’s technology plan
• Maintain a catalogue of all available district technologies and support recommendation about their use
• Work with administrators, supervisors, and teachers to design and implement supports of Learning Management Platforms for effective use in the instructional environment.
• Work with administrators, supervisors, and teachers to establish goals for the effective use of instructional technology across the curricular areas as appropriate
• Attend faculty, department, and grade level meetings proactively
• • SDS department meetings
  • MIS department meetings
  • Curriculum department meetings
• Assists with the planning, design and installation of future network expansions and technology implementations as growth demands
• Consistently demonstrate dependable attendance and punctuality.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Training and Professional Development

• Design, implement and assist with professional learning opportunities that support technology integration
• Support divisional and technology leaders to implement district initiatives related to technology integration

ADA REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands, work environment factors, and mental functions described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Stands and/or walks during most of the working day. Turns, stoops, climbs, bends, pushes, pulls, reaches for, and carries materials and equipment in the performance of tasks. Must be able to lift a minimum of 40 pounds. Must be able to work outside for extended periods (up to the entire eight-hour shift) in all weather conditions and ability to drive to other GRPS school buildings. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The noise level in the work environment is usually loud to moderate.

MENTAL FUNCTIONS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to compare, analyze, communicate both orally and in writing, copy, coordinate, instruct, compute, synthesize, evaluate, use interpersonal skills, compile, and negotiate.

NON-DISCRIMINATION/ACCOMMODATION ASSISTANCE

The Grand Rapids Public Schools will not discriminate against any person based on race, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, height, weight, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, disability, veteran, or military status.

Assistance with the application process may be requested through the Human Resources Department at (616) 819-2022 or [email protected].

DISCLAIMER
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.