To start out the new year, I’m moving to a new position at the University of Calgary. I am now “Manager, Technology Integration Group” in the new Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. That’s a mouthful.
Basically, I get to work with a great team, building tools to enhance teaching and learning, and supporting instructors and students to integrate these tools effectively. In many ways, it’s a formalization of the kinds of things I’ve been doing in various roles on campus, but with some truly amazing people to work with, and resources to dedicate to the task. The mandate is essentially: support the successful integration of appropriate technologies into teaching and learning, and work with instructors and researchers to build and extend tools to enhance the learning environment.
From the job profile:
- Leadership: Within the vision for the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning and in consultation with the Director of Educational Development Unit of the Institute, demonstrate leadership in building leading-edge technology integration capacity across the university.
- Technology Integration Practice and Scholarship: Demonstrate leadership and expertise in developing effective educational technology initiatives that support successful learning and teaching experiences at undergraduate and graduate levels, and across academic disciplines.
- Administration /Management: Provide overall management of staff and affiliated faculty/staff/students, program development, and resources.
- IT Strategy for the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning: Serve as a liaison between the Taylor Institute and IT leadership, providing support for strategic decision making and comprehensive planning.1
Sounds like fun to me! (of course, the details of the profile will be changing as we get up and running…)
I’ll be able to share more information once it’s sunk in a bit and I find my footing. Although parts of this role will feel familiar, much of it is also new – it’s a much higher profile role than I’m used to, and will have much more official responsibility. I’ve taken on some high profile and responsibility tasks over the years, but this is the first time it’s been baked into my job profile. And the first time I’ve been part of a new $40M facility intended to radically change the culture of teaching and learning on campus, and to serve as a working research sandbox for innovation. That’s pretty exciting stuff.
The Taylor Institute is going to be a fantastic place to work – it’s starting off as a somewhat virtual organization, with the previous Teaching & Learning Centre forming the heart of it, but many new groups will be added. The construction of the new building makes a nice metaphor – currently, the building site is an empty patch of dirt, with the previous crumbling building removed and blueprints ready to be realized. It’s going to take a couple of years for the building to be completed, and we’re hoping to have the organizational side of the Institute up and running well beforehand, ready to move in.
I’m super excited about being able to work with the awesome people in the Technology Integration Group, and the other groups within the new Taylor Institute – and working closely with great folks across campus. This is going to be a heck of a year, with (hopefully) many more to come.
- this part is essentially my previous role on campus – IT Business Partner – which I will continue to do, within the scope of the Taylor Institute [↩]