Learning Animator

Position:

Learning Animator

Reports to:

Head of Learning Innovation; Principal of STAND

Position Group:

Contract

Term:

Material due by January 2024

Overview

Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (STS) is a premier co-educational day school nestled in the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains just outside of the City of Calgary on a 220-acre campus. As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, STS offers all three IB Programmes from Kindergarten through to Grade 12.

In addition to the global perspective offered by the IB Diploma Programme, the School offers an extensive co-curricular program in a technology-rich environment. Students take advantage of the amazing natural setting including a small pond, forest, and extensive trail system to complement their academic learning.

STS combines the rich traditions from its 117 years of history with innovative and research-based instructional practices where students pursue lives of purpose, flourishing emotionally, physically, and intellectually. 

STS is seeking qualified Learning Animators.

Detailed Job Description

You are a digital course author who is passionate about the possibilities of instructional design to activate learning and engagement. You are a champion for competency-based learning, mastery and developing learning experiences that affirm students’ identities. Your goal is to design materials that bring learning to life; that draw students in and keep them in a place of rapture. You can view curriculum as a series of competency pathways and can build learning experiences and assessments accordingly.

We are actively seeking learning animators for the following courses:

Math 30-1

Physics 20, Physics 30

Core Areas of Responsibility

• Create engaging learning activities and compelling course content that enhances retention and transfer within the STAND learning management system.
• State instructional end goals and create content that develops mastery with room for student choice and voice.
• Create supporting material/media (audio, video, simulations, role plays, games etc.)
• Create visualized instructional graphics.
• Apply tested instructional design theories, practice and methods.
• Provide exercises and activities that enhance the learning process.
• Decide on the criteria used to judge learner’s performance and develop assessment instruments.
• Maintain project documentation and course folders.

* See detailed design standards in below addendum

What you need to Succeed

Education: Degree or diploma in Education or instructional design, post-graduate work in educational technology and instructional design is considered an asset

Experience: You are a subject matter expert, passionate about the creation of learning experiences and resources and embrace educational technologies. You can demonstrate unit, lesson, and curriculum mapping skills.

Role Specific Training: You are familiar with Google Workplace, Office 365, Canva, Learning Management Systems (we will provide training on the LMS we use) and educational technology apps. You are comfortable using tools like Loom and YouTube to create instructional videos and interactive content.

Remuneration: Completed contracts will result in a stipend of $6500 CDN for 5 credit courses; $4000 for 3 credit courses; $1000 for 1 credit courses. This total will be awarded in one increment based on mutually agreed upon targets.

Application Instructions

Standard

Sufficient Practice

Course design is designed backwards from what students will be able to do by the end of the course. Module organization (pathways through the course) support mastery and conceptual understanding.

D1.1 Course is mapped from essential questions or themes and linked to competencies via mastery pathways

D1.2 The competencies for the course are developed into pathways that will lead to mastery and built as such in the LMS

D1.3 CASEL competencies are also mapped where appropriate

 Course is designed for active student learning and mastery.

D2.1 Asynchronous instruction is designed to be student-centered, reflecting student progress and growth
D2.2 Activities provide opportunities for mastery (varied practice), learner collaboration, connection, and real-world application                                                     D2.3 Course videos are developed at least 50% of the time by the course designer

D.2.4 Learning activities in the LMS are built to be interactive wherever possible

D 2.5 Practice exercises use tools that provide live feedback to students

Learning modules have clearly defined objectives; format of objectives helps student distinguish between knowledge outcomes, skill outcomes and inquiry opportunities

D3.1 Objectives are written using Bloom’s Taxonomy higher-order verbs for mastery of new knowledge and skills
D3.2 Objective-based outcomes are clearly trackable through the learning activities and measurable in the assessments

Rigor is measured by the complexity of the skills attempted and by students’ nuanced ability to apply essential skills to complex problems or contexts.

D4.1 Activities evaluate students’ initial skills and measurably scaffold growth to meet module objectives
D4.2 A tiered system of academic standards supports student differentiation 4.3 Multiple checks for understanding are built in that allow a student to self-assess prior to moving on

A wide range of assessment tools are used; mastery is measured against articulated learning goals and course objectives.

D5.1 Assessment is used of, as, and for learning, including a combination of formative/summative techniques
D5.2 Students are assessed on what they learned from their activities

 Course routine and navigation are developmentally appropriate and intuitive.

B6.1 Course is built on a consistent weekly template in the LMS
B6.2 Routine is based on weekly learning cycle
B6.3 Consistent weekly cadence includes appropriate time estimates for learning vs activities

B6.4 UDL and equity principles are reflected in the style of the course (subtitles, AltText, Working hyperlinks, citations, colour alone does not suggest meaning)

B 6.5 Naming conventions are maintained throughout

B 6.6 Each module introduction has the following components – Modules are started with an introduction: (Pictures, Curricular competencies, Learning Skills); Introduction & Simulus; Self-Assessment; Visualization of pathways

Tech tools are kept as simple as possible.

B7.1 Learning happens within the school’s LMS to the greatest extent possible; external tools and apps are limited to those essential to the pedagogy or content delivery
B7.2 Access to new knowledge and skills is provided through a range of consistent resources, including textbook, video lecture, and slide decks that provide a bridge to learning for a range of learning styles/abilities but that are not so varied as to lead to confusion
B7.3 All non-original resources, images, videos, etc. include complete citation