Director of Digital Learning

About Fitchburg State University:

Fitchburg State University, located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, is a public institution dedicated to integrating high-quality professional programs with strong liberal arts and sciences studies. Founded in 1894, the university now has more than 30 undergraduate programs and 22 master's degree programs, and 7,000 full and part-time students. We invite you to learn more about us and how we can help you achieve your educational goals.

Job Description:

General Statement of Duties: The director leads and directs strategic planning efforts on campus related to digital learning in collaboration with faculty, students, staff and administrators.  The director is responsible for developing, maintaining and evaluating structures such as policies, procedures and resources that support online courses and programs and reflect continuous improvement processes.  This position maintains current knowledge of digital learning trends, understands the digital learning needs of multiple audiences and provides guidance across campus for the development of online or hybrid courses and programs, on regulatory matters and on procurement decisions related to digital learning.  This position also supervises digital learning support staff.

Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Develop and maintain a strategic plan for digital learning on campus in collaboration with key stakeholders and the University community.
2. Promote ongoing awareness of emerging technologies, changing patterns of usage and new innovative practices while providing support on such changes to pedagogy and instructional design.
3. Lead the development and maintenance of University course or certificate programs for faculty that wish to acquire skills for creating and teaching online and hybrid courses in collaboration with related departments.  
4. Develop and maintain ongoing educational and professional development courses for faculty and staff related to digital learning, including software applications, Internet, media tools and how to manage content by developing training videos, workshops and classes in collaboration with related departments.
5. Work with deans, department chairs, faculty, the division of graduate and continuing education and others to strategically plan and explore new online course and program offerings.
6. Develop and maintain processes to assist with online and hybrid program and course development in collaboration with key stakeholders.
7. Collaborate with student affairs, IT and the office of disability services to understand and address accessibility needs and meet compliance regulations related to online instruction and digital learning tools.
8. Manage the digital learning budget, prepare budget proposals and develop funding strategies to support identified digital learning needs across campus.
9. Supervise, mentor and define responsibilities, goals and objectives for the Digital Learning staff including the coordinator of online accelerated programs and compliance, instructional designers and others that support online, hybrid and digital learning.
10. Develop and provide LMS/Blackboard training to faculty and students for online programs in collaboration with IT.
11. Represent the University within various state and other groups specific to distance learning, such as the Massachusetts Colleges Online (MCO) group.
12. Collaborates with various University offices to develop and/or maintain processes and procedures appropriate for the college's 100% online student population.
13. Fosters best practices in online, hybrid and other digital learning modalities.
14. Responsible for understanding and managing and maintaining University compliance with state authorization requirements, overseeing the University's partnership with the National Council of State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreements for online courses and programs and communicating with the campus community regarding regulatory changes and requirements.
15. Works with appropriate university staff to ensure standards and policies are met in promoting integrity in online education.
16. Assists with loading and trouble-shooting third party materials onto faculty course sites.
17. Reviews, updates, and maintains the university's online/digital learning web site.
18. Assists faculty in compliance with copyright and other laws concerning intellectual property.
19. Performs additional duties as assigned by supervisor.

Requirements:

1. Minimum master's degree in related field. Earned doctorate or ABD status preferred.
2. At least three years' experience working in field.
3. Experience with Blackboard/Course Info software.
4. Experience in designing online and hybrid courses.
5. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
6. Experience in teaching on-line courses.
7. Experience training faculty in online course development.
8. Must be able to satisfactorily pass a check conducted by the Criminal History Systems Board (CORI) as well as a completed background check satisfactory to the university.
9. Ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodations.

Additional Information:

Shift Information: Full time benefited APA union position. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8am-5pm.
Application Deadline: December 15, 2017

Salary Range: $85,000 - $90,000 annually

Application Instructions:

Please include a cover letter and resume along with your application.