[Neasis-l] Job Announcement: Social Sciences Research and Digital Learning Liaison, Wheaton College, Norton, MA

[Daniel Becker]

Social Sciences Research and Digital Learning Liaison, Wheaton College,
Norton, MA



*PRIMARY PURPOSE:*

The Social Sciences Research & Digital Learning Liaison serves as a
research consultant, an instructional technology specialist, an educator,
and a frequent point of contact to faculty and students in the Social
Sciences within a merged library/information technology organization. The
person in this position facilitates the use of information resources and
technology in teaching, learning, and scholarship for faculty and students
in the Social Sciences departments and some interdisciplinary programs.  As
a member of the Research and Instruction Liaison Team, this
librarian/instructional technologist is responsible for research
consultations and instructional services for his/her assigned areas. The
person in this position also actively engages with the college's
technology-enhanced teaching and learning initiatives. S/he introduces and
implements improvements to make the best use of technology in teaching,
including course logistics, content delivery, course discussion, and
student collaboration. This librarian/technologist collaborates with other
LIS and academic staff to further the mission and priorities of the college.

This position is a part of the Liaison Team of the Research and Instruction
(R&I) Department, a group composed of professional educators and
librarians. Liaisons are assigned to different areas of the curriculum -
Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences - in a way that ensures
that the faculty and students have appropriate support and access to the
information resources and technologies necessary to their disciplines. All
of the liaisons divide departments and share some responsibilities with
other liaisons in the group. The liaisons also share a common skill set,
while each bringing a unique set of skills to the group and to the
curriculum.



*ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:*

1. Support and Advocate for Technology Enhanced Instruction (45%)

Work in partnership with faculty and colleagues in LIS to encourage and
support effective instruction methods which use technology and information
resources.. Activities include:

   - Supporting and encouraging innovative, experimental, and effective
   uses of instructional technology by faculty in a thoughtful, well-planned
   process by
      - Partnering with faculty to understand their curricular goals and
      recommending teaching practices that meet those goals
      - Collaborating with faculty members to plan, design and teach
      classes using technology, especially those which incorporate blended
      learning strategies and methods used in digital scholarship.
      - Partnering with faculty to create assignments that use technology
      and information resources to enhance learning goals
   - Investigating and assessing advancements in information technologies,
   academic software, systems, and information resources, in collaboration
   with others in LIS and the faculty by
      - Working with faculty and staff to determine whether these
      advancements can be adapted and applied at Wheaton.
      - Selecting software and/or hardware for purchase according to a
      carefully developed plan and process, working collaboratively within the
      R&I group's budget.
      - Developing special knowledge and expertise with appropriate
      technologies to support teaching, learning and scholarship in the Social
      Sciences
      - Developing and introducing online and physical learning
      environments to meet the needs of faculty and students
   - Providing professional development opportunities for faculty members,
   to encourage and support their use of technology and information resources
   to advance scholarship and teaching
   - Promoting Wheaton's success on the college website, at conferences,
   and in collaboration with Communications, especially success using
   Technology Enhanced Learning activities

2. Support of Student Information and Technology Fluency (45%)

Promote information and technology fluency in Wheaton's Social Sciences
students so that they can use information and technology tools and
resources effectively, analytically, ethically, legally, and critically.
Activities include:

   - Serving as library liaison to multiple first-year seminars, providing
   research consultations and instructional services for these courses.
   - Providing research consultations with students, particularly those in
   the Social Sciences
   - Providing research support to students working on theses, senior
   seminar/capstone projects, and independent studies
   - Teaching classes related to acquiring information fluency
   - Partnering with academic departments to develop learning goals around
   information fluency and technology literacy, including the assessment of
   learning outcomes
   - Developing instructional materials and subject guides

3. Professional Development: (5%)

Remains current with developments in relevant areas and upgrades skills
through reading, personal study, and attendance at professional workshops,
seminars, meetings and conferences. Develops and maintains relationships
with library and technology staff at peer institutions by participating in
regional and national organizations and Special Interest Groups (SIGs).
Shares relevant information with R&I colleagues.

*OTHER JOB FUNCTIONS: (5%)*

   - Participates in planning for college-wide programs such as
   orientation, admissions visiting days, faculty and staff workshops, etc.
   - Within LIS, participates in and occasionally leads inter-departmental
   committees, workgroups, and project teams, representing the R&I Department;
   shares relevant information with departmental colleagues.
   - Participates in LIS web development planning and initiatives, serving
   on committees and workgroups, as appropriate. Helps maintain academic web
   sites using a forms-based user interface.
   - Promotes faculty and student awareness and adoption of LIS policies,
   systems, and support, including issues dealing with ethics and the honor
   code.
   - Develops and participates in workshops, discussion forums,
   orientations, tours, and other presentations and outreach activities for
   faculty and students.
   - Serves on relevant campus-wide workgroups and committees and on task
   forces and affinity groups in consortiums and professional organizations.
   - Improves LIS practices that strengthen service delivery.
   - Works with others toward achieving organizational goals, including
   sharing of information and expertise and cultivating effective work
   relationships.
   - Performs other duties as required.



*SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:*

Provides supervision of student employees as necessary.

*REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:*

Individuals must possess most or all of these skills, knowledge, and
abilities, or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can
perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable
accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.



Technical Skills:

   - Instructional use of course management systems (e.g., Moodle)
   - A firm understanding of blogs, wikis, and other web content management
   systems
   - Mastery of Online Collaboration Tools (video conferencing, Google
   Docs, etc.)
   - Mastery of social media for learning purposes
   - Experience working with various forms of new media (digital video,
   audio, and web page development)
   - Fluency with the broad range of instructional technologies relevant to
   a liberal arts curriculum, including spreadsheets and presentation software
   (e.g. PowerPoint, Prezi)
   - Experience using statistics software for basic analysis.


   - Mastery of Macintosh and Windows computer environments and peripherals
   - Experience with HTML and web development tools; programming skills
   helpful
   - Ability to teach all skills designated as core technology skills by LIS



Subject Focus:

   - Degree in one of the Social Sciences and/or deep, discipline-specific
   knowledge in the Social Sciences;
   - An appreciation of the varieties of Social Sciences research needs
   - Knowledge not only of US sources and databases, but international ones
   as well
   - Demonstrated expertise in the use of a broad range of information
   systems, services and databases relevant to a liberal arts curriculum,
   particularly those associated with the Social Sciences. Demonstrated
   ability to learn, adopt and propagate new systems and services effectively
   and quickly.
   - Critical appreciation of and enthusiasm for information technologies
   as applied to Social Sciences research and curriculum enrichment
   - Understanding of data types used for social science research;
   awareness of how qualitative and quantitative data is structured; awareness
   of how technology assists with data analysis.
   - Understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of Social Sciences
   research and studies



General Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

   - A clear commitment to delivering high quality service to an academic
   community
   - Effective interpersonal and communication skills


   - Team orientation, flexibility, versatility, and ability to work both
   independently and collaboratively in a complex and changing public service
   environment


   - Creative problem-solving abilities, curiosity and initiative


   - Resilience of character and perspective, with a sense of humor


   - Demonstrated aptitude and enthusiasm for teaching in a college
   environment, including the ability to work effectively with faculty,
   students, and colleagues
   - Strong interest in playing an integral role in actively developing
   campus-wide information and technology literacy programs
   - Demonstrated knowledge of, or interest in, trends regarding access to
   information and digital library technologies, including copyright
   - Project management aptitude or experience. Experience managing
   projects with 1-2 year timelines, involving faculty members and staff
   preferred.
   - Excellent oral and written communication skills


   - Ability to cooperate with faculty on course design, in workshops or
   individually



*QUALIFICATION STANDARDS:*

Education/Experience

   - American Library Association-accredited  Master's Degree, or Master's
   degree in the Social Sciences or comparable combination of education and
   work experience is required.


   - Degree or strong background in one of the Social Sciences is required.
   - Experience working successfully with faculty members as colleagues.
   - 2-3 years of professional employment in an academic or special library
   strongly preferred.
   - Teaching experience at the college level.



*TO APPLY:* Submit a cover letter and resume to
https://jobs.wheatoncollege.edu/postings/1578
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