Learning Experience Developer - University of Alberta, Edmonton

About the Employer

The University of Alberta is a leading post-secondary institution, and this role is part of the Online Learning & Continuing Education (OCE) unit. OCE is a central service that partners with various faculties and external entities to develop and deliver high-quality online courses, programs, and non-credit micro-credentials. The team provides extensive expertise to elevate the quality and accessibility of online programming at the University of Alberta. This is an excellent opportunity for those seeking University of Alberta jobs in Edmonton, particularly in the growing field of educational technology and digital learning.

Responsibilities

As a Learning Experience Developer at the University of Alberta, you will be instrumental in creating engaging and impactful digital learning experiences. This role involves a blend of creative multimedia development, technical course production, and rigorous quality assurance, all while championing best practices in online learning development.

Key responsibilities include:

• Apply best practices for online learning to all digital builds, considering pedagogical/andragogical approaches and desired outcomes.
• Collaborate with Instructional Designers (ID) and academic leads/Subject Matter Experts (SME) on changes, recommending activities, interactives, complex interactions, or multimedia to enhance learner engagement.
• Incorporate elements of storytelling, creating flow between digital learning elements and the teaching and learning experience.
• Design new templates and leverage existing visual elements to enhance the look and feel of online offerings.
• Create or maintain course homepages and reusable course templates with consistent navigation, layout, and branding.
• Make Learning Experience (LX) recommendations to IDs/SMEs to enhance the learning experience, including strategic use of dynamic elements and multimedia.
• Produce prototype, draft, and final versions of each online course, obtaining feedback and approvals before launch.
• Build online courses using HTML and CSS via VS Code, third-party tools like Articulate Rise and Storyline, and native Learning Management System (LMS) features.
• Make revisions to online courses, such as critical updates and content refreshes, and provide consultation for instructors/SMEs.
• Ensure Indigenous Initiatives and Access, Community and Belonging principles are foundational to all planning, design, and development work.

Multimedia, Enrichment, and Assessment Development:

• Plan, design, and create new digital assets and multimedia for online courses, including presentations, podcasts, pressbooks, audio, animations, and custom graphics.
• Curate and adapt existing multimedia for integration into courses, such as video editing and stock assets.
• Provide light post-production editing for media assets like podcasts or videos.
• Design interactive learning objects using course authoring tools or web technologies to enhance engagement and knowledge retention.
• Collaborate with vendors on the creation of multimedia that may require external support, such as video production.
• Ensure all digital assets comply with accessibility guidelines (WCAG), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and best practices in digital LX/UX.
• Set up discussion forums and other appropriate tools for interaction and engagement within the online course.
• In collaboration with the ID, build and integrate digital assessments created by the academic lead/SME, such as quizzes, polls, peer review tools, or formative assessments.
• Set up gradebooks, rubrics, and other assessment-related tools within the online course(s).
• Integrate library resources, e-texts, Open Educational Resources (OERs), or other assets as identified by partners.
• Provide external relations or communications team members with course-related collateral materials for marketing and promotion.
• Manage and organise digital course content for version control and reuse in a shared repository.

Quality Assurance and Professional Growth:

• Thoroughly evaluate prototypes and drafts of project modules using OCE’s quality assurance resources to test for accuracy, quality, accessibility, responsiveness, and functionality.
• Version control learning objects, such as SCORM, and monitor sections and archives of LMS courses.
• Perform QA at various stages of course development, making revisions and verifying changes.
• Manage the QA testing process with team members and academic content creators, providing tool orientation and resolving reported issues.
• Utilise various testing tools and methodologies to identify and document bugs, usability issues, or accessibility barriers in courses.
• Troubleshoot and resolve functionality issues within online course content, escalating when necessary.
• Develop and maintain documentation of workflows and guidelines to support internal knowledge sharing and consistency.
• Collaborate with external units (Information Services and Technology, Centre for Teaching and Learning) for institutional tools and digital learning technology support.
• Research and test new and emerging technologies and trends to support online teaching and learning.
• Engage in conferences, workshops, courses, webinars, and other professional development activities to continually develop skills and insights.
• Participate in communities of practice, working groups, or committees related to learning experience design and development.

Skills and Experience

To excel in this Learning Experience Developer role, candidates should possess a strong background in educational technology and a passion for creating innovative online learning environments. The University of Alberta values both academic qualifications and practical experience in digital course development.

• An undergraduate degree in educational technology, design, instructional design, adult education, or a related field is required. A diploma with strong online course development and multimedia experience may be considered.
• A minimum of two years of experience developing online courses and multimedia is required; preference given to those with experience developing credit, non-credit, and corporate digital learning experiences.
• Exceptional knowledge and skill in creating digital media within online courses using course authoring tools, including Articulate Suite and Adobe Suite.
• Experience working with and integrating courses in Learning Management Systems, including building custom courses in Canvas, or a willingness to learn.
• Experience supporting and including Indigenous Initiatives and Access, Community and Belonging (II and ACB) across the digital learning experience.
• Exceptional creativity, passion, and ability to develop enriched, innovative online learning that utilises a variety of modalities, technologies, and multimedia.
• A multimedia portfolio of previous work, including graphics, animations, audio, or other multimedia work, is highly preferred.
• Knowledge and experience with accessibility guidelines, UDL, and digital LX/UX.
• Familiarity with copyright legislation and compliance, fair use guidelines, Creative Commons licensing, and intellectual property rights related to digital content in educational settings.
• A keen eye for detail to conduct quality assurance reviews and user acceptance testing.
• Must have technical skills required to resolve technical issues related to the digital build and multimedia.
• Must have experience in and knowledge of web, graphic design, and multimedia development (e.g., HTML, CSS, Adobe Suite, Vyond, Microsoft Office Suite, Yuja, Google Suite, Dreamweaver, LaTEX).
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to positively influence partners, build trust, and generate excitement.

Compensation and Perks

This position at the University of Alberta offers a comprehensive benefits package. Further details regarding compensation will be discussed during the interview process.