ORGANIZATIONS
Established in 1990, the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) is dedicated to building collegial community, enhancing teaching and learning, and fostering teaching innovation at all levels and in all academic disciplines. The CTE offers a broad range of signature programs, tailored services, rich resource materials, and seed grants designed to enhance the teaching environment at UVA. Above all, the CTE is committed to the values of diversity, inclusion, social justice, and education.
The University Teaching and Learning Technology Committee (UTLT) is a pan-university initiative pursuing important projects related to UVA’s digital ecosystem—the foundational principles, technical infrastructure, and applications and devices that make up the digital portion of our Academical Village. Multiple members of the CTE also serve on the UTLT in various roles, led by Michael Palmer, the Barbara Fried Director of the CTE and the Co-Chairperson of the UTLT.
SPONSOR
Matthew Burgess, Assistant Director of Learning Technology Initiatives, CTE; Chair, Digital Ecosystem Subcommittee, UTLT
PURPOSE
The intern will support the respective missions of the CTE and the UTLT to promote excellence in teaching and learning, and to establish and nurture a vibrant digital ecosystem guided by data-informed decision-making. Projects undertaken by the intern will play critical roles in the ongoing evolution of UVA’s digital footprint and its impact upon teaching, learning, and research.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
The internship will provide the intern with opportunities to develop and/or refine skills especially applicable in any of the following fields:
- Communications
- Data analytics
- Educational Technology
- Higher education instruction and administration
- Project management
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
The internship will provide the intern with opportunities to develop and/or refine the following skills:
- Collaborating with interdisciplinary teams with diverse backgrounds and roles
- Collecting, collating, and analyzing data
- Communicating with diverse audiences
- Conceptualizing, planning, and executing projects
RESPONSIBILITIES
The intern will work with the internship sponsor and other members of the CTE and UTLT to identify and pursue projects related to the selection, implementation, evaluation, and use of learning technologies at UVA. Potential options include the design and preliminary testing of an assessment to measure the impact of learning technologies across various metrics; the design of new resources and/or features for UVA’s Learning Tech website; the development and implementation of procedures to pilot new learning technologies; the development of a master strategic communications plan for learning technologies; research related to a potential University-wide center supporting learning technologies; and initiatives to improve online course quality.
MENTORING PLAN
The intern will receive ongoing mentorship and support from the internship sponsor, and from other members of the CTE and UTLT affiliated with the projects with which they engage. The intern will strengthen skills in project management, collaboration and communication, and contextual research, particularly as these relate to educational settings. The intern will also have the opportunity to explore educational technology and higher education administration as potential career paths, and more generally, to consider the breadth of academic and professional career paths available to them. By the conclusion of the internship, the intern will have honed skills and gained access to resources that will assist them in their careers inside or outside the academy.
DESIRED QUALITIES
The CTE and UTLT welcome applicants from all academic backgrounds and disciplines. Successful applicants will have a strong interest in technology and its intersections with the field of education generally and the context and mission of UVA specifically. They will embrace the opportunity to work independently and in collaboration with others to create new projects, resources, and events. They will be compelling, effective communicators, both in writing and in person. Ideally, successful applicants will also have experience with one or more learning technologies currently in use at UVA, with conducting various kinds of research, and with collecting and analyzing data.
DURATION AND EFFORT
The internship will begin in late August 2022 and continue through the 2022-2023 academic year at an average effort of 10 hours per week. The intern must be available to attend meetings of the UTLT and various subcommittees as they are scheduled.