I thought I'd give you an update on the other positions that we are in the process of filling.

1. Manager of Instructional Technology - We are interviewing tomorrow (Friday) and Monday for this position, so we're still hoping we will have someone in this position in January.

2. Course Development Assistant - We will be advertising for this position early next week with a projected start date of February 1. This is when Marina officially begins her next mat leave. I've tinkered with this position again to include more overall project management. If you know anyone who might be interested in this position, has the right skill set, and would be a good fit on our team, please tell them to check the website next week or early January.

3. Formatter - This is replacement position for Shirley as she retires. I don't think we need to advertise for the position as I have two resumes in already for this position. Again, if you know someone, please ask them to get their resume to me ASAP. We'd like to have this position filled in early January.

You all have networks of people. Please use them to help us find people who will both fit within our team and bring something to the table! Let me know . . .

I'll keep you updated as things progress.

New Curriculum Consultant in EET

We are happy to tell you that we have filled the Curriculum Consultant position that has been vacant since Nancy Russell moved to the Registrar's Office. Candace Lewko will be starting in this position on January 4, 2011.

Candace comes to us with a strong combination of experience and education. She is currently teaching at Lethbridge College in both the English Language Centre and in the School of Liberal Arts, and she has additional previous teaching experience in the K-12 system and in Japan. Candace also brings a strong curriculum background, with a Masters in Education that included curriculum studies.

So welcome to our team, Candace! We're looking forward to working with you in January and beyond . . .

Request for Ideas for Innovative Projects

At the meeting we had last week with Karen O'Dwyer, she talked about the Innovation Fund. I'm looking for ideas this week, so please send anything you can think of my way.

What could we do to help students learn and to help instructors teach / facilitate?

Couple thoughts . . .

- Something around Open Access Publishing / Resources. We could work collaboratively with the library and faculty to publish course text books using Open Educational Resources - or with publishers who are doing this??

- something with an innovative learning space

- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning - not sure on this one, but I know that we need to find a way to support instructors who are moving in this direction.

- Prior Learning Assessment . . .

Ideas so far . . . . Your ideas are important . . . eat chocolate - do whatever it takes to turn the creative parts of your brain on . . . send your ideas on . . .

Revised position within the media specialist team

Starting in January, we are implementing a Media Innovative Project Lead position within the media specialist team. This is a six-month pilot that will be a temporary change / refocus to an existing media specialist position. The focus of this position will be on ensuring innovation, completion,, quality, and consistency across all the work within the media specialist team, including special projects. The focus will remain on "team" as well as on learning / professional development or all media specialists.

Tyler will be assigned to this position. Existing reporting structures will remain the same, with Tyler and the media specialist still reporting to Lorne.

I'll be providing more detail to the other EET staff who are impacted by this change, but feel free to stop by with questions if you have some.

PD - Thank you and plan for next GIFEET session in the spring

Great Ideas for EET (GIFEET) :) Thanks to everyone who shared what they have learned in their PD activities at the EET meeting last week. I was amazed at how much some of you have learned and accomplished since the early fall when these activities started.

Professional Development = continuous learning (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly . . . forever); currency and cutting edge; innovation and excellence; individual and group; here and away. This activity certainly demonstrated how much we can learn when we set goals and integrate it into our every day activities.

So what's next? We'll be scheduling a second session in the spring, likely in April or May. Everyone who didn't have an opportunity to present in November will be strongly encouraged to present in the spring, although everyone will be encouraged to participate.

Topics: I'm going to ask Donna or Liz to set up a list of topics and participants in TE3213 for the existing topics. You can continue on with these groups, or start something new. Although you can do things individually if that works best for the topic you have chosen, I'd encourage you to work with others on your projects. The collaboration often helps you learn more as well as get it done.

So please make sure your name is on here somewhere by the Christmas break.

Thanks again to everyone who made this work!

(here's the link to the original topics from the fall: http://tinyurl.com/EET-Staff-PD)

Reminder - Professional Work Environment

This is a caution and reminder for all of us. We work with a variety of instructors and other LC staff on many of the projects we work on. Sometimes this work is satisfying and challenging, but it can also be frustrating because of missed deadlines, incomplete work, or other issues. Our work environments are also very open and public.

In the spirit of professionalism, let's all remember to only make comments in our open work environments and meetings that we would say if the person was in the room with us. Good reminder for all . . .

Transitioning staff

We have three EET staff leaving around the Christmas break, which means that we will be transitioning new people into EET.

Chris's last day is December 20, although he is only working next week Monday, December 12 and then again on December 19 and 20 as he uses up his holiday days.

The competition for this position closes today, so we'll be trying to interview next week.

Liz's last day will be December 23. Liz has taken a position in the Music department at the U of L, so more closely related to her discipline.

We'll be advertising very soon for a replacement starting February 1. Donna will be taking care of the financials (including payments and hours documentation). I'm likely going to tinker with this position description somewhat to focus more on project management.

And Shirley is retiring. Her last day will be prior to the break as well. We are planning to hire a formatter to fill Shirley's very large shoes too.

Watch for more information about send-offs in the next couple of days.