Instructional Technologist & Designer

Purpose

The Instructional Technologist & Designer serves as the primary administrator of Oklahoma Baptist University's Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) and as a strategic partner in advancing faculty development, instructional design, and educational technology integration across all academic programs. This role sits at the intersection of academic affairs and technology services, functioning as the essential bridge between both divisions.

This individual will champion best practices in course design, facilitate meaningful training experiences for faculty, and ensure that Canvas and related tools are used effectively to support student learning outcomes consistent with OBU's mission and values. The ideal candidate is highly relational, building authentic connections with students, staff, and faculty while delivering service with excellence and a spirit of collaboration.

Essential Functions

Canvas LMS Administration & Strategic Planning

• Serve as the primary Canvas LMS administrator for Oklahoma Baptist University, managing all system-level configurations, settings, permissions, and integrations.
• Oversee user account management, including enrollment, role assignments, and course shell creation and maintenance.
• Contribute to strategic planning for Canvas implementation, identifying opportunities for enhanced functionality, improved user experience, and alignment with institutional goals.
• Manage third-party integrations and LTI tools connected to Canvas (e.g., Turnitin, Dropout Detective, etc.)
• Monitor system performance, communicate planned outages, and coordinate with Instructure support for issue resolution.
• Maintain Canvas sub-accounts, course templates, and institutional branding within the LMS environment.
• Ensure data integrity, conduct regular audits, and produce reports on Canvas usage and adoption metrics.
• Stay current with Canvas updates, release notes, and new features; evaluate and communicate relevant changes to stakeholders

Instructional Design & Course Development

• Partner with faculty to design, develop, and review online, hybrid, and technology enhanced face-to-face courses.
• Teach a minimum of two courses per year in online and/or in-person modalities.
• Apply evidence-based instructional design frameworks (e.g., Quality Matters, backward design, UDL) to support high-quality course development.
• Assist faculty in translating learning objectives into effective assessments, activities, and content presentations within Canvas.
• Review course structures for accessibility, usability, and alignment with OBU's academic standards.
• Develop and maintain institutional course design standards, templates, and rubrics.
• Provide hands-on support for media creation, including video production guidance, lecture capture, and multimedia integration.

Faculty Support & Consultation

• Serve as the primary point of contact for faculty seeking assistance with Canvas and instructional technology tools, including AI resources.
• Provide one-on-one and small-group consultations to help faculty build effective courses, troubleshoot issues, and explore new technologies.
• Identify and recommend curated instructional resources, tools, and strategies aligned with course goals and discipline-specific needs.
• Support faculty through transitions including new course builds, course redesigns, modality changes, and LMS migrations.
• Maintain a help resource repository (guides, tutorials, FAQs) accessible to all faculty

Student Support

• Provide direct support to students with Canvas-related requests, troubleshooting access issues, navigation questions, and technical difficulties.
• Serve as a welcoming, approachable resource for students navigating the LMS environment.
• Develop student-facing guides and resources to promote Canvas proficiency and self-service solutions

Training, Professional Development & Events

• Design and facilitate regular Canvas and instructional technology training sessions for faculty and staff, including: New faculty onboarding and Canvas orientation; Semester kickoff workshops and refresher trainings; Topic-specific workshops (e.g., gradebook setup, accessibility tools, Mastery Paths, Studio); Department-level training upon request.
• Develop and maintain asynchronous training modules within Canvas for self-paced faculty development.
• Coordinate an annual instructional technology professional development event or faculty learning community.
• Collaborate with academic leadership to align training offerings with faculty development priorities and institutional goals.

Help Desk Collaboration & Technical Support

• Process Help Desk tickets related to Canvas, ensuring timely resolution and clear communication with end users.
• Provide ongoing training and support to Help Desk staff on Canvas-related issues, enabling first-tier troubleshooting and escalation protocols.
• Attend regular meetings with the Technology Services team to coordinate support efforts, share updates, and align on priorities.

Cross-Divisional Collaboration

• Serve as the primary liaison between the Division of Academic Affairs and the Office of Technology Services on all matters related to the LMS and academic technology.
• Participate in relevant committees and working groups within both Technology Services and Academics.
• Collaborate with the Registrar's Office to ensure accurate course data, enrollment feeds, and SIS integrations within Canvas.
• Partner with the library, disability services, and student success teams to ensure technology accessibility and equity.
• Communicate technology needs, project updates, and strategic recommendations across divisional lines.
• Assist with technology procurement decisions related to academic tools, coordinating vendor evaluations and pilots.

Qualifications

Required:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and administrators of varied technical backgrounds.
• Highly relational disposition with a demonstrated ability to build rapport and work collaboratively with diverse campus constituencies including students, staff, and faculty
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Expertise in Canvas LMS and related EdTech tools; ability to quickly learn and evaluate new platforms.
• Understanding of adult learning theory, course design frameworks, and effective pedagogical practices.
• Ability to envision long-term Canvas implementation goals and translate them into actionable plans.
• Ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences and advocate for technology needs at the institutional level.
• Commitment to the mission and Christian values of Oklahoma Baptist University.

Preferred:

• Canvas Certified Educator or Canvas Admin certification.
• Familiarity with Quality Matters (QM) or similar course design review frameworks.
• Knowledge of web accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• Understanding of higher education academic operations, including SIS/LMS integration and registrar workflows

Education

Required: Master’s Degree in a discipline offered at OBU.

Preferred: Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Instructional Technology, or a closely related field.

Experience

Required: Teaching experience; experience in instructional design, online course development, or technology-enhanced learning.

Preferred: Experience as an LMS administrator with responsibility for system-level configuration and integrations; Experience facilitating faculty professional development workshops or trainings

Equipment

• Experience with instructional media tools such as Kaltura, Panopto, Canvas Studio, or similar platforms.

Physical Requirements

• Primary work location is on the OBU campus in Shawnee, Oklahoma; occasional remote work may be available at supervisor discretion.
• Standard office hours with occasional evening or weekend availability required during peak periods (e.g., start of semester, faculty development events).
• Regular presence in faculty offices, classrooms, and collaborative workspaces to provide hands-on support.
• Some travel may be required for professional development conferences or vendor training.

Special Requirements

• Must be a member of a local evangelical* Christian church. *Evangelical is a broad term referring to segment within Christianity which maintains the authority of the Bible and the belief in salvation by faith in Jesus alone.
• Please apply using the link for “Administrative Applications” on the OBU website at: https://www.okbu.edu/hr/jobs.html