Position Description (Team member)

Our Vision: To see God glorified by men and women living for and proclaiming Jesus Christ, growing healthy churches and reaching the lost.

Our Mission: to provide excellent evangelical theological education.

Position Title:

Online Tutor

Industrial Instrument and classification:

Educational Services (Post-Secondary) Award, Teacher/Tutor/Instructor, Level 1

Reports to:

Academic Support Coordinator

Employment status:

Part time - Sessional

Primary Purpose of Position:

The role of the Tutor will be focussed on supporting students through the Diploma of Biblical Theology group discussions and assessments using an online platform.

The Diploma of Biblical Theology (DBT) site incorporates MS Teams that enables the tutor to communicate with students. It is expected that the tutors will be in regular contact with the students in their group each week throughout the semester.

A semester, includes an orientation week before the lecture content begins plus research weeks and breaks as per the academic calendar.

Special tools/equipment or conditions:

Moodle, MS Teams

Working from home office including use of own laptop and internet connection

Relationships:

Internal:

Digital Producer

Academic Dean

Faculty

Students

External:

n/a

Selection Criteria

Essential:

• Moore College Undergraduate degree in theology or equivalent

• Ability to facilitate student learning outcomes

• Vision to see students survive and thrive

• Experience using social media platforms and/or online learning environments

• Excellent time management skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to work independently

• Ability to support and promote the Christian Mission and Values of Moore College.

Desirable Criteria:

Currently involved in local church ministry

Acknowledgement

I understand and accept the responsibilities as outlined in this position description.

Employee Name

Signature

Date

Key Accountabilities

Student engagement

Stage 1: Expectations + Review

Tutor will set the goals of the week.

• What assessments are therefor the following week?

• What content will we cover?

• Was there feedback from the previous week that should be addressed on the group page?

• Did someone have a good question to discuss from the week before?

There are non-assessable reflections questions in the lecture notes that could form the basis of discussion in ensuing weeks.

• Tutor initiates group discussion using MS Teams at the beginning of each week

Student engagement

Stage 2: Observations

How are students going in their studies?

• Check their progress from the week before with the progress bar tool on the MOD site.

• Did someone miss an activity?
  Follow them up.

• What prompts for interaction can be offered?

• Report to Coordinator should you become aware of struggling students

• Follow up students who have missed an activity.

• Check student progress.

• Report to the Coordinator on the progress of the group.

Student Engagement

Stage 3: Interact

• Address the class about the content.

• See comment above about reflection questions in lecture notes.

• Remind them of something (especially upcoming assessment).

Note: The first time through a unit may require more time to familiarise yourself with the lecture material and the essays will require more dedicated blocks of time for marking.

NB It is not the tutor's responsibility to arrange extensions or late submission. The student should be referred to registrars and/or the Course Coordinator.

• Provide feedback to students within 24 hours.

• Write a note of encouragement to students.

• Login each day up to an average of 2 hours per week.

Communication

Ensure that relevant information regarding academic matters, plans or issues are effectively communicated to key stakeholders.

Stakeholders are kept informed of required information as needed.

Cross unit cooperation

Collaborate with other departments as required.

Provide information to other departments as required

Communicate team issues, needs or plans with other departments in a timely manner to ensure any potential impacts have been considered or planned for.

Other departments are aware of potential impacts of department plans.

Information is provided accurately and in a timely manner.

Assessment

Quiz

Five times throughout the semester students will be required to complete a 20 multiple choice question quiz that will be automatically marked by the “MOD website” giving them immediate feedback. The questions are taken directly from the lecture notes. This does not require input from the tutor.

The tutor is required to assist students with any difficulties with answers afterwards.

The quizzes open on a set date but their availability remains for the duration of the semester. Any quizzes not completed by the end of the semester will receive a score of zero. Tutors should take the initiative to encourage students not to leave all their quizzes until the last minute but to see them as a feedback mechanism for progress in understanding the course material.

Make sure the quiz is open on Monday and questions are uploaded.

Follow up and concerns from students about something encountered during the quiz.

- Check -in with each of the students for the week in which the quiz is allotted.

Assessment

Forums

Students are required to participate in a primary document forum in some subjects. In this instance a student might (e.g.) be asked to read a primary document then log on to the forum, ask the group a question about the document and then answer someone else's question.

The tutor is required to moderate discussions which arise between students. The forum would be designed to run for only the prescribed week in the programme (say Week 3) and the students would be instructed to spend approximately an hour online in the task. The tutor would be encouraged to spend the equivalent time throughout that week interacting with the students and their discussions. In a course like Church History the forums play an important role in exposing the students to primary documents in the lead up to their essay task.

Start a discussion and/or moderate the discussions between students.

Assessment

Workshops

The Online workshops are peer-assessed activities where students might be asked to exegete a passage (say the course is Biblical Theology), and then assess the submission of a fellow student. When Student A submits their exegesis of the passage, Student B gives student A some feedback on their exegesis according to set criteria.

At the same time the tutor would look over BOTH the exegesis of student A AND the feedback from student B and give them both respective feedback according to set criteria. The exercise becomes a 180 degree assessment as students gain experience in both submitting and assessing exegesis. The actual time online for students will be in giving feedback and the same for the tutor. The students are generally not allowed to write more than 250 words.

Assess all student submissions (your weighting will be 3X) – including original submission and the feedback provided.

Provide feedback to students online.

Assessment

Thematic Essay

Each unit of study will require a thematic essay to be written (1500 words). The lecturer will nominate themes or questions from the course on which students are to write an essay. The tutor will mark this essay.

However, we have devised two different workshop events (as above) whereby the students will submit firstly a report on the reading they have done for the essay and secondly the structure of their essay. This gives the tutor two occasions to see the students’ work and give feedback before the final essay is submitted. In this way we should greatly simplify the criteria for marking the final essay and ensuring uniformity between markers.

Two scaffolding workshop activities in preparation for the essay (see above) – provide feedback to students on their report and structure of their proposed essay.

Mark against criteria sheet.

Provide feedback to students.

Other

Contribute to the continuous improvement of the DBT

Any other duties as directed by the supervisor.

Support other team members as required.

Be involved in projects as required.

Tasks are completed as requested.

Community

Demonstration of the College’s values

Make a positive contribution to the College culture

Assist and cooperate with other teams

Encourage teamwork and foster good communication.

Participation in team and staff meetings

Contributes to the College culture

Risk and Compliance

Compliance with WHS legislation, policy and Procedures

Participate in, promote and raise awareness of WHS in the College community.

Contribute to the maintenance of a safe, clean environment in the College community.

Ensures compliance with College policies and procedures, applicable legislation and regulatory frameworks.

Manages risk appropriately in all work activities.

Evidence of participation in WHS activities, e.g. training.

Evidence of risk management in work activities.

Professional Development

Maintain current competencies.

Attend internal and external training as required.

Participate in the annual performance review

Competencies remain up to date.

Evidence of participation in internal and external training.

Performance reviews are completed annually