• MLP

eTutors

Further Details

The Division

The MLP, Careers and Employability Division (MLP, CED) is part of the Office of Registrar and Secretary and is headed by the Director and two Assistant Directors.

The role of the MLP, CED is to develop the employability of students and to deliver the Manchester Leadership Programme. Staff in the division work closely with colleagues across all four faculties, and with staff in the central administration, including those in the International Division, the Development and Alumni Division and the Student Recruitment & Admissions Office.

Background to MLP

The Manchester Leadership Programme is a university-wide programme which offers students the opportunity to explore sustainable and ethical leadership and to engage with the community. The programme has been developed and is delivered on behalf of the President by the MLP, Careers and Employability Division.

The Programme consists of two elements: a range of taught academic .Leadership in Action. units and up to 60 hours of accredited volunteering over an academic year.

The MLP was launched in 2005/6 with 80 students and has grown rapidly to 600 students in 2008/9 and up to 900 student places in 2009/10. In 2008-9 we employed 16 eTutors (Teaching Assistants working primarily through Blackboard) from a range of disciplines. We would like to expand the team again for 2009-10.

We are keen to hear from current PhD students who are interested in opportunities to tutor on any of our Leadership in Action courses in Semester 1 2009/10 and/or Semester 2. The Leadership in Action Units available in 2009/10 are:

Semester 1:
10 credit lecture-based unit
10 credit online unit
20 credit unit (lecture-based; runs across both semesters)

Semester 2:
10 credit lecture-based unit
10 credit online unit
20 credit unit (lecture-based; runs across both semesters)

eTutors on lecture-based units must commit to attending the weekly lectures. Lectures in Semester 1 take place on Tuesdays, 4.00-5.30pm, and in Semester 2 on Thursdays 3.00-4.30pm. eTutors on online units will be required to attend up to 4 training/moderation meetings.

Overview of the eTutor role

Given the diverse topics which make up the Manchester Leadership Programme and the interdisciplinary nature of the programme, we hope to recruit eTutors from a wide range of backgrounds and do not expect you to have expertise in all of the areas covered.

We are however looking for a real personal interest in the subject matter and a passion for working with students. This is not like a conventional .lab demonstrator. role, and although that sort of experience is very valuable, you also need to convince us that you have something to offer related to the subject matter of the Manchester Leadership Programme . maybe your own volunteering experience, or any previous academic, or other, interest in these areas.

You will need to be a skilled communicator, especially in writing, as you will be setting activities and responding to student queries through Blackboard discussion boards and email. You will need to commit to regularly interacting with the students online, as well as attending face to face lectures where applicable. There will be some face to face contact in all of the units, so you must be able to develop and deliver materials (with support from the MLP management team) directly to students.

What you will gain

Our current eTutors have been a tremendous asset to the course, both supporting students and helping feed in to the development of the programme. In return, they have some fantastic experience which will enhance their CVs for both teaching and non-teaching roles in the future.

eTutoring and teaching duties
(NB Training will be provided for eTutors)

• Acting as an eTutor to a group of approximately 25 students providing ongoing support throughout the course using Blackboard
• Stimulating online discussion based around lectures and online course content, including moderation of discussion boards
• Providing interim feedback and guidance on project proposals
• Being the first point of contact for student queries during the course
• Leading face to face meetings with your tutor group (lecture based units only)
• Ensuring students in your tutor group are making satisfactory progress towards their assessment

Assessment

You will also be involved in a significant amount of assessment, using innovative forms of assessment . for example, 10 credit lecture-based students develop group ePosters on a topic of their choosing, using linked PowerPoint slides to simulate a web presentation.

Assessment requirements vary across the different units, and include innovative forms of assessment. Whether you are a tutor on an online or lecture-based unit, you will be required to assess a range of student work, such as:

• group ePosters, in which students use linked PowerPoint slides to simulate a web presentation on a topic of their choosing related to an MLP theme
• online discussion boards and journals

All eTutors will be required to attend assessment training and a moderating meeting.

Administration

eTutors will also be required to undertake a range of administrative tasks related to student support and monitoring, such as:

• tracking the use of discussion boards
• reporting briefly on student engagement with Blackboard
• submitting marks to MLP Team
• writing feedback on assessed coursework using an agreed format

Workload and Payment

Your working hours will average 5 hours per week for the semester in which you are tutoring. For lecture-based tutors this will include attending the 90 minute lecture (Semester 1: Tuesdays, 4.00-5.30pm, Semester 2: Thursdays, 3.00-4.30pm).

However, there will be considerable variation in the hours you work over the semester, with less than 5 hours needed during some weeks, and substantially more than 5 hours per week needed during assessment periods (December-January for Semester 1, May for Semester 2). You will be paid for a standard 5 hours per week over 18 weeks to account for this.

Payment will be made at the agreed hourly rate for teaching assistants (currently £14.08 per hour + holiday pay).

Person Specification

Essential

• Registered as a current postgraduate student (or employee) of the University of Manchester for the period of time covered by the unit. (Note : You need to have access to the university.s IT networks to tutor on these courses)
• Either in possession of a University of Manchester postgraduate teaching certificate or equivalent, or an undertaking to obtain this upon appointment.
• A clear interest in (and some general knowledge of) the concepts underpinning the Manchester Leadership Programme (leadership for environmental, social and economic sustainability)
• Excellent ability to communicate well in English, both orally and in writing

Desirable

• University teaching experience at undergraduate level.
• Experience of or interest in eTutoring
• Ability to lead group activities
• Good presentation, communication and analytical skills.
• An understanding of the issues affecting undergraduates
• A willingness and ability to acquire knowledge and understanding of the University teaching quality standards, including examinations standards and procedures.
• Adaptable and flexible approach to work, with the ability to think outside the box.

Further Information

The closing date for applications is Monday 13 July 2009

Interviews for the above posts will take place on 23 & 24 July

If successful you would need to attend an eTutor training session to take place on 16, 17 or 18 Sept.

If you have any question about the role please contact Sian Yeowell or Colette Cooke on tel: 0161 275 2828

Download an application form; completed forms should be emailed to leadership@manchester.ac.uk using the subject line "MLP eTutor Vacancy Application".