SI 529 - Online Communities

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF INFORMATION (UMSI)

FALL 2024 GRADUATE STUDENT INSTRUCTOR POSITION(S) AVAILABLE

LIMITED AVAILABILITY JOB POSTING: FOR A UMSI MSI or MHI STUDENT

 

COURSE: SI 529 - Online Communities

COURSE SCHEDULE: Lecture: Monday, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM


Number of available GSI positions:

Up to 1 position at .50 fraction, pending enrollment

 

A .50 fraction GSI position offers a monthly stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance. The expected work commitment is roughly 20 hours per week. This appointment runs from August 26 through December 31, 2024 (from an employment/health benefit perspective). There could be prep time before the employment start date and all work for this course will be completed by the end of December (or slightly earlier). All of the work hour details will be spelled out in the fraction calculation form for the person hired for this position. At the time of application, please include your availability for teaching all currently scheduled sections so that all GSI assignments can be made with everyone’s availability in hand. This information can be included in your cover letter.


 

Course description: 

Online Communities --- This course is intended to give students a background in theory and practice surrounding online interaction environments.  For the purpose of the course, a community is defined as a group of people who sustain interaction over time.  The group may be held together by a common identity, a collective purpose, or merely by the individual utility gained from the interactions.  An online interaction environment is an electronic forum, accessed through computers or other electronic devices, in which community members can conduct some or all of their interactions.  

There will be two main threads that weave through the course, based on the two main texts.  One thread will be concerned with the practical issues of design and use of online tools to support communities, and how choices that must be made in design can impact the function and style of the resulting community.  The second thread will focus on published scholarship that provides a frame to better understand communities in general.  These theoretical pieces will provide a lens for better understanding the implications of choices made on the more practical level.

 

More information about this course can be found on U-M’s Course Catalog via Wolverine Access.

 

Duties include:

Completing all readings and familiarizing oneself with the exercises planned for the SI 529 students in order to understand the students’ experience; attending class Mondays from 1-4pm; attending meetings with faculty instructors; organizing and managing Canvas; assisting in creating slide decks or other instructional material as needed; assisting with and managing in class activities; grading all aspects of the assignments and projects; scheduling and maintaining office hours weekly and as necessary; managing instructional aids if relevant and needed; responding to student emails; attending to other tasks related to the course as assigned by the instructor. 


Minimum qualifications include:

 

Desired qualifications include:  

Experience and interest in teaching online communities; strong communication and analytical skills; strong organizational skills; ability to work independently or in a team; taking initiatives; having practical experience with online communities (e.g. internships).

 

Selection criteria will include:  

Previous experience with this course, or the undergraduate version SI429,  strongly preferred. We would like to work with a responsible, responsive graduate student with an interest in the course materials and a desire to work with other students on their learning goals. Other criteria include: relevant academic preparation for teaching the course material; extent of prior instructional/work experience; student evaluations if applicable; time availability. 


Decision Making Process:

The application due date is July 25, 2024. All applications will be submitted for review to the faculty members teaching the course. After review of applications and possible interviews, decisions will be made by the faculty member teaching the course.  It is anticipated that decisions will be made by early August.


Contact Information:

Please do not contact the faculty member who is teaching the course. Any questions should be directed to umsi.human.resources@umich.edu. 



How to Apply:

Please indicate your interest by submitting a cover letter and resume electronically using the umjobs.org website. Below are some instructions to help you through this application process. Please be sure to explain very clearly your qualifications for this position in your cover letter.

 

1.       Go to http://www.umjobs.org

2.       Click on "Login"  (upper right corner).  Use your umich uniqname and password.

3.       Click on "U-M Graduate Student on the Ann Arbor campus" identifying yourself as a UM Graduate Student (fourth option)

4.       Click in the "Search for Jobs" box at the top of the page

5.       Enter the Job Opening ID #251596

6.       You are now in the standard application. Answer all questions and proceed through the application process as prompted.  Upload your application as one document (preferably a Word or PDF document) including your cover letter with information on availability, your resume, and any teaching evaluations*

7.       Click "Submit" when you are finished.

 

 

*Having trouble uploading your document? 

 

The most common cause of upload and display issues can be attributed to an unsupported operating system or internet browser. Internet Explorer is the browser of choice when using the site, however, if one browser doesn't seem to be working properly, switch to a different browser and/or clear your cache and cookies.

 

Double check your document type. The system accepts resumes/cover letters created in a .DOC, .DOCX, .PDF, .TXT .HTML or .RTF. Uploading your resume/cover letter as a Microsoft Word document is the recommended format. File names are limited to 35 characters or less and cannot contain punctuation marks or special characters.

 

The University will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, familial status, parental status or pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, height, weight, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, HIV antibody status, political belief, membership in any social or political organization, participation in a grievance or complaint whether formal or informal, or any other factor where the item in question will not interfere with job performance and where the employee is otherwise qualified. The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.


Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. Upon request, any applicant denied employment will receive, within fourteen (14) calendar days, a written explanation of the reasons for denial of employment, and/or an in-person interview with the hiring agent(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time. In the event an Employee does not receive his or her preferred assignment, he or she can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agent(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.


Standard Practice Guide 601.38, Required Disclosure of Felony Charges and/or Felony Convictions applies to all Graduate Student Assistants (GSAs). SPG 601.38 may be accessed online at https://spg.umich.edu/601.38, and its relation to your employment can be found in MOU X of your employment contract.


This position, as posted, is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees’ Organization, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO 3550.


The Office of Institutional Equity can be reached by phone at 734-763-0235 (V) or 734-647-1388 (TTY) or by emailing UniversityHR@umich.edu. The Ombudsman’s Office can be reached by phone at 734-763-3545 or by emailing Ombuds-DSA@umich.edu.


Background Screening:

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

U-M EEO/AA Statement:

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.