Moodler and Sims, Interesting Post

[Kristianstill]

We are looking to develop Moodle at our College, but also a member of staff that can use Sims effectively. Interested? We think it should be an interesting post. See www.hamblecollege.co.uk for more information.

Principal Tasks and responsibilities

Moodle VLE web development and management

Familiarity with SCORM

Experience of using a VLE with a education environment

Professional training and use of Moodle

Joomla website maintenance and development

SIMS SQL database management



When and where appropriate;



to be familiar with and be able support network infrastructure (cable and patch panels, hubs, switches, routers) and carry out routine network maintenance tasks

[danIT]

Whats the pay for that position?

Seems like your looking for an:

ICT Technician
Sims Manager
VLE Manager
VLE Content Manager/Creator
PHP Programmer

[mark80]

I bet it will only be a 6/SO post on LA scale £22-25k?

[mrforgetful]

only??

[mark80]

Yes, i would be expecting more than that for that position ~£30k, but depends on the extent of knowledge and application required.

[Kristianstill]

To give a little more perspective -

Currently we work with, and are supported by, Class Technology Solutions. An educational technology company that provides and manages our Network Manager and also provided a support team available from 8-5pm every day. They have a number of senior engineers that only work on Moodle, 24/7.

CTS will customise, provision and support the Moodle install. Our Network Manager will take responsibilty for the Hardware.

We are primarily looking for a member of staff to help develop Moodle, support staff training and use of Moodle within College. (1100 students).

Second, our Office manager (formerly with IBM for very pro IT) and Senior Leader that deliver our MIS systems at College. The recognised roles and knowledge of Sims and Moodle are noted, however the ability to carrying out some reporting and ease the pressures on the Office manager at keys times is considered necessary. We wouldn't want to advertise the post inaccurately.

Dan, what we a primarily looking for a someone to help develop moodle, encourage the staff use of Moodle and drive its implementation. We hoped that the post was interesting and yet challenging offer applicants some diversity in their work.

The VLE will not available to staff for 3-6 months, so this gives plenty of time to prepare and also contribute to the strategy behind it. (support be CTS) Sims, yes, but maybe 1, 2 days. Where appropriate, a little technical help would be benefical but only 'when and where' needed.

22-25K. Yes, buy feel free to comment on this. Without comments from you, I can not inform our SLT. We feel that with CTS support thats an appropriate salary.

[jamesb]

For that sort of skillset I'd say you're looking at a more realistic salary of maybe 30k at least. Since you're planning to use a VLE I'd suspect you'll be bringing SLG into the equation at some point, and for that you'll be looking at someone with at least moderate experience in SharePoint as well as Moodle.

If the support is good enough though, and not knowing the providers in questions I can't comment, you could be looking at a much more basic technical role in which case you'd probably be okay with a technician starting on a lower salary and gradually learning and training towards a more advanced position.

Basically if you expect the person to hit the ground running you're probably looking at offering a higher salary. If on the other hand you think that the support structure you have in place could provide all of the software support, and the new position would be essentially just dealing with hardware to begin with you might well be looking at a lower salary to begin with, possibly with incentives in the way of training and qualification in the relevant technologies.

[Butuz]

Salary looks fine to me. The job is not a manglement job, you have no real responsibilty in that the system is already managed and supported from a technical point of view. Your just expected to drive forward VLE use from a techie/training point of view. People suggesting that's worth 30k are nuts!

Should be in interesting post for someone who is web-centric! Maybe a current technician who wants to branch out into VLE/MIS stuff.

Butuz

[apeo]

Pretty much agree with jamesb really but it seems like you really want to keep the current support structure but have additional inhouse support, in which case you really just need a tech that can be skilled up (as jamesb said).

@Butuz: I think the 30k is appropriate depending on what they actually want, bearing in mind that in the first post it would seem that they would be expected to do alot. Furthermore it has been mentioned that development is required, which as you probably know often schools wants the earth but for less. There is also the question on whether the intension is to eventually replace the current support and have it all inhouse. Kinda feel that you're comment on 30k is inappropriate as that kind of thinking is why we get paid less then we really should (more often then not). Well thats what i think anyway...

[Kristianstill]

Gents, I appreciate your comments. Forearmed is forewarned and your comments give me a much better perspective on the post and of the view of potential applicants (potentially reading this discussion).

The post is heavily support by CTS - who have a number of schools currently running Moodle, an engineer team that can support our employee and also support their professional development. There is the possibility of our employee joining CTS Moodle engineers on future installs in other schools for example.

There is no direct line management, so it is the skills set we are trying to encourage rather than a management role. In future, I will be careful of how I use the term development, contextually this may have been poorly applied.

We are a new IT teaching team and Network team. A College and dept with plenty of aspiration. Of course we would like to offer a higher salary, but that is partly determined by County rules.

I hope that our sincerity will be evident and that the job itself attractive.

Thanks again to you all for your comments.

So, what would be your killer question to ask at interview?

[mark80]

Salary looks fine to me. The job is not a manglement job, you have no real responsibilty in that the system is already managed and supported from a technical point of view. Your just expected to drive forward VLE use from a techie/training point of view. People suggesting that's worth 30k are nuts!

Should be in interesting post for someone who is web-centric! Maybe a current technician who wants to branch out into VLE/MIS stuff.

Butuz

I was quoting £30k based on the facts i was given, doesnt make me nuts

But like has already been mentioned, schools try and get the expertise for less £££ than the private industry would pay. They know what they want the person to do but are reluctant to pay them their worth ~£30k as we start getting into UPS range of teachers... and we wouldnt want that

As for the "killer" question, how about the old cliche "You are required to drive forward the inplementaion of Moodle within our school, how would you deal with those staff who are reluctant to do so"

This opens up many avenues and will give you a good idea of how said person will react when coming face to face with teachers (some hell bent on causing issues). You may get the "Your just a techy, you dont know what teachers need", i know it may sound extreme but its only to make a point

[bossman]

We are implementing Moodle at our school and i am in the process of developing this with another member of the teaching staff along with the Strategic development whole school ICT. Also i am looking into the Sims webparts along with sharepoint to give all our staff, students and all externals including parents access to certain information.
I don't understand the way schools are being made to accept managed services then having to advertise for extra staff to accommodate the lack of forward planning by SLT who think that a managed service is just that, manages everything when in fact they don't unless you are prepared to pay and this is the governing factor, the service for this would be X amount from the managed services so the school advertises the position for less than the managed services are prepared to charge thus saving money.

BTW wonder how much the CTS managed services were charging for this particular service? bet it was more than is being offered by the school!!!

I may be cynical but does that make me round hehe!

[matt40k]

I would hope the new person would improve the website.

Few thoughs:

Email: I would use the HTML logon form, with the domain filtered out

Contact: The same no for each member of staff... wtf? Also, where it the schools postal address?

[mark80]

I would hope the new person would improve the website.

Few thoughs:

Email: I would use the HTML logon form, with the domain filtered out

Contact: The same no for each member of staff... wtf? Also, where it the schools postal address?

I noticed that, the lack of contact details is basic 101 web design imo.

[Kristianstill]

I would hope the new person would improve the website.

The website -

Few thoughs:

Email: I would use the HTML logon form, with the domain filtered out

Ok, I will pass that on.

Contact: The same no for each member of staff... wtf? Also, where it the schools postal address?[/QUOTE]

It is on the contact form?