Eco Education
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Technology Literacy Coordinator
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Position: AmeriCorps Member
Program: Community Technology Empowerment Project
Partner Agency: Eco Education
Location(s): 1295 Bandana Blvd #118, St. Paul, MN 55108, 651-222-7691
Name of Site Supervisor: Faith Krogstad, Program Coordinator
CTEP Program Description:
The AmeriCorps Community Technology Empowerment Project (CTEP) bridges the “digital divide” for new Immigrants and low-income communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Join AmeriCorps CTEP and help make the information age accessible to all. CTEP is a project of Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN).
Site History and Mission
Eco Education serves middle and high school students and teachers in St. Paul and Minneapolis schools. Eco Education’s programs focus on investigating and taking action on environmental issues in the local community. Technology is infused in the programs to help students research their communities’ natural, built, and social environments, think critically about environmental issues, and document their action projects. In our Urban Understory program, students use audio and photo technologies to explore and document diverse perspectives on environmental issues. In the e-Mentoring program, students electronically connect with environmental professionals to receive feedback on issue investigation and action ideas. Our Spaces to Places program helps students use GIS to explore the local environment and analyze it for assets and issues. The mission of Eco Education is to foster within young people the appreciation, knowledge, values, and skills necessary to inspire ecologically sound decisions and actions. www.ecoeducation.org
Preferred Site Schedule for Member
The AmeriCorps member would primarily work during daytime hours, with occasional events in the evening or on the weekend. The typical schedule is 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, however hours vary depending on school classroom schedules and teacher meeting times.
In addition, members attend professional development days with their fellow CTEP members to enhance service-readiness skills, personal attributes at the service site, and citizenship skills. These Corps days take place twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Fridays from 9 AM to 4 PM, and these trainings are mandatory. Members also attend statewide AmeriCorps events, such as the Martin Luther King Day celebration, and/or serve on the statewide InterCorps Council.
Essential Functions:
Working with Eco Education staff, responsibilities of the AmeriCorps member include:
- Implementing the Urban Understory, e-Mentoring, and Spaces to Places programs in Twin Cities middle and high schools.
- Updating technology aspects of curriculum and training materials to incorporate appropriate technology tools (e.g. Google Maps, GPS, video documenting, blogs).
- Training students, teachers, and Eco Education staff on those technologies, including assistance in the classroom and in the field.
- Establishing a Youth Advisory Board pilot program in which youth are trained in digital media technologies and select youth media projects and conference presentation proposals for the Eco Education website and Environmental Justice Summit.
- Recruiting community volunteers to serve as e-Mentors and Urban Understory interviewees.
Minimal Functions:
- Assisting schools on student access to existing school technology centers.
- Assisting with development and maintenance of the student and teacher resource pages of the Eco Education website.
Required Qualifications:
- At least 17 years old
- U.S. citizenship, naturalization, or permanent residency
- Ability to travel within the Twin Cities
- High school diploma or GED (or progress toward while serving for special circumstances)
- Basic personal computer skills (word processing, internet, email, etc.)
- Experience working with low-income and/or recent immigrant populations, especially in education or mentoring
- Capacity to spend long periods of time at a computer
- Ability to move up to 25 pounds
Preferred Qualifications:
(One or more of the following are desired but not required):
- Post-Secondary Education
- Bilingual in Hmong, Somali, Spanish or other
- Experience in volunteer management
- Advanced technology skills, especially in web design or video production
- Experience in staff training, especially technology
- Experience or desire to work with middle and high school students and teachers
- Experience in environmental education
Site Environment:
The AmeriCorps member will spend approximately 60% of her/his time in a shared office space; the remaining time in direct application of the program, usually in an urban school classroom or computer lab, and off-site during Corps days. The member’s time will be split between Eco Education’s office, a number of participating St. Paul and Minneapolis school classrooms, and field experiences in school communities. As classroom and fieldwork is often student-led and the classroom is a dynamic environment, the member will need to be prepared to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances in the classroom. It is also important for the member to be creative and take risks as s/he tries new activities with teachers and students. Various equipment is lent to classrooms, such as cameras and audio recorders, however if carrying these items is a barrier, other Eco Education staff can assist.
Service Term:
Full-time: 1700 hours. Start Sept 7, 2010; complete by Aug 31, 2011.
Members Receive:
Full-time: A living allowance (approximately $450 bi-weekly), an educational award of $5,350.00 (upon successful completion), health and dental insurance plan including reimbursement of deductible charge, child care (d.o.q) and ongoing training. At Eco Education, a $400 allowance is granted for the member’s professional development.
How to Apply:
Apply online at https://recruit.cns.gov/ (be sure to enter 06ACHMN0010008-0 as the “Program Listing ID,” or search for the Community Technology Empowerment Project). Contact: Joel Krogstad, joel@technologypower.org, 651.556.1384
We are committed to recruiting and engaging individuals without regard to disability, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. Reasonable accommodations will be made upon request. Alternative formats of this document are also available.