UMAKE Project Assistant

Job Description

Position Announcement

The UMAKE Project Assistant supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Utah Maker Access and Knowledge Ecosystem (UMAKE), a statewide initiative funded through the Utah STEM Action Center Computing Partnerships Grant. The student employee works closely with the UMAKE Coordinator and participating educators to design high-quality digital learning resources, prepare standards-aligned maker and computing lessons, assist with the creation of online modules, and contribute to the statewide resource library hosted on the UMAKE Online Community Platform. Students in this role also help with data collection, usability testing, and evaluation activities required by the grant, ensuring the materials produced are practical, relevant, and scalable for learners across Utah. Their work directly supports key UMAKE deliverables, including the creation of e-learning modules, classroom-ready lesson plans, and evaluation measures.

Summary Of Responsibilities

• Assist educators and the UMAKE Coordinator in developing e-learning modules aligned with Utah SEEd and Computer Science Standards.
• Use instructional design tools to build and publish interactive course materials, tutorials, and demonstrations.
• Support creation of online courses for students, families, and educators as required by the grant.
• Collaborate with faculty, educators, and hub partners to design downloadable classroom resources, including:
  • Maker challenges
  • Computing activities
  • Robotics lessons
  • Digital fabrication guides
• Align lesson plans with state standards and classroom curriculum, supporting the grant’s emphasis on Increasing Alignment & Integration with Curriculum.
• Upload, organize, and tag digital resources in the UMAKE resource library.
• Assist with developing visual assets, thumbnails, descriptions, and metadata for learner-facing content.
• Help test user navigation, accessibility, and clarity of platform structure to ensure statewide usability.
• Support required data collection for UEPC and STEM Action Center evaluation, including:
  • Pre/post surveys
  • User feedback
  • Analytics documentation
  • Focus group transcription or note-taking
• Participate in usability testing sessions with educators and students to gather feedback on lessons and modules.
• Help compile reports for quarterly and annual UMAKE evaluation deliverables.
• Attend UMAKE team meetings, hub partner sessions, events, and working groups.
• Communicate with educators, students, and hub representatives as needed.
• Assist with scheduling, maintaining records, and organizing shared project documents.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications / Licenses / Certifications

• Active UVU student in good academic standing.
• Experience or interest in one or more of the following areas:
  • Education
  • Computer science / computing pathways
  • STEM or maker education
  • Instructional design or digital content creation
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively on creative and technical tasks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with maker tools, robotics kits, or digital design platforms.
• Experience working with children, educators, or community learning environments.
• Familiarity with Utah SEEd Standards, K–8 Computer Science Standards, or curriculum development.
• Skills in video editing, multimedia production, website editing, or graphic design.
• Valid driver’s license for occasional travel.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Basic instructional design principles and familiarity with creating online learning materials to support the development of e-learning modules and digital resources.
• Maker education and computing concepts, including robotics, coding, digital fabrication, or hands-on STEM activities—aligned with the grant’s Makerspace & Maker Learning Key Activities.
• Utah SEEd and Computer Science Standards, or willingness to learn them, to help create standards-aligned lesson plans and classroom resources.
• Digital tools and software used for content creation, including learning platforms, screen recording tools, and e-learning development tools, supported by allowable activities in the grant.
• Research and evaluation processes, including survey design, basic data collection, and documentation required for STEM AC and UEPC reporting.
• Educational technologies and online learning environments, particularly those used to support statewide teaching, learning, and collaboration.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to assist with lesson plan writing, documentation, and communication with educators and UMAKE hub partners.
• Creative and technical content development skills, including the ability to design visually clear, accessible resources for online learning.
• Digital literacy skills, including proficiency with Google, Microsoft Office, learning platforms, and resource library tools—similar to requirements in UVU CLS student-facing roles.
• Problem-solving and design-thinking skills, especially in creating or adapting maker-based and computing learning activities.
• Attention to detail for tasks related to data collection, evaluation, documentation, and resource tagging.
• Project management and teamwork skills, such as meeting deadlines, collaborating with a diverse group of educators, and supporting ongoing development cycles.
• User testing and feedback analysis skills, supporting the grant’s requirement for usability testing and iterative resource improvement.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while managing multiple tasks—aligned with skill expectations from UVU Creative Learning Studio roles.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with educators, university partners, statewide hub teams, and industry collaborators to produce high-quality, scalable educational materials.
• Ability to learn new technologies, maker tools, and digital creation platforms quickly, applying new skills to create or improve learning resources.
• Ability to translate complex maker or computing concepts into clear, accessible learning materials appropriate for teachers and K-12 students.
• Ability to participate in evaluation activities, including distributing surveys, gathering feedback, documenting results, and supporting required reporting for the STEM Action Center and UEPC.
• Ability to maintain organization across shared documents, files, and resource libraries, ensuring materials are properly stored, labeled, and tagged.
• Ability to exercise discretion and professionalism when working with student data, educator feedback, or evaluation materials.
• Ability to contribute creative ideas and innovative solutions, supporting UMAKE’s mission to expand access and enhance maker and computing learning statewide.