Wanted: TT381 Café Moderator. Pay Peanuts. Prestige Priceless. : E1n1verse

Image: The Open Source Initiative’s Open Source logo.

One of my jobs at The Open University is chairing TT381, the course on Open Source philosophies and PHP development. T381 is the fifth of the Web Apps Development (WAD) courses. I’ve been involved with the presentation and development of the course since its launch.

Although TT381 doesn’t start again until February, I’m forced to remember that the brilliant Keith Evetts has resigned as the Student Café moderator. I need to make some recommendations for a replacement. I’m therefore soliciting expressions of interest from former students for the paid position of Café moderator. In theory, the Café moderator is responsible for overseeing the social forum, which means making the atmosphere fun and inviting. He or she should also work together with the course team to deal with any issues that are raised in the Café. Keith Evetts, of course, went far beyond this. He also actively participated in all of the course forums and ran a series of optional coding exercises where you can never have too many parrots. He’s set the bar high!

If you’re interested in being considered for the job, please send me an e-mail (M.A.Hoyle AT open -DOT- ac -DOT- uk) with no more than 250 words explaining why you’d like to do it and why you think you’d be good for the job. As I need to get this sorted soon, please send me the e-mail on or before December 10th. I’ve been told the fee is £250. I’m going to claim the prestige and fun is priceless. (-:

After December 10th, I will consider the expressions of interest that have been received. Based on what you have written and whatever I happen to remember about you, I will make up an ordered shortlist of people I will be recommending. My course administrator will then contact people in that order to formally offer them the position. There is only one job, alas. I will post an update here and in the Web Apps Survivors forum on FirstClass (if still available) about the shortlist.

I will also take, in comments here as well as in the Web Apps Survivors forum, any recommendations you have for other people who you think would be good as the Café moderator for TT381.

Share/Save

2 comments on “Wanted: TT381 Café Moderator. Pay Peanuts. Prestige Priceless.”

Feed for this Entry Trackback Address

Michelle (Eingang) says:

December 4, 2010 at 13:28

I've had a number of questions, so I thought I'd write up a quick comment to answer them so far.

1) Do I need to have taken TT381 or the other Web Apps Development courses already?
Technically speaking, I don't think that's required, but I would prefer someone familiar with the course(s). Nevertheless, I've already had one very enthusiastic application from someone who has not taken the courses, but made a pretty compelling case for themselves.

2) How many hours are involved?
I suspect, like many OU contracts, no set number of hours are stipulated in the contract, but there's an expectation that you will be checking and reacting to the Café and other forums on at least a daily basis.

3) Is there a formal job description?
Since the jobs have never been formally advertised, I haven't seen a formal job description and I haven't seen a copy of the contract, which might have a job description attached. The job is roughly as I've described, but possibly with the addition of being a sympathetic ear too. The Café has a tradition of offering chocolate and other delightful things from time to time too.