Student Research Assistants – Supporting Continuing Education Programs & Digital Outreach
Course Credit?
NoPaid Position?
NoPreferred Majors
Anthropology | Business Education | Clinical Psychology | Communication & Info Sciences | Computer Science | Criminology & Criminal Justice | Digital/Social Media Marketing | Graphic Design (ART) | Instructional Technology | Journalism & Media Studies | Political Science | Public Health | Social WorkFaculty
Christa McCrorieDescription
Student Research Assistants – Continuing Education Programs Overview: The School of Social Work is seeking motivated students to participate in a research-focused project supporting the Continuing Education (CE) Programs. Students will assist with multiple aspects of CE program development, delivery, and outreach while gaining hands-on experience in applied social work research, digital media, event planning, and instructional design. This project offers the opportunity to earn research credit under the supervision of Christa McCrorie, Continuing Education Coordinator. Project Goals: Support the growth, engagement, and evaluation of CE Programs. Apply research methods to understand audience engagement and program effectiveness. Assist in developing digital and media content to enhance professional learning opportunities. Student Roles & Responsibilities: Webinar Moderation & Event Support Serve as moderators for the Legendary Change Lab webinar series. Assist with event logistics, attendee engagement, and post-event analysis. Social Media & Marketing Create short-form content to advertise upcoming CE events. Help build social media engagement through posts, graphics, and campaigns. Instructional Media Production Record audio and video content for webinars, podcasts, and training modules. Create instructional technology and training videos for CE courses. Develop scripts for podcasts, short videos, or webinars. Research & Speaker Recruitment Research potential speakers and collaborators for CE events. Gather data on audience needs, preferences, and feedback to inform program planning. Event Planning & Support Assist in planning CE workshops, seminars, and webinars. Contribute to program evaluation, feedback collection, and reporting. Qualifications & Skills: Current undergraduate or graduate student at the University of Alabama. Strong organizational and time management skills. Interest in social work, continuing education, digital media, instructional design, or event planning. Effective communication skills for both written and oral tasks. Experience with social media, video/audio production, or research methods is preferred but not required. Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment. Research Connection: Students participating in this project will: Apply research methods in real-world contexts to evaluate CE programs. Collect and analyze data on engagement, learning outcomes, and program effectiveness. Develop reports, summaries, and materials that contribute to ongoing program improvement. Explore the intersection of social work, professional education, and digital outreach. Time Commitment: Flexible, depending on student availability and roles selected. Opportunities exist for multiple students with varying interests and schedules. How to Apply: Submit the following to Christa McCrorie, Continuing Education Coordinator for the School of Social Work: Name and contact information Student status and major Relevant skills or interests (e.g., media, research, event planning) Short paragraph describing why you are interested in participating
Special Directions
How to Apply: Submit the following to Christa McCrorie, Continuing Education Coordinator for the School of Social Work: Name and contact information Student status and major Relevant skills or interests (e.g., media, research, event planning) Short paragraph describing why you are interested in participating
Special Skills
(Not all required) Special Skills for Applicants 1. Research & Analysis Data collection, entry, and basic analysis Literature reviews and policy or program research Survey or interview design and implementation 2. Event Planning & Moderation Experience organizing events or meetings Comfort with public speaking or moderating discussions Ability to manage logistics and coordinate with multiple participants 3. Digital Media & Content Creation Social media management (Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn) Graphic design or visual content creation (Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator) Video and audio recording and editing (Camtasia, Premiere, Audacity, etc.) Scriptwriting for podcasts, webinars, or instructional videos 4. Instructional Technology Familiarity with webinar platforms (Zoom, Teams, WebEx) Creating training modules or instructional videos Knowledge of accessibility and best practices for online content 5. Communication & Collaboration Clear written and oral communication Ability to work in a team and coordinate across roles Professionalism in interacting with faculty, students, and external partners 6. Optional / Preferred Marketing and promotional strategy Familiarity with social work, continuing education, or professional development Interest in research ethics and applied social work practice