Education Technology Expert (Pre-school, Learning Passport)

Contract

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UNICEF's work on early childhood development (ECD) in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) recognizes that every growing child needs nurturing care, good health, optimal nutrition and a stimulating and safe environment that offers plenty of support for early learning. With the current COVID-19 crisis, innovative solutions are needed to ensure continuity in early childhood education services and to support the youngest learners, their caregivers and educators, during and post COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing the potential of digital solutions, UNICEF is seeking to explore practical resources and materials to support continuation of early learning services, including through the UNICEF-led initiative 'Learning Passport' (LP).

Learning Passport is an initiative developed in partnership between UNICEF, Microsoft, Cambridge, and supported by the Boston Consulting Group. While the platform has primarily been used to date for older students (primary to adolescence), the platform is now being adapted to support preschool-age children, their caregivers, and their teachers to ensure age-appropriate expansion of the LP’s initial scope.

The aim of the Learning Passport in Serbia is to strengthen professional development opportunities and facilitate collaboration between preschool educators and other staff on sharing ideas, best practices and activities that can be implemented in kindergartens. The digital preschool platform should support building and strengthening of a national community of practice between teachers, with shared principles around early learning and development. The platform will have different resources for professional development of preschool practitioners, webinars and forum for professional exchange. The platform content will support the enhancement of competences in the areas of direct work with children, development of cooperation and communities of practice, and development of professional practice.

UNICEF will implement this initiative in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MoESTD) and the Institute for Improvement of Education (IIE). In order to ensure sustainability, the link with the existing teachers’ platform of the IIE should be further explored in parallel. The structure of the content should be defined jointly with partners. UNICEF Regional Office will guide and support the process of deployment of digital platforms at the national level.

Work Assignment Overview:

The consultant will support the planning, implementation and coordination of the Learning Passport (LP) initiative between UNICEF and the MoESTD (representatives of departments for preschool education and digitalization), the IIE and the selected partner, and participate in the creation of the LP as a platform for professional development of preschool practitioners in Serbia.

The consultant will, in cooperation with the selected partner and named institutions, lead the deployment of the LP, providing technical assistance for the adaptation of the existing platform, propose the structure of the content and participate in its selection, design and uploading. In addition, the consultant will support the preparation of the tutorials for the usage of certain digital tools that contribute to the improvement of digital competences of preschool practitioners.

In cooperation with the selected partners, the consultant will support the usage of the platform as a tool for the development of an online community of practice in pre-school education.

Duration of the assignment: Nov 2020 – Nov 2021 (up to 160 workdays)

Detailed task description:

Task 1. In discussion with the UNICEF team, define the roles and responsibilities in the overall management and coordination of the project, including the modalities of the liaisons between UNICEF Regional Office, Country Office, MoESTD, IIE and the selected partner.

Deliverables: Process documentation report (including summary/minutes of the meetings)

Timeline: November 2020 (5 days)

Task 2. Define the overall goals, objectives, and vision for the LP in partnership and discussion with the government and the key stakeholders.

Deliverables:

An inception report which elaborates on the LP Framework of the implementation: with definitions, objectives and vision for the national platform; Monthly report.

Timeline: November 2020 (5 days)

Task 3. Support the adaptation and maintenance of the LP as a platform for professional development of preschool practitioners in Serbia.

Deliverables: Proposed structure of the platform

Timeline: November 2020 - November 2021 (30 days)

Task 4. Manage and coordinate the content review, adaptation and upload.

Deliverables: Monthly report

Timeline: November 2020 - November 2021 (45 days)

Task 5. Prepare the tutorials for the use of digital tools.

Deliverables: Tutorials for the use of digital tools prepared and set up

Timeline: December 2020 - March 2021 (20 days)

Task 6. Develop dashboards to display data on LP usage by preschool practitioners gathered through the platform.

Deliverables: Analyses of LP usage and dashboard report

Timeline: March 2021 - November 2021 (40 days)

Task 7. Document lessons learnt and sustainable approaches to continue using the LP in Serbia, regularly report on progress by collecting disaggregated data on the initiative, and work on knowledge management elements.

Deliverables: Monthly report

Timeline: March 2021 - November 2021 (15 days)

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• University degree in Education, Pre-school Education, Early Childhood Development, Pedagogy, Psychology, Sociology, Special Pedagogy or other fields of Social Studies and Humanities.
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in education policy and practice in Serbia, including in the area of professional development and preschool education.
• Advanced use of Microsoft Excel, including the use of pivot tables.
• Knowledge of SQL/data management.
• Familiarity with Business Intelligence tools (e.g. Tableau, PowerBI) is a plus.
• Ability to understand, interpret, articulate and present complex data analyses in an easy to understand format.
• Extensive experience in bridging the gap between technical and non-technical people is desirable.
• Capacity to maintain focus on priorities and deliverables, in the face of pressure, or when things do not go according to the plan.
• Ability to demonstrate flexibility, developing alternate plans in rapidly changing situations, uncertainty and adversity.
• Fluency in both Serbian and English.

How to apply:

The application must include a financial proposal in RSD as a separate document, providing the following information:

1. Daily rate (all costs included, e.g. health insurance, pension, usage of mobile phone),
2. Daily travel allowance for an overnight stay in Serbia (including accommodation),
3. Transportation costs per km (for travel within Serbia).

Important notes:

Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

For every child, you must demonstrate UNICEF's core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNICEF’s office is accessible to a certain extent, and employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations that are needed for ensuring equitable working conditions.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and on any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will therefore undergo reference and background checks.