Learning Passport Digital Platform Education Content Consultant, Prishtina, Kosovo/Education, 11.5 months, Office Based

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Title of Consultancy: Learning Passport Digital Platform Education Content Consultant Type of engagement: National Consultant Duty Station: Prishtina / Office based Start date: 20 October 2021 End date: 05 September 2022

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

As part of the Kosovo Programme for the period 2021-2025, UNICEF focuses on the significant challenges facing children, adolescents and youth at different stages of their growth and development, including with specific focus on quality and inclusive education.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the context and parameters for education overnight, making all schools have to adapt to digital solutions initially overnight. In this context, UNICEF has supported the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) in rethinking e-education and education overall, with an ambitious vision for blended and distance learning through the adaptation of the Learning Passport to the Kosovo context.

The Learning Passport was initially developed by UNICEF in partnership with Microsoft and the University of Cambridge to provide learning, quality and portability for children whose education has been disrupted by emergencies. It provides continued access to formal and non-formal education curriculums, online. In addition, supplementary content can be populated and offered alongside the curriculum, including digital materials created by Ministries of Education and partners (i.e. content that relates to the curriculum, or alternative content like COVID-19 messaging, digital skills content, etc.).

Through this consultancy, UNICEF will support the establishment of the new digital education division. The Technical service consultant will be placed within the MESTI premises and as such respecting all the MESTI rules and regulations and will collaborate closely with the additional local Learning Passport consultant responsible for the digital and inclusive pedagogy in MESTI.

Scope of Work for the Individual consultancy:

Under the overall supervision of the UNICEF Education Specialist and the Director of Pre-University Education within MESTI, as well as through regular consultations with Learning Passport Global Team (UNICEF HQ), the Content consultant is required to provide technical assistance and support advancing the digital education , integrated as part of the curriculum/Kosovo schools, through scaling up and full utilization of the Learning Passport Digital platform and shkollat.org, Kosovo wide, serving as a tool for blended learning approach with a purpose to be used for blended and digital learning during and beyond pandemic with COVID -19. In addition, the consultant will assist the process of the creation of the new digital division within MESTI.

Key expected outputs include:

• Compile and complete learning content for the Learning Passport in collaboration and coordination with relevant divisions and departments in the MESTI, and the same is reflected in the Action plan developed jointly with the technical consultant for operationalization of the Learning Passport platform.
• Provide technical assistance in localized technology for quality assurance of the deliverables from a digital perspective
• Prepare and develop further inclusive pedagogical video tutorials/instructions for teachers, and students on usage of the Learning Passport and shkollat.org education platform based on the request and needs in collaboration with curriculum division and ensuring that schools and teachers have access to and are using for teaching purposes.
• Ensure interaction modeling and principles of interactive learning for students are applied within the roll-out of the Learning Passport and shkollat.org platform
• Integrates within the Learning Passport inclusive learning and teaching methodology and usage of technologies into e-learning by supporting MESTI to develop content aligned with curricula that integrates the new Innovative technologies and multimedia
• Capacity building of the relevant MESTI officials, Municipal Education Directorate officials on the usage of the Learning Passport, M365E and shkollat.org education platform on a regular basis and based on the demand and needs
• Capacity building of the pre-identified school principals, teachers in coordination with MESTI, MEDs and IPs on the utilization of the Learning Passport and shkollat.org at the school level
• Provide technical assistance and support all requests with regard to learning content and teaching using the Learning Passport and shkollat.org received via email [email protected] or via phone calls
• Assist MESTI in close collaboration with Learning Passport technical consultant on preparing the necessary actions and documents to support the establishment of the new Digital Education Division within MESTI

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone: Compile and complete learning content for the Learning Passport in collaboration and coordination with relevant divisions and departments in the MESTI, and the same is reflected in the Action plan developed jointly with the technical consultant for operationalization of the Learning Passport platform. Deliverables/Outputs: Materials compiled, and Learning Passport updated with new content materials; Monthly status report documenting progress, bottlenecks, challenges and actions taken in relation to MESTI support. Timeline: October 2021 – August 2022

Tasks/Milestone: Provide technical assistance in localized technology for quality assurance of the deliverables from a digital perspective Deliverables/Outputs: Monthly status report documenting progress, bottlenecks, challenges and actions taken in relation to MES support – monthly payment Timeline: September 2021 – August 2022

Tasks/Milestone: Prepare and develop further inclusive pedagogical video tutorials/instructions for teachers, and students on usage of the Learning Passport, M365E and shkollat.org education platform based on the request and needs in collaboration with curriculum division and ensuring that schools and teachers have access to and are using for teaching purposes. Deliverables/Outputs: Pedagogical video tutorials /instructions, materials prepared and delivered as per the needs and request by MESTI; Monthly status report documenting progress, bottlenecks, challenges and actions taken in relation to MESTI support – monthly payment Timeline: September 2021 – August 2022

Tasks/Milestone: Ensure interaction modeling and principles of interactive learning for student are applied within the Learning Passport, M365E and shkollat.org platform Deliverables/Outputs: Interactive models, principles for learning are applied at the school level for teacher and students Timeline: October 2021 – September 2022

Tasks/Milestone: Integrates within the Learning Passport inclusive learning and teaching methodology and usage of technologies into e-learning by supporting MESTI to develop curricula that uses new Innovative technologies and multimedia Deliverables/Outputs: Materials developed by MESTI are integrated within LP Timeline: October 2021 – March 2022

Tasks/Milestone: Regular monthly maintenance of the education content of the Learning passport and shkollat.org education platform Deliverables/Outputs: Monthly status report documenting progress, bottlenecks, challenges and actions taken in relation to MESTI support Timeline: September 2021 – September 2022

Tasks/Milestone: Capacity building of the relevant MESTI officials, Municipal Education Directorate officials on the usage of the Learning Passport and shkollat.org education platform on a regular basis and based on the demand and needs Deliverables/Outputs: Monthly status report documenting progress, bottlenecks, challenges and actions taken in relation to MESTI support – monthly payment Timeline: September 2021 to July 2022

Tasks/Milestone: Conduct TOT with pre-identified school principals, teachers in coordination with MESTI, MEDs and IPs for the utilization of the Learning Passport, M365E and shkollat.org at the school level Deliverables/Outputs: Training conducted to MESTI, MEDs on a regular basis; Monthly status report documenting progress, bottlenecks, challenges and actions taken in relation to MESTI support Timeline: October 2021- August 2022

Tasks/Milestone: Generate bi-weekly report on the usage of the Learning Passport by school principals and provide them regularly to MESTI, Municipal Education Directorates and UNICEF. Deliverables/Outputs: Every two weeks monitoring reports documenting progress of the usage of the platform Timeline: October 2021 – September 2022

Tasks/Milestone: Provide technical assistance and support all requests in regard to Learning Passport, M365E apps and shkollat.org received via email [email protected] or via phone calls Deliverables/Outputs: Monthly status report documenting progress, bottlenecks, challenges and actions taken in relation to MESTI support Timeline: September 2021 – September 2022

Tasks/Milestone: Assist MESTI in close collaboration with Learning Passport technical consultant on drafting the documents based on Information Technology Service Management /TIL and other actions to support the establishment of the new Digital Education Division of MESTI while transferring knowledge and knowhow to the recruited new staff of the new Digital Education Division. Deliverables/Outputs: Monthly status report documenting progress, bottlenecks, challenges and actions taken in relation to MESTI support – monthly payment Timeline: November 2021 – September 2022

Minimum Qualifications required: Masters in Advanced degree (Master of Science) in information technology, computer engineering, management, or other applicable from an accredited academic institution.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Education; Pedagogy; Social Sciences; information technology, management and other relevant accredited academic institution is required.
• At least five (5) years of professional work experience in education or related area, experience with online tools/digital education and blended learning are considered an advantage – proven with CV and projects with contact details in CV
• Preferable a certificate for implementation and maintenance of SQL databases or MCSE: Data or proven experience working with above databases or other relevant experience in data collection and management.
• Preferable management and analytics or other related SQL certification from vendor (a copy of certificate to be attached with the application pack).
• A certificate regarding web-application such as certificate in NET Framework or MCSE Web Applications by Microsoft is desirable or other proven experience working with .NET and/or MCSE Web.
• Excellent technical understanding and familiarity with information management systems (to be proven with CV and project that are managed)
• Excellent communication abilities, in both written and oral forms.
• Demonstrated ability and experience in coordination, and able to work under pressure is required.
• Fluency in English and Albanian is a minimum requirement.