LearnIn Implementation Technical Consultant: Full-time home-based consultancy for UNICEF Regional office for Europe and Central Asia

ECARO is looking for a consultant to work with the Education section towards the successful operationalization of the LearnIn implementation model.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, education

Home-based full time consultancy (8-11 months). 

Background & Rationale

Learning is an essential human activity, and every child has the right to learn. Yet in Europe and Central Asia, more than 10.6 million children and adolescents are out of school, and an additional 17.7 million who are in school remain out-of-learning. Many learners—and disproportionately more poor and vulnerable children—develop learning gaps in both content and skills, including transferable skills, that are needed for further learning. These learning deficits are cumulative across children’s life course, driving inequality in access, educational outcomes, and well-being.

These existing challenges were exacerbated by nationwide school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected 49.8 million learners in the region. Countries provided primarily online and television-based distance learning, but a lack of clear policies, flexibility, and adequate resources at all levels left education systems ill-prepared to respond quickly, effectively, and equitably to ensure learning continuity. ICT literacy rates are low throughout ECA, presenting challenges for learners to engage with distance learning, parents to support their learning at home, and teachers to adapt to and effectively use new and diversified teaching and learning modalities.

LearnIn, conceptualized in 2019, is a UNICEF ECARO initiative that supports ECAR Country Offices (COs) to harness digital technology, innovation and partnerships for improving inclusive and quality education for all children, with an explicit focus on the most vulnerable. It reflects the belief that education access and quality can be improved by making available an education model that supports the integration of digital learning with the instructional core, building on and improving what teachers know and are accustomed to, to improve outcomes for children. The core implementation principles include: leveraging digital technologies and solutions to accelerate education improvement; contextualization and localization, human-centered design; accessibility and inclusion; flexibility; learners as the target audience; evidence-based; and sustainability and scalability.

Main implementation activities of LearnIn include:

• Digital learning platforms: Work with countries’ existing platforms or, in the absence of national or school-based learner management systems, customize Learning Passport as the main platform for connecting learners with digital learning content.
• Digital learning content: Partner with content providers to customize regionally and globally available content to meet local needs and curriculum alignment.
• Teacher upskilling and support: Develop contextualizable and localizable frameworks on teacher competencies for digital learning and support the organization of teacher professional development.
• Internet access: Leverage partnerships to provide internet connection at schools and for marginalized children at affordable cost and provide off-line solutions in schools and communities where internet access cannot be secured. 
• Devices: Deliver devices to the most marginalized children in partnership with the private sector and governments.
• Youth engagement: Engage youths on issues related to digital technology and innovations.

Purpose

Under the overall guidance and direction of the Regional Education Adviser, in close collaboration with ECARO Education Section, the consultant will work for the successful operationalization of the LearnIn implementation model. The consultant will provide technical assistance to 1) the development of a LearnIn regional model and 2) the implementation of a LearnIn rollout plan tailored to country’s needs. The consultant is expected to work in consultation with Technology for Development (T4D) at HQ, regional and country levels, and relevant partners including the private sector.

Scope of work

Implementation model

• Based on the LearnIn Implementation Plan (2020-2025), elaborate a LearnIn implementation model that harnesses digital technologies and solutions to ensure learning continuity in the region.
• In consultation with local stakeholders, customize the LearnIn regional implementation model for country and school specific contexts and develop country/school-level implementation models.

Teacher competency

• Develop a framework of teacher competency in digital teaching and learning
  • Develop a regional framework on teacher competencies for digital learning, with a relative emphasis on pedagogical approach and skills, by reviewing existing concepts and frameworks and consulting with relevant stakeholders.
  • Support COs to consult with key national stakeholders (government, teacher organizations, etc.) to customize the framework to country’s needs and situations.
  • Support COs to have the competency framework endorsed by the government and included in national education policy and plans.

 Content

• Develop and administer a content management plan
  • Assess the provision of digital learning contents, including their quality and alignment with national curriculum, and identify needs of developing/adapting digital contents for LearnIn implementation.
  • Map available sources of quality content including partnerships with content developers and providers.
  • Define the process of content selection/adaptation, compilation, translation, utilization and sharing within and across countries.
  • Support COs and the governments to administer the content management plan to ensure that quality contents are uploaded, used and shared by teachers and students including marginalized children.

 Teacher upskilling

• Develop capacity of teachers to deliver quality digital teaching and learning
  • Support COs to develop and implement teacher professional development on digital and/or multi-modal teaching and learning (e.g., teaching skills using ICT, assessment of digital learning, and curation of content) in alignment with the competency framework endorsed by the government as well as existing teacher professional development systems.
  • Support COs to develop communities of practice within and across schools and subjects, which facilitate exchange of knowledge and experience among teachers and provide teacher mentorship.

 Monitoring, evaluation and research

• Actively collaborate with the LearnIn evidence-generation and evaluation technical team.

Expected results: (measurable results)

The consultant will deliver the following outputs and products within the timeline indicated.

*The timeline, exact time needed and deadlines for each of the deliverables will be further discussed and amended as needed once the consultant is on board and based on the length of consultancy.

Duty Station

The consultant will work remotely, home based, preferably based in or around Geneva, or within Europe or Central Asia region time zone.

Reporting lines:

The consultant will report to the Regional Adviser, Education.

Timeframe                                                                                                                                         

The assignment is full time between 8-11 months starting ideally from February 2021. Preferably the candidate will be available for 11 months. A shorter assignment of 8 months may be considered.

Payment Schedule
Payment will be made at the end of each month after receiving a monthly report and an invoice

 Qualifications

• MA or higher university degree in education, teacher education, instructional design, educational technology, E-learning, communications or another related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in designing and implementing large-scale education projects with ICT/digital teaching and learning components.
• Working experience or good knowledge of teacher competencies, instructional design, e-learning materials and courses, learning platforms, and developing or assisting in the delivery of digital learning.
• Experience in supporting and coordinating project activities across a large organization and with other international partner organizations is desirable.
• Knowledge of the situation of children in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region; a focus on education in different social and national contexts of the ECA is preferred.

Other skills and attributes

• Understanding of international development issues.
• A good understanding of UNICEF’s work on education.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills a must. Presentation skills are an advantage.
• Understanding constraints of working with various partners, but also the strengths of representing an international organization.

Language requirements

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is considered as an asset.

Competencies

• Self-starter, with ability to multi-task and work to deadlines.
• Analytical and conceptual thinking.
• Attention to details.
• Able to work in a multicultural setting.
• Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf 

Application

Interested candidates are requested to submit by 18 January 2021 (23:59pm in Geneva Time)

1) duly completed online profile and updated P-11 form or CV,

2) a financial proposal indicating the monthly fees in USD and

3) a cover letter indicating the earliest date of starting the assignment.

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 has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.