Digital Educational Resource Bank Consultant

The purpose of this assignment is to develop a concept of Digital Resource Bank and design its implementation plan to support further development of conditions for distance learning and inclusive online learning in Serbia.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as 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.

The worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 has exposed the weaknesses in the resilience of the education system in Serbia, and at the same time exposed teachers and students to digital tools, creating a stronger demand for the education system reform in order to strategically and purposefully embed digital technologies into the education practices.

UNICEF in Serbia and the MoESTD, with the support from the European Union, are aiming to contribute to bridging the digital divide between the general population of students and those most vulnerable across the country, within the project “Bridging Digital Divide in Serbia for the Most Vulnerable Children”. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the resilience of the education system to equitably serve all children’s access to learning during times of emergency, with a particular focus on Roma children.

At the national level, further development of an inclusive education system and institutional capacity strengthening for effective delivery, management and monitoring of online and blended learning will be supported. This includes further development of technical capacities of the distance learning platform and supporting content development.

To support distance learning of students during COVID-19 epidemics, a national platform for online learning Moja škola (My School) was established by MoESTD comprising TV lessons and other digital learning resources. Under the project “Bridging Digital Divide”, it is envisaged to develop a repository of open digital educational resources, i.e. Digital Resources Bank containing quality assured, ready-to-use, curricula-based learning content (videos, audios, texts, images) and activities (tests, specific tasks, forums, wiki activities).

Work Assignment Overview:

The purpose of this assignment is to develop a concept of Digital Resource Bank and design its implementation plan to support further development of conditions for distance learning and inclusive online learning in Serbia.

Under the general guidance and direction of UNICEF Education Officer, the consultant shall be responsible for preparing a Digital Resource Bank concept and plan of its implementation in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Development (MoESTD), the Institute for Education Quality and Evaluation (IEQE) and the Institute for Improvement of Education (IIE).

Duration of the assignment: June – July 2021 (up to 8 workdays)

Task description:

1. Perform a situation analysis in relation to the existing national learning platforms in Serbia (in terms of infrastructure, target groups, management, etc.) and conduct consultations with key stakeholders in the area of digital education (MoESTD, IIE, IEQE, etc.)
2. Prepare the concept of the Digital Resource Bank with the implementation plan based on findings of situation and stakeholder analysis.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• University degree in Science (including Social sciences), Humanities, Technology, or Mathematics;
• Professional experience in areas related to education, particularly digital education;
• Professional experience in development projects and education policy related work;
• Excellent knowledge of the Serbian education system;
• Strong analytical and writing skills;
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills;
• Ability to meet tight deadlines through excellent time management and organization;
• Good knowledge of Serbian and English languages;
• Work experience with UNICEF and /or other international organizations would be considered as an advantage.

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. usage of mobile phone).

Important notes:

Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.

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

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

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.