Consultancy - Preparation of a Digital Content Accreditation Framework

Under the supervision of the Education Specialist of the UNICEF Sri Lanka Country Office, the consultant will provide technical assistance to the Information Technology and Digital Education Division in the Ministry of Education (MoE) to formulate a Digital Content Accreditation Framework for the general education system in Sri Lanka.

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, how can you make a difference? 

The purpose of this assignment is to prepare the Content Accreditation framework for the General Education System in Sri Lanka (Grades 1-13) and preschool education (children aged 3-5 years) to ensure all students receive digital content, which is relevant, suitable, age-appropriate, and reliable. It should be applicable to online, offline and hybrid/blended learning. The consultant will be expected to:

1. Conduct a meta-analysis of selected existing national, regional and global approaches/surveys/ reports/ best practices in reference to content accreditation frameworks.

2. Through this comprehensive mapping and review, develop a standardized and localized content accreditation framework for Sri Lanka in consultation with relevant stakeholders. Outlined below are some of the key areas to be included (but not limited to) in the framework:

Key Area 1 – Institutional Support

• The strategic value of the digital material is well defined to all stakeholders

• Process for planning, allocating resources (financial and non-financial) for the development of the digital content

• Process of updating, revising the digital content

• Intellectual property of the digital content

• A governance structure to be defined including the roles and responsibilities of the key stakeholders

Key Area 2 – Technology Support

• Required infrastructure support for developing the digital content

• Required storage/storage options

• Stakeholders (i.e., content developers, teachers, students) possess/gain/update the required skills to develop and consume digital content

Key Area 3 – Content Development and Instructional Design

• Guidelines regarding minimum requirements/standards for content development, design, and delivery including (but not limited to):

➢ How digital content supports learning outcomes for each key learning stage and is not superfluous, facilitates two-way interaction, is engaging etc.

➢ How to appropriately acquire and integrate open source/proprietary material and learning objects, audio, video, other multimedia etc. in developing content.

➢ Guidance on content structuring and sequencing and on embedding assessments into digital content.

➢ Guidance to ensure content is socially, culturally, age-appropriate, and accessible for the intended audience and adapted to students' levels of digital literacy.

➢ Teacher-led/Student-centeredness to be considered.

➢ Students with learning difficulties and students with disabilities to be considered.

➢ Delivery options for online, offline and hybrid modalities to be defined.

➢ Rules/standards for appropriate use of digital content online and offline.

Key Area 4 – Technical Standards

• File formats that should be used

➢ Specifications to ensure optimal use with standard devices and Internet connectivity.

➢ Specifications on how to make content accessible for children with disabilities and learning difficulties.

➢ Guidance on copyright issues/open licenses, etc.

➢ Visual design standards (layout, navigation, structure, interface, etc.

Work relationships:

• The consultant will be supervised by the Education Specialist of UNICEF Sri Lanka and will be expected to work closely with a designated official from the Information Technology and Digital Education Division in the MoE to obtain information and insight into the local context.

• The supervisor will provide overall guidance on the expected deliverables for the assignment as well as timely feedback on draft products in consultation with the Information Technology and Digital Education Division in the MoE.

• The consultant will report to UNICEF, MoE on monthly basis and work closely with its members ensuring that they are always informed. All technical and administrative decisions related to the developed framework will be reviewed and approved by the Steering Committee of IT & Digital Education chaired by the Hon. Minister of Education.

• The consultant will keep all information provided by MoE as well as the findings and the creation of the product and research/evaluation confidential.

• If the selected consultant is an international the working modality is expected to be virtual with at least two in person visits scheduled for relevant milestones.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Education:

Master’s degree in Education, Technology

Experience and skills:

I. Demonstrated expertise in education policy making expertise and in the field of digital learning and content.

II. The consultant shall be able to provide one lead technical expert meeting the following requirements: Advanced degree in education, International development or a related area, or an advanced degree in relevant area or science or math; Proven expertise in education policy analysis or data analysis;

III. At least five years of post-graduate professional experience in areas related to education, including policy related work

IV. A Strong analytical, communication and writing skills

V. Proven organizational and coordination skills

VI. Excellent command of English

VII. Able to work effectively through email, phone, and other means of remote communications.

Duration  - 80 days in a period of 6 months. (01 January - 30 June 2023)

How to apply:

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a resume and other relevant documents

Please complete your profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system. https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html

Please indicate your ability, availability and fee/rate (in LKR/USD) to undertake the terms of reference above. (Indicate an all-inclusive fee (including lump sum travel, IT accessories, Internet and subsistence costs, as applicable) to undertake the tasks in the Terms of reference. Office 365 license will be provided by UNICEF, as applicable) 

Applications submitted without a fee/rate will not be considered  

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

 To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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:  

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. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. 

If you think this position might be for you, please take the time to review our Country Office Mutual Agreements before you apply.

If you believe you can team member that can uphold these everyday, then we look forward to receiving and reviewing your application.

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