Call for individual consultancy in Uzbekistan

UNESCO IITE is looking for an individual home-based consultant in the Republic of Uzbekistan to conduct a review of the current status of ICT in education with due regard of the COVID-19 impact on education and the availability of the national education system for implementing innovative ICT-based approaches.

The key objective of the project, launched by the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE) jointly with the Weidong Cloud Education Group (PRC), bearing the title: “Building the future schools through ICT competency development”, is to investigate the new ICT-based educational environment and support new competencies of the 21st century schools.

At the current stage of the project implementation, UNESCO IITE is seeking an individual home-based consultant in the Republic of Uzbekistan to analyze and evaluate technical and educational readiness of the vocational schools within the country in terms of ICT-based and online teaching and learning. With due and acute regard of the predicaments caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Contractor shall conduct comprehensive analytical activities to identify the negative impacts, challenges and opportunities that vocational schools and their learners have faced, along with the role of ICT in mitigating the negative impacts and maximizing the beneficial effects on education and communication.

In particular, the Contractor shall:

  1. Analyze the national educational legislation in effect, regulating the use of ICT in teaching and learning.
  2. The Contractor shall invite participants to take the online survey, based on the questionnaire for teachers, master teachers, principals of TVET institutions, provided from UNESCO IITE in the Russian language. The questionnaire objective is to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, risks, benefits and challenges, lessons learned, and key success factors in schools effectively innovating through ICT. The questionnaire must be translated into the Uzbek language. The contractor shall prepare the online survey on the platform recommended by UNESCO IITE. The final deliverable shall include at least 60 replies to the questionnaire with at least 15 case studies in the Russian language, backed by photo and/or video materials illustrating advanced experience and promising practices (all materials must be officially authorized for educational use by UNESCO IITE). To be submitted to UNESCO IITE no later than 23 October 2020.
  3. Participate in a webinar, to be arranged by UNESCO IITE, with experts on the country’s identified technical (infrastructure and connectivity) and educational (teaching, learning, methodological, etc.) readiness to continue uninterrupted education during and after COVID-19 by the medium of blended and online teaching and learning. The webinar will take place during the period from October to December 2020. The Contractor shall prepare a PPT presentation to be delivered to the webinar participants (duration – at least 20 minutes) and actively engage in the follow-up discussions. The PPT presentation should include identified technical (infrastructure and connectivity) and educational (teaching, learning, methodological, etc.) readiness of the country to continue teaching and learning during and after COVID-19 through blended and online education. Language of the document – Russian. To be submitted to UNESCO IITE no later than 29 October 2020.
  4. Develop an analytical report of no less than 30 pages (font – Calibri; font size – 12; line space – 1.5) including results of the above-mentioned activities, including brief description of the national educational legislation in effect, regulating the use of ICT in teaching and learning, the survey findings supported by diagrams, at least 15 case studies with photo/video supplements. The report should also comprise analysis, conclusions and recommendations for improving of the actual status of ICT in education for implementing innovative ICT-based approaches. Draft analytical report shall be provided to UNESCO IITE for consideration and review. Based on feedback provided, the Contractor shall make changes (if required) in accordance with obtained comments and amendments. Language of the document – Russian. To be submitted to UNESCO IITE no later than 24 November 2020.
  5. Prepare a completion report on the conducted activities (1 page, English language) and submit it to UNESCO IITE no later than 15 December 2020.
  6. Submit to UNESCO IITE the final set of documents, including:
    • at least 60 replies to the questionnaires with at least 15 case studies with photo and/or video evidence (officially authorized for educational use by UNESCO IITE);
    • a PPT presentation on the country’s identified technical and educational readiness to continue teaching and learning through blended and online education;
    • analytical report on the conducted research findings with relevant conclusions and recommendations;
    • one-page completion report on the performed activities.

Requirements:

Submission criteria for deliverables:

The completion report must be prepared in full compliance with the UNESCO Style Manual for the presentation of English-language texts: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001418/141812e.pdf, and in a tone that is reader-friendly for its intended audience, i.e. educators and policy-makers.

The format of images: JPEG, PNG, SVG. Image resolution should be not less than 4000×3000 pixels.

The format of videos: MPEG-4/H.264. Video recording should be carried out with a maximum level of quality, in full HD 1080p (minimum) or UHD 4K (desired).

Candidate specification:

The potential candidate should have at least Master’s degree in education or social sciences and proven experience in TVET/education. The potential candidate should have necessary ICT competencies.

Interested candidates must submit their applications in English or Russian to: e.varkvasova@unesco.org by 29 September 2020.

An official application should include:

  1. Latest Curriculum Vitae
  2. Description of contemplated activities
  3. Proposed budget (in USD)