Consultant - Rapid Pre-service Development and Curriculum modules development

OVERVIEW

Grade : 

Parent Sector : Field Office

Duty Station: Yangon

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 10-Mar-2025

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Education Sector Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG), UNESCO is implementing activities towards the attainment of the undermentioned three outcome areas.  

•    Outcome 1: Ensuring safe and equitable access to learning for children and youth in Myanmar;  
•    Outcome 2: Ensuring quality teaching and learning for children and youth in Myanmar by strengthening the capacities of education staff and fostering context-responsive, equity-focused learning resources and modalities adapted to the evolving situation; and  
•    Outcome 3: Ensuring systems strengthening, management, coordination, and monitoring.  
UNESCO, through the Education Sector Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG) project, continues this effort addressing the needs for both pre-and in-service teacher education under ESPIG Outcome Area 2: Ensuring quality teaching and learning for children and youths in Myanmar by strengthening the capacities of education staff and fostering context-responsive, equity-focused learning resources and modalities adapted to the evolving situation. As an effort to deliver quality teacher education, UNESCO brings Myanmar Teacher Platform (MTP; www.mmteacherplatform.net)  to offer continuous learning for educators, learners and other interested parties to access quality learning materials, videos and other resources in a safe and secure environment and provide online courses by themes.  
UNESCO continues to support educators and trainers are equipped with relevant competencies to provide continued and quality learning and necessary support to deliver education to children. To this end, UNESCO is developing a Rapid Pre-service Development (RPD) Action Plan and curriculum, including modules for mobile teacher trainers, teacher educators, and teachers, in collaboration with local partners. This will involve quick need assessments, gap analysis, and the identification of teachers. The development of the curriculum framework is part of this initiative, ensuring that educators and trainers are well-prepared for the evolving educational landscape. 
The curriculum framework, aligned with the Myanmar Teacher Competency Standards Framework (TCSF), provides an overarching structure that supports the logical design of modules for educators and trainers, ensuring consistency and mitigating gaps and overlaps in training content. It includes six key modules that focus on meeting the needs and providing foundational knowledge and skills for teachers working in community schools. This framework will also serve as a guiding document for the development of modules in the training program for community teachers and educators—including teacher educators, teachers, trainers, and mobile teacher trainers—fostering their continued professional development.
As such, UNESCO will develop modules for a training program for community teachers and educators and conduct the training in collaboration with local partners. These modules will also be disseminated as online courses through the Myanmar Teacher Platform (MTP). The aim is to equip educators and trainers with the foundational skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for their professional development.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The objectives of this ‘Call for Proposal’ are to (i) finalize the existing draft curriculum framework and develop modules for community teachers' training program outlined in the curriculum framework, and (ii) develop Rapid Pre-service Teacher Development (RPD) Action Plan.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The individual specialist will perform the tasks under the overall authority of the Director of UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok, the direct supervision of the Head of UNESCO Antenna Office in Yangon, and in close collaboration with the ESPIG project team.
The individual specialist will undertake revision and finalization of the curriculum framework, the development of modules for community teachers' training program and the development of rapid pre-service teacher development (RPD) action plan.
1.    Finalizing curriculum framework and online modules development
a)    Review the existing draft curriculum framework, revise and finalize it comprehensively, ensuring that the final framework effectively guides the principles and approaches for developing modules that address the diverse needs and requirements of community educators and trainers from various educational contexts in Myanmar.
b)    Develop modules for the community teachers' training program in English, as outlined in the curriculum framework. The program consists of six modules. Each module includes lectures, video scripts, videos, quizzes, and assessments but not limited to interactive components. Visual aids (illustrations, cartoons, images, etc.) are expected to be included in the lectures. Additionally, the modules should be designed as e-learning courses compatible with the Myanmar Teacher Platform (MTP), ensuring accessibility and usability for online delivery. See below the details of the six modules:

2. PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

c)    Develop videos in English language, with a minimum of 1-2 videos for each lesson in each lesson, following the specific guidelines given by UNESCO and provide all original final files to UNESCO, using engaging visuals, illustrations and infographics to convey the messages of the content and concepts. 
d)    Develop the modules’ content that leads to high engagement of learners, with interactive components, integrating different engaging learning strategies, for e.g. game-based learning, inquiry-based learning, interdisciplinary learning etc. Break down the content into small chumps, rather than providing concepts and theories as a whole, ensuring personalized learning experiences, and allowing learners to progress at their own pace, while focusing a specific skill, knowledge, competencies and attributes. 
e)    Review relevant pre-service teacher education curriculum e-learning courses, and short courses on curriculum and pedagogy on Myanmar Teacher Platform (https://mmteacherplatform.net/en) and Teacher Competency Standards Framework (TCSF) document for beginning teachers; get familiar with these materials but not limited to other reference materials, and utilize them in developing materials for community teachers' training program, by ensuring well-aligned online course materials which can fulfill the learning needs of community teachers in Myanmar.
f)    Conduct further research to ensure the online materials, in terms of overarching concepts, content, learning activities, teaching, and learning strategies and assessment approaches, are contextualized to meet the needs of beginning community teachers in Myanmar while reflecting the international standards and trends, including mainstreaming inclusion and equity, gender, context-responsive, culturally responsive teaching approaches, educational management and leadership skills, and assessment and feedback approaches to meet the diverse needs of their students. 
g)    Organize and format all materials to make sure that they comply to the UNESCO Graphical Standards and Logo Toolkit (provided by UNESCO), ED Sector Visual Identity Guidelines (provided by UNESCO) and UNESCO Style Manual (https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000141812).
h)    Streamline UNESCO’s gender strategy, ensure the Guidelines on Gender-Neutral Language is applied throughout the course contents 
(https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000377299 ).
i)    Compile a list of tables, figures (including diagram, chart, illustration), photos (including images, cartoons, icons), videos, audios and other graphic elements from the third party materials by using a template provided by UNESCO and secure the intellectual property rights by using the “permission consent form” (provided by UNESCO).
j)    Ensure that no plagiarized or self-plagiarized material is published without appropriate acknowledgement of the source.
k)    Provide a proper credit or citation to the original work of the third-party materials. For any materials created by author, the “Source: author” should be placed underneath aforementioned materials.
l)    Avoid including maps (global, regional, country) that could be politically sensitive or that could affect the legal status of any country, territory, city, area, or its authorities, or the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. 
m)    Be sensitive to sociocultural differences, political sensitivity, and address these issues properly in the Myanmar context.

n)    Revise and finalize the modules incorporating comments provided by UNESCO;
o)    Suggest a choice of background music to UNESCO and obtain necessary usage rights on the final choice. (Grant of Rights form to be provided by UNESCO), if any.
p)    Secure the intellectual property rights by using the “permission consent form” (provided by UNESCO) to obtain written authorization from the original source of work wherever a photo, illustration, figure, diagram or other visual materials from the third party is used.
q)    Communicate with UNESCO regularly to provide updates on the course material/component and revision process and to make clarifications on the comments received on course materials.
r)    The individual specialist may choose the application most suitable to produce content. However, it is recommended to utilize applications requiring minimal calibration and interface mastery, especially for repeated editing during the later stages of development.
s)    Use standard video editing software most suitable for the production and finalize in the later stages of development. Recommended software includes Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro. 
t)    The individual specialist will ensure that technical specifications for videos should have been as follows:
•    Ratio: 1280x720, 1920x1080 (HD), 720p or 1080p
•    Deinterlacing: YES
•    Codec: H.264 / AAC
•    Frame Rate: 24 - 30fps
•    Image sequence: PNG, JPEG, GIF, DPX, OpenEXR, TIFF or Targa
•    Video format: MOV, MP4
•    Web Video (social media): H.264 of different frame sizes with various resolutions for Facebook, Vimeo, YouTube, X (formally known as Twitter)

Long Description

2.    Rapid Pre-service Teacher Development (RPD) Action Plan

a)    Develop and conduct rapid needs assessment to identify the needs of pre-service teachers identified by UNESCO. This includes pre-service teachers under partner organizations or independent individuals.
b)    Develop a comprehensive Rapid Pre-service Teacher Development (RPD) Action Plan in line with the existing curriculum framework and the training modules that will be developed under Section III (1). This RPD Action Plan will guide the implementation of the training program, and the establishment and enhancement of teacher training and preparation centers.
c)    Develop concept notes and guidelines for the effective delivery of capacity trainings (in-person/blended learning/webinars/online courses) in line with the training program modules developed in Section III (1). 
d)    Develop tools to assess the needs and create an action plan for establishing and strengthening teacher training and preparation centers for partner organizations implementing the training program.

TIMETABLE AND DELIVERABLES  

All deliverables are submitted in English with original, editable files to UNESCO (such as MS-Word, MS-PowerPoint, MOV, MP4, etc.). The assigned tasks must be submitted by the following deadlines:

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

•    An advanced university degree in the field education;
•    Minimum 5 years of experience in managing/coordinating education project, or related fields is required;
•    Excellent knowledge on Myanmar context, particularly pre-service teacher education;
•    Experience in teacher training and learning materials development;
•    Minimum of one project successfully implemented in the field of teacher education, particularly community education service which demonstrates experience in teacher training resources development and training delivery;
•    Excellent project management, planning and organizational skills, including the ability to meet the deadline and manage resources effectively; 
•    Ability to deliver high quality content on tight deadlines, and 
•    Excellent communication skills and a concern for transparency and diligence.

Skills/ Competencies 

• Proven research and analytical skills;

• Excellent organizational skills;

• Proficiency in using common office ICT productivity tools; ability to work independently on delegated tasks and collaboratively in a multi- cultural environment;

• Excellent communication skills; 

Languages 

• Excellent knowledge of English (both written and spoken).

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

•    Previous experience working with international organizations, UNESCO and/or the UN system including World Bank Group is preferred; and 
•    Previous experience working on pre-service teacher education and training in various sectors of Myanmar, particularly with EiE (Education in Emergencies), CSE (Conflict Sensitive Education), multi-grade teaching and assessment, and MTB-MLE, will be an advantage.

Skills/Competencies 

• Familiarity with UN programming policies and procedures;   
• Working knowledge of results-based and budget management tools;   
• Good interpersonal and negotiation skills;  
• Proven experience on programme or project management cycle.

Languages 

• Knowledge of another UN official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish).

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should click on “Apply Now” and upload the following documents as a single PDF document in place of the Employment History Form.  

• An updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience make you suitable for the assignment. 

• Written technical and financial proposals (in English): clearly referencing “RPD Action Plan, Curriculum Framework and Modules Development for Community Teachers

• Approach and methodology for carrying out the assignment (4 x, A4 pages), a workplan and comments on the Terms of Reference, in brief, if any, and  

• The proposed daily or monthly rates or the amount/budget to be charged for the assignment, which should be quoted in USD. Please show any travel costs separately

UNESCO places great emphasis on ensuring that the objectives of the work assignment, as described in the Terms of Reference, are met. Accordingly, in evaluating the proposals for the assignment, attention will focus first and foremost on the technical elements. From those proposals deemed suitable in terms of the criteria in the Terms of Reference, UNESCO shall select the proposal that offers the Organisation the best value for money.

Additional Information 

• Travel costs should be included in the financial proposal. 
• This contract is for a period of 11 months, with/without the possibility of extension. The estimated start date is: 10 February 2025. 

Assessment 

• Only applications providing the information requested in the application procedure will be considered. 
• Evaluation of qualified applicants may include an assessment exercise and a competency-based interview. 

Note:   

• Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidate(s) about the outcome or status of the selection process. 
• Please submit your application through SuccessFactors. Only if you are unable to attach requirements in the system, please inform us at yangon@unesco.org 

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

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