To support the development of eLearning Strategy, e-Courses and conduct capacity development exercises for IGAD.

Job Description

Context

The GIZ SCIDA III project is a regional initiative with a mission to enhance the resilience of the Horn of Africa. Commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the European Union, this project is set to run from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2026. It focuses on strengthening the capacity of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and improving the Regional Economic Community’s (REC) ability to support its member states. The geographical scope covers the IGAD region in the Horn of Africa, which includes Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda. Around 70% of this region is arid or semi-arid land (ASAL), which leads to frequent drought-related disasters. The region is also characterized by internal and cross-border conflicts. With an estimated 80 million pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the IGAD region, these challenges have forced 8.7 million people to abandon their traditional livelihoods. Consequently, the project targets impoverished pastoral and agro-pastoral populations residing in the arid and semi-arid zones of the IGAD region.

In response to the drought, the member states of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) entrusted IGAD with the leadership of the “Ending Drought Emergencies in the Horn of Africa” initiative. The 15-year Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRSI) serves as a coordinating mechanism for regional efforts to build drought resilience, improve livelihoods and implement proactive measures for conflict prevention and migration management. The main objective of the initiative is to strengthen the resilience of communities and refugees.

One of the main objectives of SCIDA III project is to strengthen the capacity of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and its various divisions by creating virtual learning courses on key topics such as disaster risk management, climate change, food security etc…

This initiative recognizes the paramount importance of capacity building in enhancing the effectiveness of IGAD’s operations. By exploiting virtual learning methods, the project aims to provide flexible and accessible training opportunities, facilitating the transfer of knowledge in areas crucial to IGAD’s mission. This approach not only increases efficiency and cost-effectiveness but also ensures the sustainability of capacity-building efforts, enabling the continuous development of skills and adaptation to changing needs.

Ultimately, the development of tailored virtual learning materials provides a dynamic and scalable means of empowering IGAD staff and external stakeholders strengthening regional resilience in the Horn of Africa.

A collaborative effort between IGAD and GIZ was undertaken to establish an IGAD Virtual Learning System to enhance human capacity development to effectively build drought resilience in the IGAD region. These efforts were part of the SCIDA II project in 2021 and 2022, laying the foundations for ongoing work. GIZ, in collaboration with ATINGI experts and the IGAD technical team, led the adaptation of the Atingi e-learning platform to meet IGAD’s specific requirements. This included the development of IDDRSI and PIA course content, as well as training key IGAD staff in the fundamentals of digital learning, e-learning course design and discussions on future recommendations. The successful implementation of the IGAD homepage, as well as the integration of course categories and CSS into the ATINGI platform, marked important milestones. An online course, entitled “Introduction to IDDRSI”, has been meticulously developed and is now available on IGAD’s ATINGI space.

To ensure full understanding and use of the e-learning system, a four-day workshop was organized for 38 key IGAD staff members. This training, conducted as part of the SCIDA II project in March 2022, served as an introduction to the field of digital learning. Participants not only reviewed and provided feedback on the IDDRSI course design, but also tested it technically and content-wise. In addition, participants were tasked with creating their course content in the IGAD e-learning space, generating around 30 course content projects by the end of the workshop.

Recognizing the importance of supporting the creation of online course content, GIZ, on behalf of BMZ, procured essential audio-visual equipment for IGAD as this will facilitate the development of high-quality e-learning courses.

Recently, a feasibility study was conducted to assess the most suitable e-learning platform for IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) between Atingi, a cost-free option, and IGAD’s proprietary e-learning platform. The outcomes and suggestions derived from this study mark a pivotal stride in fortifying the collaborative learning infrastructure linking ATINGI and IGAD, leveraging advancements from the SCIDA II project. Towards the close of the 2023 quarter, IGAD under ISAP IV project, engaged a consultant to tailor an eLearning platform and craft six model eLearning courses including capacity-building training.

In alignment with Financial Agreement under SCIDA III designed to assist IGAD in implementing an eLearning system for heightened organizational efficiency, GIZ will engage a contractor for the specified contract period, spanning from March 15th to September 30th, 2024, encompassing 90 working days. This initiative is aimed at supporting IGAD in its pursuit of an effective eLearning system

Tasks to be performed by the contractor

The contractor is responsible for providing the following services:

• Review the existing e-learning-related initiative under various divisions and unit that was completed and ongoing within IGAD.
• Execute a scoping exercise to define the overarching objective, target audience, content requisites, delivery formats, evaluation methods, and quality assurance protocols, and identify challenges and opportunities for the e-learning strategy.
• Formulate a comprehensive E-Learning strategy document harmonized with the IGAD knowledge management strategy. This should encompass a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) plan, a logical framework (log frame) with SMART indicators, an action plan specifying clear outcome, and a detailed financial consideration. This document will serve as a comprehensive guide for all those involved in the eLearning initiative, providing a roadmap for implementation, monitoring and continuous improvement.
• Spearhead an inception and validation meeting for the IGAD e-learning strategy document.
• Coordinate and lead two capacity-building training sessions: one on Instructional Design and the other on e-Learning System Administration, both conducted face-to-face.
• Organize ongoing online review workshops, facilitate peer reviews, and implement quality assurance measures for courses.
• Establish or fortify a community of practices supporting the eLearning initiative within IGAD.
• Develop by supervising the production of a minimum of 15 high-quality e-learning course contents.
• Manage the uploading process and provide all final course materials on the IGAD E-Learning platform.
• Develop an exhaustive step-by-step guide for E-Learning course design

The expected deliverables are as follows:

• Inception Report: A report of at least 4-5 pages summarizing the initial phases of the project, including goals, objectives, stakeholders and preliminary planning, to demonstrate the consultant’s understanding of the project, present the proposed methodology and outline the work plan.
• Scoping Exercise Report: A comprehensive report presenting the findings of the scoping exercise.
• E-Learning Strategy Document: A detailed document outlining the E-Learning Strategy, complete with an action plan specifying clear outcomes, timelines, and financial considerations. This document serves as a roadmap for implementing the e-learning initiative.
• Capacity Building Training: Conduct essential training sessions and create digital training materials and documentation for two capacity-building training sessions—specifically, Instructional Design Training and e-Learning System Administrator Training.
• Validation Workshop Report: Facilitate a validation workshop, gather feedback, and produce a concise summary report, and revise the E-Learning Strategy Document.
• E-Learning Course Content: Develop and upload a minimum of 15 high-quality e-learning course materials on selected priority thematic areas and upload on the IGAD Learning Management System (LMS).
• Step-by-Step Guide: A comprehensive guide detailing the step-by-step process for E-Learning course design.
• Final Assessment: Evaluate the deployment of the IGAD e-learning solution, providing concrete recommendations based on the assessment.

Period of assignment: from 15th of March until 30th of September, 2024.

Personnel concept

The tenderer is required to provide personnel who are suited to filling the positions described, on the basis of their CVs, the range of tasks involved and the required qualifications.

The below specified qualifications represent the requirements to reach the maximum number of points in the technical assessment.

Tasks of the consultant

• Overall responsibility for the advisory packages of the contractor (quality and deadlines)
• Coordinating and ensuring communication with GIZ, partners and others involved in the project
• Personnel management, identifying the need for short-term assignments within the available budget, as well as planning and steering assignments and supporting local and international short-term experts
• Regular reporting in accordance with deadlines

Qualifications of the consultant

• Education/training: Master’s degree or equivalent in Education, Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Knowledge Management, or a related field would be advantageous
• Language: C2-level language proficiency in English, French as an additional asset
• General professional experience: 10 years of professional experience in the eLearning sector with deep Knowledge of learning management systems and eLearning authoring tools.
• Specific professional experience: 7 years of experience in the eLearning strategy development. A proven track record of development of an eLearning Strategy for organisations.
• Leadership/management experience: 5 years of management/leadership experience as project team leader or manager in a company
• Regional experience: A 5 years of experience in projects in east African region and particularly IGAD countries
• Development cooperation (DC) experience: 5 years of experience in DC projects

Soft skills of the consultant

In addition to their specialist qualifications, the following qualifications are required of team leader:

• Team skills
• Initiative
• Communication skills
• Socio-cultural skills
• Efficient, partner- and client-focused working methods
• Interdisciplinary thinking