1. Background

The ICT Transforming Education in Africa project third phase was developed under the UNESCO-Korea Funds-in-Trust framework, to support selected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa including Tanzania to test scalable and effective models of using information and communication (ICT) technologies to assist in creating institutional and systemic transformations of education for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) and its associated targets. The overall goal of the project in Tanzania is to ensure teachers and students are able to effectively use ICT to achieve learning outcomes as set out by Tanzanian curricula. One of the expected outcomes of the project includes effective use of the Tanzania Institute of Education’s (TIE) digital learning e-platforms (e-library and the Learning, Management Systems) by Tanzanian Teachers; this entails a repository of curriculum-aligned digital teaching and learning resources. One of the actions to support the achievement of this outcome is to conduct a comprehensive mapping of the current existing e-learning platforms, including e-libraries and learning management systems in the country, and conduct a detailed review of their functionalities. This will form the basis for upgrading the existing TIE e-learning platforms.

A needs assessment conducted by UNESCO in 2024 highlighted several challenges with the current implementation of TIE’s LMS, which was originally developed to enhance ICT integration in education. The LMS offers limited access, primarily for teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (TCPD), and is underutilized by students. This restricted usage of the LMS indicates missed opportunities for broader application and engagement, limiting its effectiveness for both teacher and student learning. Additionally, Tanzania hosts several private platforms, such as Schule Direct, which provide high-quality, curriculum-aligned content. While study notes and syllabi are accessible for free, features such as past papers, marking schemes, and interactive quizzes with real-time answers require a paid subscription. These private platforms demonstrate the potential for broader access to digital resources, underscoring the need for an expanded and upgraded TIE platform better to support the diverse needs of Tanzanian teachers and students. To address these gaps and opportunities, UNESCO seeks to engage an IT consulting firm to thoroughly review the existing e-learning platforms, e-libraries, and LMS in Tanzania. The findings from this review will help develop specifications for enhancing the TIE platform, aligning it with the needs of teachers and students nationwide. This process will involve mapping the current landscape, assessing the functionalities of the existing platforms, and gathering recommendations for additional functional and technical specifications required to update the TIE platform. Furthermore, workshops and feedback sessions will be organized to ensure the upgraded platform meets stakeholders’ expectations. Once approved, the upgraded platform will be piloted, finalized, and ready for widespread use in supporting digital learning initiatives in Tanzania Mainland.

2. Objectives

This assignment aims to assess and enhance the existing e-learning platforms, e-libraries, and Learning Management Systems (LMS) in Tanzania Mainland to ensure they align with national educational goals and support effective ICT integration into the education system. This will enable Tanzanian teachers and students to effectively utilize ICT tools to achieve learning outcomes defined by the Tanzanian curriculum for Basic Education and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4).

2.1 Specific Objectives

1. To conduct a comprehensive mapping and review of existing e-learning platforms, e-libraries, and LMS in Tanzania, including their functionalities, accessibility, and alignment with the curriculum.
2. To develop a set of functional and technical specifications for upgrading the TIE e-learning platforms based on the review and mapping process, addressing identified gaps, and expanding the current LMS to provide wider access for teachers and students (i.e., a curriculum-aligned database of teaching resources and online teacher access to LMS for online teaching).
3. To upgrade the TIE digital learning platforms (e-libraries and LMS) by implementing the approved specifications to meet functional requirements for teachers and students, including integrating a curriculum-aligned teaching resource database and facilitating online teaching through the LMS.
4. To pilot the upgraded TIE e-learning platforms through workshops and sessions to gather feedback from teachers and students, allowing for revisions and finalization of the platforms based on user experiences and recommendations.
5. To finalize the upgraded TIE LMS by incorporating feedback from the pilot phase and addressing the identified gaps to ensure the platform meets the functional and technical needs of both teachers and students.

3.Scope of Work

Specific Objective 1: Conduct a comprehensive mapping and review of existing e-learning platforms, e-libraries, and LMS in Tanzania.

Activity 1.1: Conduct mapping of existing e-learning platforms, e-libraries, and LMS. Description: Review the current platforms to determine their functionalities, accessibility, and alignment with the curriculum.

Activity 1.2: Assess the functionality of each platform. Description: Analyze the existing features and capabilities of the platforms for both teachers and students, identifying strengths and weaknesses.

Activity 1.3: Organize a session to share findings and gather recommendations. Description: Hold a workshop to present findings and collect feedback from stakeholders on functional and technical requirements for upgrading the TIE platforms.

Specific Objective 2: Develop a set of functional and technical specifications for upgrading the TIE e-learning platforms.

Activity 2.1: Organize a feedback session to review the findings from the mapping process. Description: Present the mapping results, review them, and seek feedback to refine the specifications for the TIE platform upgrade.

Activity 2.2: Develop a set of functional and technical specifications. Description: Draft specifications to address gaps in the current platforms, including a curriculum-aligned database of teaching resources and expanded access to the LMS for online teaching.

Specific Objective 3: Upgrade the TIE digital learning platforms (e-libraries and LMS).

Activity 3.1: Seek approval for the upgraded specifications. Description: Present the developed specifications for approval to ensure alignment with the project’s objectives and stakeholder needs.

Activity 3.2. Implement the upgrades based on approved specifications. Description: Upgrade the e-library and LMS platforms according to the approved functional and technical specifications to enhance teacher and student access.

Activity 3.3: Integrate a curriculum-aligned teaching resource database and facilitate online teaching. Description: Incorporate a comprehensive teaching resource database and ensure the LMS supports online teaching capabilities.

Specific Objective 4: Pilot the upgraded TIE e-learning platforms through workshops and sessions.

Activity 4.1: Organize pilot workshops and sessions for teachers and students. Description: Conduct workshops to pilot the upgraded e-learning platforms (e-libraries and LMS) and gather feedback on user experience and functionality.

Activity 4.2: Collect feedback and recommendations for improvements. Description: Analyze feedback from teachers and students to identify areas for improvement before finalizing the platforms.

Activity 4.3: Revise the platforms based on pilot feedback. Description: Incorporate feedback and make necessary adjustments to improve the platforms.

Specific Objective 5: To finalize the upgraded TIE LMS.

Activity 5.1. Incorporate feedback from the pilot phase into the final version. Description: Update the LMS based on feedback from the pilot phase to ensure it meets the needs of both teachers and students.

Activity 5.2. Conduct final testing and quality assurance. Description: Perform thorough testing of the upgraded LMS to ensure functionality, usability, and alignment with educational objectives.

Activity 5.3. Finalize and officially launch the upgraded LMS. Description: Finalize the LMS and prepare for its full-scale implementation and use across educational institutions.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal consultant(s)/firm should have:

1. Relevant Experience: A proven track record in systems development. Experience conducting comprehensive reviews of e-learning platforms, e-libraries, and LMS in the education sector would be an added advantage. Demonstrated experience in providing consultancy services for educational institutions, specifically in designing, upgrading, and implementing digital learning platforms. Experience working with national education systems, particularly in Tanzania or other Sub-Saharan African countries, with a focus on ICT integration in education, would be considered an added advantage.
2. Expertise in ICT for Education: Expertise in ICT solutions for education, including e-learning systems, LMS, e-libraries, and curriculum-aligned content development. Familiarity with relevant international standards and frameworks for e-learning platforms, particularly those aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and ICT in education.
3. Project Management Expertise: Experience in managing multi-phased projects, such as mapping, development, piloting, and finalizing digital learning platforms, would be considered an added advantage.
4. Technical Team Composition: The consulting firm must demonstrate its capacity by including a team of consultants with relevant qualifications, including degrees in ICT, education, or related fields, and a minimum of 5-7 years of professional experience in the following areas: ICT and digital learning systems architecture, Education technology and instructional design, Data analysis and feedback integration and Project management and stakeholder coordination
5. Excellent skills in both oral and written English language. Knowledge of the Kiswahili language is an added advantage
6. Experience working with international organizations is an added advantage.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

DELIVERABLES