Call for Proposal Information Pack UNICEF Think Piece Series

Transcription

1 November 2017 In collaboration with Cambridge Education Call for Proposal Information Pack UNICEF Think Piece Series What is a UNICEF Think Piece? The UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Regional Office is commissioning a series of Think Pieces that aim to promote fresh and cutting-edge thinking on how to improve the quality of education in the ESA region. These Think Pieces aim to broaden expertise, stimulate dialogue and encourage new ways of thinking to address the major educational challenges facing the region. Whilst the Think Pieces will be rooted in evidence, they are not intended to be research papers, evidence briefs or literature reviews; instead, they are meant to be short, engaging and provocative pieces that stimulate debate and challenge the status quo. This Think Piece series will cover a variety of topic areas, including: Improving classroom practice Teacher performance School improvement Accountability and system reform Inclusion and disability Parents and caretakers Reforming curriculum Learning assessment systems Education in emergencies Life skills Pre-primary education Gender and equity Who are the Think Pieces for? Our primary audience includes UNICEF education specialists within the 21 Eastern and Southern Africa Region country offices. Our secondary audience includes national and international education professionals, which consists of education ministry actors, other UNICEF offices/colleagues, development partners, I/NGOs, academics, consultants, etc. What are the aims of the Think Pieces? 1. To stimulate new debate and reflections in advancing quality education and learning. 2. To support UNICEF ESA colleagues work in-country (education sector analysis, planning, policy development, writing proposals). 3. To ensure that all UNICEF ESA work is underpinned by an aim to reform education systems to focus on learning.

2 2 Call for Proposal Information Pack UNICEF Think Piece Series What will a good Think Piece look like? 1. Robust thinking: demonstrated through a conceptual framework, Theory of Change or clear elucidation of the debates or issues. 2. A clear stance: demonstrated through what an author thinks is/isn t working and why. 3. Fresh ideas: demonstrated through suggestions as to what needs to change, what should be different or what direction should be taken. 4. Links to learning: all critiques, suggestions and ideas should be underpinned by an aim to improve learning. Although the concise nature of the Think Pieces will limit the degree to which authors can demonstrate some of these characteristics, these points provide an outline for what the pieces should look like as well as criteria for evaluation. What will be the outcomes? 1. UNICEF will publish the Think Pieces over the course of 2018 with full accreditation to the author(s) and their organisations. 2. Authors will be asked to write a 4 to 6 page Think Piece with an accompanying abstract. 3. Authors will be asked to develop a reading/reference list associated with their Think Piece. 4. Authors will also be asked to develop a 1-hour Webinar to present their Think Piece and stimulate discussion amongst colleagues from the 21 UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa country offices. 5. Authors will receive a $4000 remuneration package for the delivery of the Think Piece, reading list and webinar. 6. The Think Pieces will be disseminated via the UNICEF website and other media channels under the Creative Commons Attribution--NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license. How to submit a proposal: 1. You will be asked to submit a proposal that entails concise answers to 3 questions on the topic that you choose to apply for (one mandatory question, one optional question from a choice of 2 or 3, and one open question). These questions have been developed specifically for each thematic area and aim to elicit provocative thinking. Your answers should include big ideas, your challenges to the status quo, and/or what you would do if you could change the system. You can also submit proposals for as many topics as you choose. 2. In addition to these written answers, you (and your co-authors) will need to submit your CV in order to demonstrate the experience that you have had working in education systems in sub-saharan African contexts (particularly those in the ESAR). 3. The proposals will then be assessed by an evaluation panel and evaluations will be based on criteria of what a successful Think Piece should look like, which include: Is the thinking robust? Does the author have a clear stance? Does the author provide fresh ideas? Are there links to learning? 4. Upon selection of the best proposal for each topic, UNICEF will choose 10 (out of the 12) to further develop into Think Pieces and Webinars (the remaining two will likely be pursued at a later date). We will work with the selected authors to develop their Think Pieces and determine the timeframe for development over the course of Deadline for submission is Sunday 26th November 2017 (5pm GMT). Please submit your proposal and CV to: thinkpiece@camb-ed.com. Any questions or concerns can also be sent to the same address. Who is eligible to write a Think Piece? 1. Individuals as well as pairs or groups are eligible to submit a proposal. 2. Authors should have salient experience working in education systems in sub-saharan Africa and/or other developing country contexts. 3. Although not a prerequisite, authors should be recognised within the development community as leading in their field. Authors can be of any nationality and can be academic professionals, practitioners, consultants or staff of donors, NGOs or other organisations involved in development. UNICEF particularly welcomes applicants from Africa and the Global South.

3 3 Call for Proposal Information Pack UNICEF Think Piece Series Proposal questions and instructions: 1. Authors should answer one mandatory question, one optional question and one open question. In proposals, please include the proposal questions and provide your answers following each. 2. Please note, there is no right or wrong answer. These questions are designed to elicit your view points and ideas regarding certain topics. Some questions are intentionally provocative and are thus imbued with certain assumptions. Authors are encouraged to challenge these questions and assumptions if they can support this with reasoned argument. 3. The open question is intended to provide authors with a platform to write on any topic of their choice that is related to the overarching theme. This could include further elaboration on a thinking that have not yet been addressed. 4. Each individual question/answer should not exceed 200 words (questions will not be included in the word count). As such, your proposal will be no longer than 600 words per topic. Referencing is not necessary, but if you would like to do so, please use footnotes to ensure the reference is not included in the word count. Do not worry if you cannot cover everything you would like (including the sub-questions) this proposal is to give a flavour of your thinking and voice. 5. Please feel free to include diagrams, figures and charts as well they will not be included in the word count; however, please ensure that these are also clear and concise. 6. Upon completion of your answers, please submit these and your CV (including those of your co-authors) to thinkpiece@camb-ed.com by Sunday 26th November 2017 (5pm GMT). 7. Successful authors will be notified by Friday 22nd December In instances in which proposals from the same theme have received matching scores by the evaluation panel, brief interviews will be scheduled with authors. Topic questions for proposal: Topic: Improving classroom practice What does effective teaching and learning look like? Particularly in classrooms that have 60+ children, not enough desks and no teaching/learning materials? Given all of the areas that teacher s practice could be strengthened (i.e. language of instruction, early grade reading instruction, child-centred pedagogy, gender responsive pedagogy, formative assessment, etc.) - which area(s) should be prioritised and why? How can teachers practice and behaviour be strengthened in a meaningful and sustained way? Particularly given the problems of one-off, cascade training. Topic: Teacher performance How can teacher performance be strengthened to improve student learning? How should teacher motivation be addressed to improve student learning? What are promising nonsalary interventions? Is there a silver bullet solution for improvement or is a more holistic approach needed? What type of approach is most sustainable? What are the most effective approaches to managing teacher performance to improve student learning? What would be the best way to appraise, promote and/or discipline teachers for their performance? Why is there more of a focus on in-service training over pre-service training? What kind of effect does this have on children s learning? Should something be done about this, and if so, what?

4 4 Call for Proposal Information Pack UNICEF Think Piece Series Topic: School Improvement What are the most effective ways to strengthen schools in order to improve learning? How can the leadership and management of schools be strengthened in a sustainable way? Do school management committees work? Is there a better way to engage communities and parents in school development planning and improving learning? What are the best ways to improve the reach and use of grants, funds and resources for government schools? Topic: Accountability and system reform How can we ensure that education system actors implement sector policies and plans in light of limited human and financial resource? How can these actors be held to account? How can we best ensure that schools, head teachers and teachers are accountable to their students and communities? Particularly if parents and communities are disempowered and have low levels of education? How should a government prioritise the development and implementation of policies that compete for attention and resource within the education sector - such as inclusion, gender, ICT, HIV, ECD, etc? Topic: Inclusion and disability How can inclusive learning environments best be provided for children with disabilities, given the financial constraints of both schools and ministries of education? How can teachers be supported to identify and meet the needs for the variety of different learning and physical disabilities that they may encounter? What does inclusive teaching practice look like, particularly for children with disabilities? Given teachers large classes and lack of training, how can teachers be supported to demonstrate this type of practice? What are the best ways to assess children with disabilities who do not meet the minimum competencies for their grade level? How can these be incorporated into a national assessment system? Topic: Parents and caretakers Should the education system strengthen the links between home and school in order to support children s learning from pre-primary through to tertiary education? If so, how? How can parents best be supported to improve their children s learning? Particularly parents with low levels of education who are busy working to sustain their family s livelihood? Should changes be made to parents practices and beliefs that impinge on learning, such as child labour, child marriage, female genital mutilation, etc.? How to change to positive practices, like fostering learning (e.g. critical thinking and skills development)?

5 5 Call for Proposal Information Pack UNICEF Think Piece Series Topic: Reforming curriculum What role does curriculum play in education? What should it contain and how can we best ensure that it actually impacts classroom practice? What are the merits and implications of a competencybased curriculum? How would you support the shift in national assessments and teaching practice needed to support it? Given the resources and political will needed to implement a new curriculum (i.e. new syllabi, materials, pre- and in-service teacher education, assessment, etc.), is it worth it? Are there alternative ways in which effective curriculum changes can be achieved? How can we best ensure that a curriculum is relevant to different stakeholders (such as parents, employers, ethnic minorities, children with disabilities, etc.) and is not just a curriculum developed for and by an educated elite? Topic: Learning assessment systems Given the many aims of national assessment systems, how can a system be designed to be fit for purpose and supportive of teaching, learning and identifying learning gaps? What are cost effective ways to meet the different aims and objectives of assessments? Is it inevitable for national assessments to become highstakes exams that shape how and what teachers teach (e.g. only teaching testable skills, or teaching to the test)? If so, what can be done about this? Topic: Education in Emergencies How can we best ensure that education systems (and their students) are resilient to recurring conflict/disaster and be sustained after the emergency? What promising education in emergency interventions improve learning? There are many areas for intervention (teachers, formal or non-formal education, curriculum, child protection, inclusion), which should be prioritised and why? What are the most effective ways to support systems to provide education for emergency affected learners? What are the best ways to deliver uninterrupted learning? What are the most promising practices for integrating refugee education into national systems? Particulary with regard to challenges surrounding language, ethnic/ religious/gender discrimination and teachers? Topic: Life skills How important are socio-emotional learning, interpersonal skills, communication skills, financial skills, sexual education, building grit, etc.? Should these skills be part of the broader curriculum? If teachers are struggling to teach other parts of the curriculum, how might they be supported to teach these as well? What is the best way to assess or monitor children s acquisition of life skills? What is meant by 21st century skills, soft skills, executive skills and life skills? How can they be developed in a relevant and practical way to improve learning? How can we ensure that they are not treated as extracurricular activity? SDG indicator 4.7 is about the extent to which global citizenship education, education for sustainable development, gender equality and human rights are mainstreamed at all levels in national education policies, curricula, teacher education and student assessment. Is this a feasible goal given the current challenges in Eastern and Southern Africa region? What should be the priority? to this theme. This could include further elaboration on a previous answer, or introducing other big ideas or fresh thinking that they have not yet addressed.

6 6 Call for Proposal Information Pack UNICEF Think Piece Series Topic: Pre-primary education In contexts with no or limited pre-primary provision, what promising interventions or programmes could be implemented? How and to what extent are they scalable and sustainable? Why is pre-primary important? What is the current government provision of pre-primary education in the Eastern and Southern African region and what systemic changes are needed to strengthen it? Why isn t there more of a focus on pre-primary education in international discourse, national policy and grassroots practice? Is this a problem? If so, what should be done about it? Given the positive effects of pre-primary in marginalised communities, what can be done to ensure that preprimary education reaches the furthest behind first? Topic: Gender and equity There is a great deal of evidence on what works in improving girls education; however, in many countries in our region, girls completion and transition beyond primary remains a problem. Why is this and what can be done about it? Is it possible to change deeply-embedded social norms and beliefs that can shape the education provision and trajectory of children based on gender and ethnicity? If so, how and who should do it? What causes gender-based violence in schools and how can it be reduced? How can the most vulnerable children be included and protected when delivering education in emergencies? UNICEF in collaboration with Cambridge Education