Call for Expert/Consultant - Moodle LMS guidance

Project title: Mosharaka Virtual Platform to Support Entrepreneurship in the MENA Region

Location: Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon (Pilot phase)

Project Presentation:

The Mosharaka Virtual Platform project aims to support vulnerable populations in the MENA Region, especially youth and women, gain access to decent work and enjoy better social inclusion through improved access to entrepreneurial education resources. Currently in a pilot phase, Secours Catholique and its 5 NGO partners (described below) are developing an Arabic-language virtual platform of educational tools and resources.

The general objective of the Mosharaka Virtual Platform project is to support young people in the Middle East who wish to start their own business, and particularly youth and women, in acquiring the necessary skills for developing sustainable businesses, with the longer-term aim of strengthening access to decent work and income.

Specifically, the pilot phase platform will offer the following resources:

• Country-specific entrepreneurship guides with information regarding registration procedures, financing possibilities, market specificities
• A self-paced introductory online course in Arabic (MSA) that assists learners in discovering entrepreneurship, followed by the essential basic skills to start a business (understanding markets, business planning, marketing, financial management, etc.)
• Directories of online and offline entrepreneurship education and support resources, in Arabic and other languages
• Virtual, and safe, spaces for exchange and networking on a regional level
• Possibility of requesting individualized coaching/mentoring support

Beneficiaries/Target group:

Up to 500 pilot phase beneficiaries, 18-35 years of age, facing economic and/or social difficulties, including unemployment or underemployment, with at least 50% young women, all beneficiaries demonstrating a basic level of literacy and digital skills

Location:

Virtual/Partner NGOs located in France, Egypt, Palestine, and Lebanon

Project Partners:

• Secours Catholique - Caritas France (SCCF): Initial financial and technical support to gather experienced project partners and coordinate work to develop, launch, and test virtual platform with relevant entrepreneurship education and support resources.

• Egypt: Etijah + Egyptian Association for Comprehensive Development (EACD) // Palestine: Caritas Jerusalem + Near East Council of Churches (NECC)// Lebanon: DPNA: Co-developing and co-managing the Mosharaka platform, including mapping resources and participating in the development of platform content; recruiting up to 100 pilot phase beneficiaries in order to test pilot platform, monitoring and evaluating usage for continued improvement and potential expansion.

Objectives of the consultancy: The overall objective of the consultancy is to support the project partners technically in understanding how to use the basic features of Moodle LMS and guidance in finalizing the pilot version of the virtual platform. 

Specific objectives:

• Overview of basic features of Moodle LMS, tailored for beginner learners from non-IT backgrounds.
• Guidance on adapting current course content to online experience and identifying appropriate Moodle features for content.
• Guidance on improving design and maximizing user-friendliness.
• Guidance on maximizing interactive approach.
• Provide recommendations for future directions for the platform.

Desired Methodology

• Hands-on online sessions with the project partners focused on mastering the most basic elements of Moodle necessary for the pilot phase content (creating interactive courses, forum spaces, static information spaces, enrolling and managing users, generating reports, troubleshooting)
• Hands-on online sessions focused on making current content more interactive for learners.

Expected Qualifications and Experience

The Consultant must fulfill the following requirements:

• Experience in E-learning, LMS Design and Management
• Experience in Moodle system
• Experience in teaching technology using learner-centred techniques and adapted for non-IT specialists.
• Knowledge of MENA region
• Experience in gamification a plus
• Experience in inclusive online design for Persons with Disabilities a plus
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Proficiency in English and Egyptian/Levantine Arabic
• Compliance with Secours Catholique’s Code of Conduct (attached)

Timeframe of the evaluation mission:

The Consultancy should take place between July-end of August 2023.

Selection and contract signature by end of June 2023.

Sessions to start by July 2023.

Expected outputs:

• Written summary of recommendations for future directions for the platform (Arabic/English)