Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education Directorate General of Innovation and Educational Technologies

REPUBLIC OF TURKEY MINISTRY OF NATIONAL EDUCATION DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF INNOVATION AND EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES

TECHNICAL TERMS OF REFERENCE

FOR

THE SAFE SCHOOLING AND DISTANCE EDUCATION PROJECT

March 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ...... iv

INTRODUCTION ...... 1

INTEGRATED WORK PACKAGES ...... 11

1 WORK PACKAGE 1: MACRO LEVEL FEASIBILITY OF THE PROJECT...... 13

1.1 SCOPE OF WP-1 ...... 13

1.2 OUTPUTS OF WP-1 ...... 16

2 WORK PACKAGE 2: FEASIBILITY AND TECHNICAL DESIGN STUDY FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE...... 17

2.1 SCOPE OF WP-2 ...... 19

2.2 OUTPUTS OF WP-2 ...... 25

3 WORK PACKAGE 3: FEASIBILITY AND TECHNICAL DESIGN STUDY FOR DIGITAL CONTENT ...... 28

3.1 SCOPE OF WP-3 ...... 29

3.2 ANALYSIS OF CURRENT STATE ...... 30

3.3 NEEDS ANALYSIS ...... 31

3.4 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 34

3.5 METHODS OF PREPARING THE NEW STRUCTURE AND RELEVANT REPORTS ...... 41

3.6 OUTPUTS OF WP-3 ...... 44

4 WORK PACKAGE 4: FEASIBILITY AND TECHNICAL DESIGN STUDY FOR DEVELOPING “EDTECH INNOVATION HUB” and INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM ...... 47

4.1 THE SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF WP-4 ...... 49

4.2 WP-4 OUTPUTS ...... 53

5 WORK PACKAGE 5: IMPLEMENTATION PHASE SUPERVISION CONSULTANCY SERVICE 78

5.1 SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF WP-5 ...... 78

5.2 WP-5 OUTPUTS ...... 84

6 ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECTS ...... 85

6.1 ORGANIZATION, COORDINATION AND LOGISTICS ...... 85

6.2 THE CONSULTANT’S REQUIREMENTS ...... 102

6.3 DOCUMENT APPROVAL PROCESS ...... 103

6.4 DELIVERY CALENDAR ...... 104

6.5 WORK PROGRAM AND DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED ...... 108

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Main focus areas and related outputs ...... 53

Table 2 Delivery Calendar with End Dates ...... 104

Table 3 Documents submitted by WPs ...... 108

iii

TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Terms Definition Ministry of National Education Directorate General of The Client Innovation and Educational Technologies The Consultant The company to conduct Feasibility Study

EdTech Innovation Hub Incubation and Innovation Center of Educational Technologies Feasibility Study for Safe Schooling and Distance Education Feasibility Study Project Signature Date for the Agreement between the Client and the T0 Consultant

Abbreviations Definition

AEHLDR Analysis, Evaluation and High-Level Design Report

AM Asset Map

API Application Programming Interface

CDN Content Delivery Network

CMS Content Management System

CPD Continuous Professional Development

DG Directorate General Directorate General of Innovation and Educational DGIET Technologies EBA Digital Education Platform

ESF Education System for the Future Education Vision EV http://2023vizyonu.meb.gov.tr/doc/2023_VIZYON_ENG.pdf ETKIM Incubation and Innovation Centre of Educational Technologies

GIIP Good International Industry Practice

Abbreviations Definition

GSM Global System for Mobile Communications

HRPCO Harmonization Report for Project Components and Outcomes

IFRS International Financial Reporting Standards

ISO International Organization for Standardization

IT Information Technologies

K-12 Kindergarten through 12th grade

MoNE Ministry of National Education

MOOC Massive Open Online Course

MPR Management Panel Report

NA Need Analysis

NAWG Need Analysis Working Group

NDES New Digital Education System

OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

PFSER Project Final Supervision and Evaluation Report

PIF Project Implementation Framework

PIU Project Implementation Unit

PLL Professional Learning Lab

PPR Project Progress Report

PPSD Project Procurement Strategy for Development

PQI Personnel Qualification Inventory

PSR Preliminary Supervision Report Quality Assurance Guidelines for Feasibility Process and QAG Outcomes

Abbreviations Definition

R&D Research and Development

RFB Request for Bids

RMP Requirements Management Plan

RRDCS Reduction Report for Digital Content Standards

SNA Social Network Analysis

SRS Software Requirement Specifications

SSDE Safe Schooling and Distance Education

SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Analysis

ToR Terms of Reference

TTO Technology Transfer Office

UN United Nations

WG Working Group

WHO World Health Organization

WP Work Package

INTRODUCTION

Turkey’s Covid-19 Education Response:

After the first case of COVID-19 was identified on March 11, 2020 in Turkey, the Government has gradually introduced a range of public health measures in line with the guidance of World Health Organization (WHO). On March 23, 2020, the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) started distance-based schooling period for more than 18 million students. MoNE has been providing distance education to students in line with the determined social distancing and safe schooling policies. According to the agreements signed between MoNE and GSM companies, students are provided with 6GB-8GB free data for EBA mobile application. In addition, TV broadcasting is also used for facilitating access. Three separate TRT-EBA TV channels have broadcasted content for primary school, secondary school and high school curriculum.

In the above context, the Safe Schooling and Distance Education (SSDE) Project supports MoNE to cope with the present COVID-19 crisis through remote learning at scale, as well as to modernize the digital education infrastructure for the future. The aim is to prepare Turkey’s education system for an effective blended learning (face-to-face & on-line) after the pandemic is over. Turkey’s Safe Schooling and Distance Education Project is innovative as it includes components of an immediate emergency response, coupled with longer term goals and investments to promote a resilient quality of education with equity (accessible to all). The SSDE includes three integrated components focusing on (i) connectivity/IT infrastructure, (ii) digital content and ed-tech ecosystem, and (ii) building on institutional capacity.

Turkey’s Future Education System and the Need for a Quality and Resilient Digital Education Platform and Ecosystem

The SSDE Project is part of a broader strategy to build an Education System for the Future (ESF) in Turkey. The ESF aims to improve the skills and competencies that learners and teachers acquire, the pedagogical models to support the development of those competencies, and the digital education platform and ways to incentivize a broader set of EdTech partners and solution providers. Also, a new digital education platform and innovations ecosystem would support teacher development and empower them to be the drivers of educational change in the classroom, especially through a blended instructional model (classroom/on-line).

The SSDE Project supports the implementation of the ESF through the design of a new digital education platform, more relevant and quality digital content, and incentives to promote innovations in Turkey’s ecosystem of digital tools’ developers. As the SSDE Project was designed in an expedited way to address the immediate school closure needs in Turkey, the feasibility studies and technical design of components that focus on ESF and medium-to-longer term transformation were planned to be addressed in a successive study. This TOR defines the scope and action plan of the feasibility studies and technical designs in this context.

The feasibility and design of the longer-term SSDE components will need to pay attention to MoNE’s vision of a future education system, and aligned to the education system’s curriculum, pedagogy, teacher development and school management standards and guidance.

Ministry of National Education has issued the Education Vision 2023 (EV 2023) Document as a strategic road map in 2018 that define the ESF, i.e. the "Education System of the Future in Turkey". The EV 2023 Document involves 17 chapters and set outs a total of 44 objectives for the education system. The EV 2023 Document consist of long-term objective that requires comprehensive institutional changes in specific themes. The document can be accessed from the following link: https://2023vizyonu.meb.gov.tr/doc/2023_VIZYON_ENG.pdf

Vision 2023 sees education as an ecosystem and seeks to design all subcomponents of the system simultaneously. The four core elements emphasized in EV 2023 are students, parents, teachers and schools. The students are seen as the common denominator within the ecosystem. Ecosystem activities should also support families, especially by feeding them with sufficient knowledge so that they can help their children.

Accordingly, educational content and curriculum should also be centered on the student. EV 2023 underlines that Turkish word for curriculum, “müfredat”, comes from the root word “fert”, which means individual in English. That fert is the child/student. Thus, the educational content and the teachers delivering this content should guide each student, i.e., identify and adapt to the unique needs of each student. In line with this, curricula will be restructured as flexible and modular, linked with skills sets in an integrated manner across all levels. Student with special education needs is an important priority in this context. Portable curriculum packages, home-schooling services, and cooperation with other organizations (Ministry of

Health, the Social Security Institution, local administrations, NGOs and international organizations) are emphasized as interventions in EV 2023.

Another important point made in the EV 2023 is the need for the development of own interests, talents, and character of the children. Psychological counseling and guidance system will be restructured to use evidence (data) and scientific methods. Career Guidance System will be established for children to gain self-recognition (in terms of characters, talents, interests, values, personality, and family), learn about professions, and consider career choices, create career profiles for themselves, identify pathways to jobs and professions, and identify sources of jobs. All these will be linked with “student's e-portfolio”. Another related intervention is the design- skill labs, which will help us identify the relevant skills and interests of each child.

EV 2023 sees transformation of curriculum design and mode of learning at every level of education. Primary school students will be evaluated according to skills-based activities rather than exam scores. A flexible and modular curriculum will be applied in secondary education and course hours will be reduced. Flexible optional course sets will be structured according to the interests, talents and characters of students in secondary education. Awareness among students about professions through certificate/skill sets on IT and business qualifications in secondary education. Accordingly, field choice will start in grade 9 and academic knowledge will be transformed into applied skills. For upper secondary schools, course schedules will be structured to improve students' scientific research skills. Upper secondary school students will also make use of the research and laboratory facilities of universities. The curriculum for vocational and technical education will be structured in a flexible and modular way and occupational education will start at grade 9. Student will spend longer durations in real work settings and micro credits will be provided for their successful projects. For citizens who are outside the formal education system due to their age, a simplified curriculum will be developed, their awareness will be raised, a monitoring system will be established. The parent support program for early childhood, childhood and adolescence periods will be updated and scaled up.

EV 2023 posits a “school development model” where schools make their own development plans in view of their own capabilities. All processes of schools will be monitored, and their progress will be evaluated within the school's own context based on the “School Profile Evaluation Model” and the school level data-based planning and management system. In this

context, a learning platform for better decision making will be developed, the databases will be simplified (so that all users from parents to teachers and school administrators can readily use it) and integrated and bureaucratic burden is significantly reduced. Flexible, participatory and innovative school financing models will be established.

The professional development of teachers and school administrators is another important priority of EV 2023. Horizontal, vertical and post-graduate career (teaching profession) specialization programs will replace certificate-based pedagogical formation. In-service training (including in-service training for teachers on providing education to students with special needs and to students with special talents) will partly replace with accredited certification programs to be run by universities. Certificate training programs will be established to enhance the skills of classroom teachers in providing guidance services for students' careers (for which they need to know about actual jobs and the skills they demand in the labor-and-job markets). Cooperation with universities and NGOs for vocational development of teachers and school administrators will be mobilized for these purposes.

EV 2023 also set the objective of “Digital Content & Skills-Backed Transformation of the Learning Process”. The main mechanisms to achieve this purpose are stated as: (i) a participatory ecosystem for development of digital education and teaching contents, (ii) a national digital contents archive, and (iii) quality standards for digital contents.

EV 2023 also states that learning is a process that requires learners to participate, to experience and question while trying to satisfy their curiosity. It is almost impossible to meet today’s learning needs only with printed materials within or outside classrooms. Within classrooms, teachers have to create an environment that is suitable for questioning, design thinking, conceptual learning, and both individual and group work. Digital content will be used as a tool to create such an environment. Leader teachers who develop digital learning materials will be supported and encouraged.

EV 2023 underlines that education in the 21st century is not limited to what happens in the school. Learning occurs, in all forms, not only in the school and classroom but in the home, in the street, and even through the media. In our society, learning is part of our daily lives. To achieve it, digital education is again one of the key themes to provide personalized learning for each student's strengths, needs, skills and interests. Digital content should be highly interactive,

be delivered using a strong pedagogical approach that prioritizes conceptual depth and maintain subject integrity. Algorithmic thinking, Coding, 3D design, electronic design, cyber security and similar IT-related production skills will be integrated into all levels of student learning (from primary level and up) and teacher & manager trainings, both within and outside classroom environment. Digital and printed education materials will be linked to each other, and the use of digital teaching materials will be mainstreamed. New generation digital measurement materials supporting meta-cognitive skills will be developed. Face-to-face training programs and workshops for teachers will be conducted, which requires a virtual conference platform.

SSDE Projects objectives and foreseen intervention covers a great portion of EV 2023's above- mentioned objectives and intervention areas. EV 2023 stipulated cooperation and coordination within a wide number of domestic and even international partners, which means that SSDE requires collaboration and/or coordination of the project executer DGIET with partners within and outside of MoNe. The following sections of this document will delineate the projects and organizational units in this context.

Some of the priorities such as early childhood policies, financing of schools, English learning, school neighborhood sports clubs, preservation and development of Turkish language will be treated as the backbone of basic education seem to be not directly related to SSDE project, however, the ecosystem, platform, teacher and parental trainings and content development interventions of SSDE have the potential to support these seemingly less-related priorities as well.

EV 2023 emphasizes the essential aspects of hybrid education approach without openly stating the phrase itself. In that sense it is a visionary document. The COVID-19 crisis accelerated the process of shifting into hybrid learning systems. SSDE stands as the core intervention of EV 2023 to achieve this purpose. Almost every thematic priority in EV 2023 can and shall be supported by the outcomes of SSDE project.

SSDE corresponds most directly to EV 2023 in terms of the priority of: "Digital education and content development ecosystem will be created with the participation of different actors and institutions in the Turkish Education System." (p. 73). This ecosystem formation will be financially supported by the World Bank and managed by the Directorate-General for

Innovation and Educational Technologies. It will encourage R&D partnerships with parents, teachers, students, universities and other digital content developers in the educational technologies and innovation ecosystem that will be created within the scope of the Safe Schooling and Distance Education Project.

In ETKİM (Incubation and Innovation Centre of Educational Technologies), within the scope of the project, it is aimed to establish strong cooperation and communication with all stakeholders and target groups in order to develop educational technologies, software, digital educational materials, pedagogical tools and teacher development elements. With all the studies and investments, our main objective is to develop digital competences and digital maturity of the schools by creating a collaborative ecosystem with the stakeholders. Hence, Directorate General for Innovation and Educational Technologies (DGIET) is the leading unit to initiate “Digital Content and Skills-based Transformation of the Learning Process” by creating an ecosystem for development of digital content and skills and training teachers for digital skills.

In addition to content development and ecosystem building, SSDE also aims to establish the technological infrastructure, the platform and the solutions running over them. This component is somewhat less pronounced in the EV 2023. SSDE aims to link educational achievements with 21st century life-skills and job-related skills within the subcomponents 2.1 and 2.2 of the SSDE project.

In general, the proposed feasibility studies, to be requested through these ToRs, will help to validate the Project investments that address the main digital education bottlenecks and solutions to realize Turkey’s vision of a future education system.

The Safe Schooling and Distance Education Project

The Safe Schooling and Distance Education Project aims to support Turkey’s education sector to provide safe schooling through distance education and recover in a more resilient way as a response to COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed project aims to both respond to COVID-19 needs for safe and interactive distance learning and establish a more resilient system for educational technologies. The project will contribute significantly to the educational technology investments and strengthen the education system during crises.

The Project’s first component will expand the existing digital education platform (EBA) and improve connectivity during the COVID-19 emergency. It will also finance the development of a New Digital Education System (NDES) for the future. The second component provides digital content and pedagogical tools for distance education and to strengthen blended teaching and learning. This component will provide incentives for the development, testing and scale up of digital education innovations across a broad ecosystem of designers, teachers, technology start-ups and other public private partnerships and non-governmental organizations. The feasibility studies and design for these longer-term investments (NDES and digital education innovations) will be conducted during the initial phase of project implementation. A third component support Project management, capacity building and knowledge sharing.

Specifically, the SSDE Project design includes 3 (three) interrelated components addressing emergency response, transition and recovery of education system. These components are:

i. Emergency Connectivity and IT Infrastructure for Education in Emergencies ii. Digital Content and Pedagogy for Safety and Quality iii. Institutional Capacity for Education Technology Resilience.

Component 1: Emergency Connectivity and IT Infrastructure for Education in Emergencies

1.1. COVID-19 School Closure Response

Provision of goods, consulting and non-consulting services, and small refurbishments to support immediate enhancements to, and the expansion of, the existing digital infrastructure and digital education platform (“EBA”) learning system, including, inter alia, provision of software updates, integration and maintenance, scalability of servers, ongoing data storage and backup, other forms of delivery for distance learning, and awareness and outreach campaigns.

1.2. Resilient Digital Education System

Provision of goods, consulting and non-consulting services, training, and small refurbishments to support:

i. The carrying out of needs assessments, feasibility studies, and designs, and the preparation of tender documents for a New Digital Education System (“NDES”) based on the recommendations resulting from said assessments and studies; said activities include, inter alia:

(a) Developing approaches to integrate the NDES, including delivery modalities that are most accessible to identified special needs and low-income groups; (b) Enhancing backup datacenter arrangements and developing a disaster recovery plan in order to strengthen procedures to ensure continuity of the digital education system and the quick recovery of crucial data in the event of extreme climate events; and (c) Analyzing the operational, financial, environmental (including climate change and energy efficiency) and social impacts, and sustainability considerations for the NDES; and ii. The development, and roll-out, of the NDES.

Component 2. Digital Content and Pedagogy for Safety and Quality

2.1. Digital Content and Pedagogical Support During School Closures and for Re-opening

Provision of goods and consulting and non-consulting services to support:

i. The adaptation, development, and delivery of digital and audio-visual content for K-12 curriculum (including for students with special needs), pedagogical practices, COVID- 19 risk mitigation, and teacher training; ii. The development and delivery of television-based educational materials and courses; and iii. The preparation of school opening plan, including school re-engagement outreach, adaptation and development of additional educational materials to support the re- opening of schools, student support, and teacher training.

2.2. Educational Innovation and Participatory Ecosystem

i. Provision of goods, consulting and non-consulting services, and small refurbishments, to support:

(a) The carrying out of feasibility and design studies to establish, and roll-out, a sound collaboration and communication ecosystem for the on-going development of digital education technologies; and (b) The provision of said materials (including multimedia, continuous professional development materials, instructional materials, and pedagogical tools) to teachers and students. ii. (a) Carrying out of feasibility and design studies to develop an Education Technology Innovation Hub (“EdTech Innovation Hub”) that promotes innovative technologies and pedagogical tools and promotes partnerships with parents, teachers, students, community actors, universities and other developers of digital content. (b) Carrying out of, through the EdTech Innovation Hub, a targeted research and development program to promote EdTech start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures to develop approaches that address innovative solutions to educational technological challenges (e.g., digitalization, artificial intelligence, sustainable development objectives, supporting learners with disabilities/special needs, upskilling teachers, catch-up programs for students with low academic background, and innovative functionalities for digital education systems). iii. Provision of support for pedagogical and organizational improvements at the school level, the training of trainers, contributions to teachers’ professional development, and involvement of teachers in the development of digital educational material through the Professional Learning Lab (PLL).

Component 3. Institutional Capacity for Education Technology Resilience

3.1. Project Management, Monitoring and Impact Evaluation

Provision of goods, consulting and non-consulting services, small refurbishments, and Operating Costs to support MoNE in project planning, coordination, management, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, including impact evaluation for each part of the Project in the delivery of safe and distance education, the delivery of safe and equitable digital education services, and the integration of NDES and MoNE’s education management information systems.

3.2. Institutional Capacity-Building for Education Preparedness In Emergencies And E- Learning Resilience

Provision of technical assistance, studies and knowledge events to consolidate the preparedness and response capacity of MoNE for crisis preparedness, including supporting the design and implementation of a robust disaster risk management and recovery plan in the education sector (including strategies for the sustainability of the NDES in the event of climate, environmental or other crises) and in the use of e-learning technologies.

Feasibility Studies, Design and Supervision Support

This document guides the terms of reference (ToR) for proposals for the feasibility analysis, design features, and implementation support for the three main long-term components of the project: digital infrastructure, digital education materials, and innovations ecosystem. In additional a general (macro) project feasibility analysis is expected. Although these three components are integrated (digital infrastructure, materials and incentives), for ease of implementation the ToRs divide them intro different work packages.

Nonetheless, the work packages for each of the above long-term Project investments should follow a general framework of analysis that integrates them. For example, global lessons learned, best practices and current local status should provide the framework to assess current needs in digital infrastructure, digital education materials, and innovations in Turkey’s EdTech ecosystem. Identifying concrete future outcomes in each of these areas, a SWOT analysis and analysis of assets should guide critical bottlenecks and potential solution areas to close the gap between current status and future objectives. Design of solution for each long-term subcomponent should include concrete operational aspects for implementation of the project, including organizational structures, governance, planning, monitoring, evaluations, etc. Finally, specific feasibility aspects such as cost breakdown, cost/benefit analysis and sustainability must be included in all work packages.

Specifically, the feasibility studies will be broken down to the following 4 (four) main interrelated sections (work packages). In addition, the Consultant will undertake the 5th work package (supervision consultancy) to support the implementation phase:

i. “Project Feasibility Study” required by the national authorities for SSDE Project at the macro level; ii. Feasibility and technical design study for Information Technologies Infrastructure; iii. Feasibility and technical design study for digital content; iv. Feasibility and technical study for Ecosystem and EdTech Innovation Hub; and v. Implementation Phase Supervision Consultancy Service.

First work package above is related with all components of the SSDE project. The second work package is related with Component 1.2, the third work package to Component 2.1, the fourth package to Component 2.2 and the fifth package to Component 3.1.

INTEGRATED WORK PACKAGES

These technical ToRs define the technical specifications for the project feasibility studies outlined above. The selected Consultant will be in active collaboration to determine and improve the common, interrelated and interconnected aspects of the SSDE feasibility and technical designs [(i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) given above]. The feasibility and design guidance for the New Digital Education System (NDES) provides the infrastructure for the delivery and use of digital education materials that are also developed within the Project. In turn, the approach to develop, test and scale up of new digital education materials is to provide “innovation incentives” across different actors in Turkey. The feasibility analysis would need to show how these investments, in an integrated way, contribute to MoNE’s future education system reform, including those noted in Turkey’s Education Vision 2023.

For example, a critical feedback from the feasibility studies will be to understand the policies and processes for integration of education and pedagogical content and data into the NDES and to understand how the NDES is integrated with other MoNE and government digital and data systems. Also, the NDES would need to provide the platforms of connectivity, access, simultaneous classroom, personalized assessments and evaluations to support the delivery of the curriculum and the pedagogical practices expected in a future education system, including for blended learning. Issues such as data ownership, interoperability, API use, data structures and standards will be important to articulate. Also, integration with other school management and student information systems, such as E-School will be required. As part of the feasibility study, the role of micro services architecture to address these issues should be explored.

The components of an integrated feasibility analysis have been divided in five work packages, which are detailed next:

1 WORK PACKAGE 1: MACRO LEVEL FEASIBILITY OF THE PROJECT

This work package validates the “business” need for the Safe Schooling and Distance Education Project and it aims to increase the digital system and innovation capacity to provide safe and equal distance and e-learning for school age children during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and for future crises.

1.1 SCOPE OF WP-1

An effective and stable digital education system contributes to the provision of uninterrupted distance education where and when access to education is restricted; to improvements in the quality of education during normal times; and to enabling a blended, face-to face and distance education approach. This first work package would study the business feasibility showing the contributions of the SSDE Project to eliminate distance education gaps and identify requirements for hybrid education system through evidence-based approaches and in line with Turkey’s education vision and policies for the future. This business feasibility analysis will pay attention to costs, benefits, efficiency and lessons learned to provide general recommendations. It should include the following:

General Education Feasibility

1.1.1 Reviewing Turkey’s learning levels and how these related to a “global learning crisis” despite the substantial increase in the global schooling rates. For example, in Turkey, the average learning level is 8.9 years although the average schooling is over 12 years. It is useful to use existing analysis of World Bank on “learning adjusted years of schooling” and “learning loss.” Showing the learning gaps, the “business case” feasibility (work package #1) should address the role of SSDE Project on closing learning gaps (or preventing further learning loss).

1.1.2 Identifying the properties, organization and operation of future's education system envisaged in Education Vision 2023 strategy document of Turkey, which should provide the framework for the feasibility of the SSDE and its digital education subcomponents: (i) analyzing and evaluating the philosophies, platforms and systems of future’s education; (ii) reviewing its objectives and strategies specific to digital education, distance education and blended learning; and (ii) identifying the global and

local transformation of the roles of actors such as ministries of education, schools, teachers, parents and students;

1.1.3 Uncovering the lessons learned (on digital education platforms, materials, and tools), especially during crises, such as pandemics and natural disasters, and enabling conditions, such as legal frameworks, governance, financing strategies, and strategies for rapid implementation. It should include lessons learned on harmonizing short- and long-term approaches on digital education (distance, blended, etc.) based on global and local trends.

1.1.4 Identifying the position and role of SSDE project for mobilizing EV; the contributions of the long-term Project investments (NDES, Ecosystem, EdTech Hubs, PLL) to the success of the ESF; and the synergic impacts of SSDE Project on other projects and activities in the context of EV.

Distance and Blended Learning Feasibility

1.1.5 Analyzing global and local “face-to-face” and “distance” education approaches and best practices; exemplifying how they are effectively integrated into one another within blended education approach; and providing suggestions for Turkey;

1.1.6 Taking inventory of Turkish education and distance education for all teachers and students in all levels including those in life-long learning; evaluating historical development, current effectiveness, comprehensiveness, accessibility and preparedness for emergencies of relevant policies, implementations and investments; determining deficiencies; and identifying the needs and associated costs;

Operational Feasibility

1.1.7 Analyzing the requirements for: infrastructure, platform, interface, human capital, incentives, monitoring/evaluation approaches, copyrights, licenses, technology transferring models, collaborations networks, etc. of blended education in Turkey in terms of global and local trends, opportunities and limitations, and identifying the required capacity and skills for teachers, (school and MoNE) administrators, and

technology developers by taking into consideration the different needs of early childhood, K-12, Life Long Learning and Teacher Trainings;

1.1.8 Identifying the current status of the digital education “ecosystem” composed of policies, technologies, platforms, systems and developers for education and distance education in Turkey; carrying out relevant market analysis; technology and skill maps and inventory of companies; determining the deficiencies and providing suggestions for an ideal ecosystem;

1.1.9 Establishing monitoring, supervision and impact evaluation frameworks and performing relevant planning for SSDE Project activities during and after the Project.

1.1.10 This output will take into account the related outputs of other work packages.

Cost-Benefit, Environmental & Social, and Sustainability Feasibility

1.1.11 Carrying out overall cost/benefit analysis of SSDE Project considering the impact of each component of SSDE Project and synergies between them;

1.1.12 Suggesting strategies for the sustainability of the SSDE investments

1.1.13 Carrying out the Environmental and Social Impact Analysis of SSDE Project;

Stakeholder, Participation and Communication Strategy Feasibility

1.1.14 Identifying the stakeholders, their roles and needs in SSDE, suggesting an overall Communication Strategy for the Project, which guarantee effective reach-out and enable effective contribution from the stakeholders;

1.1.15 Suggesting collaboration and information events (both within MoNE and outside MoNE) required for the sustainability of SSDE Project;

1.1.16 Structuring an overall communications strategy for the Project that delineates project identity, brand positioning, standards for communication design and language, market analysis, advertising strategies, media-plan for nation-wide campaign, web-site design requirements, perception management approach and tools, social engagement activity plan, crises management and communicative sustainability plan, stakeholder database

with demographic information, data analysis and reporting structure for communication, and call center set-up and requirements.

1.2 OUTPUTS OF WP-1

1.2.1 General Education and Distance/Blended Learning Report

1.2.2 Operational Feasibility Report

1.2.3 Cost/Benefit Analysis, E&S Impact Analysis and Sustainability Report

1.2.4 Stakeholder, Participation and Communication Strategy Feasibility Report

1.2.5 “Proposal Form for Projects Requiring Feasibility Study” Document to be submitted to Strategy and Budget Office of the Presidency of Republic of Turkey (ANNEX-A2)

1.2.6 Overall recommendations report.

2 WORK PACKAGE 2: FEASIBILITY AND TECHNICAL DESIGN STUDY FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE

This work package includes the studies for the determination of the new system that will provide safe distance education during disasters and enable the blended and synchronous face- to-face and distance education to a wide range of students during normal times as a result of the technological analyses, user needs analyses and cost/benefit analyses. This component will establish a safe education platform that is resilient to crises for the current and future needs of the country.

The new digital education system will strengthen MoNE’s digital education platform as well as improving the restricted capacity of the current system for the national distance education needs. The new digital education system will be carried out in three phases. These are:

• The needs assessment and feasibility studies of the new system • Modular development of the system • Testing and nationwide roll-out

The 40,000-user capacity of the current EBA system was increased to 600,000 – 800,000 concurrent users as a result of short-term activities for increasing the capacity. The new distance education system will reach 5,000,000 concurrent system users and 100,000 simultaneous virtual classrooms. Given that the current system architecture is not designed to serve that number of simultaneous users, this feasibility study will provide horizontal infrastructure improvements for (i) a new platform of a higher capacity, (ii) a new software infrastructure, (iii-a) renewing the datacenter or transition to a Platform as a Service (PaaS) in order to reach a higher capacity of data storage, or alternatively, (iii-b) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), (iv) testing and cyber security, (v) learning analytics system and (vi) a new CDN architecture. Another purpose of this component is to serve to a higher number of users including open education and life-long learning students as well as all K-12 students. Moreover, provision of a more effective Content Delivery Network (CDN) is necessary for serving millions of concurrent users in a fast, interactive and effective way. The content will be delivered by means of procuring a CDN service from national/international providers or designing and establishing a national delivery network for local/province-based content managed by MoNE. This new CDN will have an architecture where content will be accessed from different sources in order

to meet the accessibility needs of 5 million users in a rapid manner. The IT infrastructure which will support the new system (including required capabilities such as learning analytics and containerized environments) will be determined by detailed solutions for issues regarding storage, security, bandwidth, mobile access, etc. and for disaster recovery and backup scenarios as well as considering anticipated environmental implications. The user features (suggesting content, sending assignment, social communication, etc.) of NDES will be determined by also taking into account the current features and functions of EBA.

New Digital Education System (NDES) will be designed in a way to account for and handle all features stated in other work packages of the feasibility project. In the Educational Technologies Innovation Ecosystem cycle, there are Digital Content Archive, Qualification Funnel System for Digital Content and Educational Technologies, Monitoring and Evaluation System for Digital Content and Educational Technologies, and Innovation Ecosystem Platform Software. These systems and any new system required will be designed within the NDES using RMP documents to be created as the output of the relevant work packages during the feasibility studies. Digital Content Archive is the space where existing and newly developed digital educational content as well as all kinds of digital materials (to be used to transformed into educational content) from internal and external sources are stored. This archive will enable teachers, students, academicians, researchers, companies, NGOs, and all stakeholders to share their creative and academical works, and access and improve others’ works. Qualification Funnel System for Digital Content and Educational Technologies (QFS) will be used to select and deliver the end user experience, Digital Content and Educational Technologies. “Rating Model” as a part of QFS will be integrated into NDES. On this system, teachers, and students will have an important role for Digital Contents delivered through NDES. Contents will be rated by students and teachers including vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. The possibility of publishing Digital Contents and Educational Technologies that are top rated on NDES as well as video platforms will be higher. Data from tests, pilot studies, focus group activities and activities of Monitoring and Evaluation of Educational Technologies Innovation Hub will be used to evaluate the quality of e-content as a part of QFS. Monitoring and Evaluation System for Digital Contents and Educational Technologies will be designed as the last part of QFS. All products that are integrated into NDES and other educational Technologies solutions will continuously be evaluated by data-driven reasoning. The data regarding students’ socioeconomical background, academic achievement, learning analytics

and health (if applicable) will be analyzed by artificial intelligence-based monitoring and evaluation system. Innovation Ecosystem Platform Software will be designed in a way that all online interactions, collaboration, good practices, communication, peer learning, announcements, MOOCs, webinars and technical infrastructure are integrated into NDES.

The purpose of this work package is to carry out the “Needs assessment and feasibility study for the new system” which is the first of the three phases under the relevant component of SSDE for improving digital education system. The list of sound alternatives will be identified, the optimum alternative will be determined as the result of integrated evaluation of technical, cost/benefit ratio, and environmental and social impact analysis. Activities under this work package aim at making the NDES more climate resilient and energy efficient (especially comparing to current EBA solution). Technical Requirements Document (TRD) for the selected system will provide a system architecture that is compatible with the latest technology and meet all needs of SSDE Project.

2.1 SCOPE OF WP-2

This work package will (i) analyze the current state and needs of EBA platform and IT resources that it operates on; (ii) set forth the high-level infrastructure architecture and standards that will be the reference model for NDES and (iii) identify new needs to be born at any stage during feasibility project.

Key Responsibilities of Consultants during Current State Analysis;

2.1.1 Consultant will organize meetings with the specified units/institutions/organizations in order to identify the problems and the needs. Participants, agenda and calendar will be jointly agreed by the Client and Consultant. Stakeholder list will be identified at the outset of the contract and can be updated on the joint decision of the Client and Consultant during the Project. Meetings will be coordinated by the Client.

2.1.2 Existing information infrastructure sources that EBA platform operates on will be analyzed. First, what features of an ideal platform exist in the current EBA platform and which features are not existing will be determined. For the existing features, the gap between the ideal and the existing one will be depicted. Consultant will include

additional analyses including but not limited to the following list of issues in order to complete the work within the present conditions:

2.1.2.1 Computing infrastructure (Total CPU and RAM sources)

2.1.2.2 Network topology (Horizontal and vertical network traffic)

2.1.2.3 Storing infrastructure (Documentation, block and storing systems used)

2.1.2.4 Identity management infrastructure(Authentication and service providers used)

2.1.2.5 Cyber security infrastructure (being Secure-by-design)

2.1.2.6 Energy consumption, energy efficiency practices, occupational health and safety conditions, climate resilience and electronic waste management practices

2.1.2.7 Interoperability (allowing broad participation in the ecosystem)

2.1.2.8 Scalability (with flexible, modular infrastructure; and no vendor lock-in)

2.1.2.9 Conformity with the latest relevant technologies and technology trends (what are these technologies and trends should be identified at the first step)

2.1.2.10 Disaster recovery, backup, archiving and replication infrastructure

2.1.3 Specifically, following analyses on the existing features (not limited to the below aspects) will be carried out by the Consultant in order to identify the needs that might vary depending on the system being cloud-based (public vs. private) or not, and on various service types (IaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS). Computing needs that are geographically distributed, redundant, scalable and flexible shall be considered. These analyses will include but not be limited to (note that "desired" means the best achievable spec or design in all "feasible" set of technical options). For the following features, the current state will be analyzed and reported. Then, the desired state will be defined.

In defining the desired future Infrastructure state, WP-2 outputs and recommendations should fully take into account the outputs and recommendations from all work packages.

Specifically, future state infrastructure must be able to support the modernization of the proposed EBA platform as outlined in WP-3.

Challenges and critical aspects to close the gap between current state and desired state will be indicated and elaborated:

2.1.3.1 Identity authentication used on EBA,

2.1.3.2 Operating system (OS) used on EBA platform,

2.1.3.3 Virtualization technologies (VMware ESXi, Xen, Hyper–V, etc.), GPU technologies and types (virtual desktop, GPU computing, etc.) and container technologies used on EBA platform,

2.1.3.4 Network requirements of applications on EBA platform,

2.1.3.5 Web interface, desktop and mobile client requirements and technologies used on EBA platform,

2.1.3.6 System monitoring and log management of EBA platform,

2.1.3.7 Backup, archiving and replication system of EBA platform,

2.1.3.8 Container method and orchestration used by EBA,

2.1.3.9 Current PaaS environments (OpenShift, etc.) on EBA.

2.1.4 Additional analyses related to the current cyber security infrastructure of EBA platform, including but not limited to the following in order for the Consultant to complete the work within the present conditions will be carried out:

2.1.4.1 Access and network management security of EBA platform,

2.1.4.2 Storing and data management security of EBA platform,

2.1.4.3 Backup, archiving and record management of EBA platform,

2.1.4.4 Identity management security of EBA platform,

2.1.4.5 Workload based security of EBA platform,

2.1.4.6 Application security of EBA platform,

2.1.4.7 Infrastructure security of EBA platform.

2.1.5 Energy consumption, energy efficiency practices, occupational health and safety conditions, climate resilience and electronic waste management practices of EBA platform will be analyzed and reported. Desired status of these aspects is defined. Challenges and critical aspects to close the gap between current state and desired state is indicated and elaborated.

2.1.6 The Consultant will present the findings and needs obtained from the current situation analysis and the RMP documents included in the outputs of other work packages in the Current State and Needs Analysis of Information Technologies on the date specified in delivery calendar.

2.1.7 A strategy and a methodology to identify suitable alternative solutions will be designed first. Based on this strategy, a list of sound alternatives will be identified. In order to determine the most suitable solution alternative, the criteria and procedure (weights, prioritization algorithm, scenario building etc.) for integrated evaluation of technical, cost/benefit ratio, and environmental and social impact analysis outcomes will be designed. Based on these, the most suitable solution will be recommended, and the recommendation will be justified by openly presenting the trade-offs therein.

The main responsibilities of the Consultant for Analysis Evaluation and Solution Design:

2.1.8 An Evaluation and High Level Design Report (AEHLDR) will be created and it will include alternative solutions for meeting the needs to be identified as a result of analysis, such as the cloud computing of flexible IaaS or PaaS service model as well as the main needs suitable for disaster recovery scenarios, with horizontal and vertical scalability, with a backup plan, with sufficient capacity to serve 5 million concurrent users and 100,000 simultaneous virtual classrooms and to be easily integrated into multiple video

conferencing systems for online education as set out in the relevant component of SSDE Project.

2.1.9 The Consultant will identify the alternative approaches for solutions (maintenance of existing software, modernization, development from scratch, procurement of software, etc.) and report the evaluation results (advantages and disadvantages) of each alternative.

2.1.10 The Consultant will conduct an environmental impact analysis discussing each alternative approach for solution/s. Within this context, environmental and social impacts and sustainability, including resilience to climate change, energy consumption, energy efficiency energy efficiency achievable for the new system and related IT infrastructure, emission rates, OHS conditions (including but not limited to electrical hazards, life and fire safety risk) and generation and management of electronic waste and other environmental aspects in relations to the approach will be taken into consideration. Key factors are determined and analyzed for environmental and social aspects in the comparison of alternative solutions. A qualitative and quantitative comparative study on anticipated environmental impacts for each approach and for the existing EBA platform will be included within the Environmental Impact Analysis Report for a solid comparison. The Project will consider measures related to environmental and social in the selection of most appropriate means of expansion of the services. Substantial environmental positive externalities such as technologies with low energy use are expected from the adoption of technologies.

2.1.11 The Consultant will offer the best solution suggestion determined based on the integrated evaluation to meet the identified needs, among the alternative solution approaches considering the results of the evaluation stated in the article above; and state the advantages and disadvantages over other alternatives.

2.1.12 The Consultant will carry out the High-Level Design which includes the subcomponents of the suggested solution, needs to be covered by the components and the dependency

relations. In addition, processor-successor relations if applicable, technologies to be used and justifications will be stated.

2.1.13 The Consultant will submit AEHLDR of Information Technologies Infrastructure on the date stated in the delivery calendar. AEHLDR will have, at the minimum, the technical specifications listed in (2.1.1.3), (2.1.1.4) and (2.1.1.5). The Consultant shall provide additional details on the possible other critical aspects identified throughout the feasibility study.

2.1.13.1 Software (Platform software and other supplementary software) to be used under NDES platform to be designed will be identified and design proposal shall be developed: (i) Framework infrastructure to integrate third party software shall be developed, (ii) Application Programming Interfaces (API) and documentation for mobile and web applications shall be prepared, (iii) Software Development Kits (SDK) for Virtual Classes, Content Development, Gamification, etc., (iv) Infrastructure and design needs for Gamification including the aspects related for integration of third party software with NDES (seamless switch between systems or use of common scores/points in ranking, etc.), (v) The framework for "Learning Analytics", (vi) The structure of "Virtual Factory", which allows effective and easy content development for a broad group of educational actors (from teachers to entrepreneurs) developing content. Structural features shall include ready-made templates, ability to drag and drop, ability to produce output in different content standards (like scorm, xapi, etc.), interoperability, and other critical features identified during the feasibility study, (vii) Depending on the general design features of NDES, it shall be cloud-native if it needs to be, (viii) The requirements for Mobile-native app(s), (ix) The design structure for Adaptive (Individualized) Interface for different target groups, (x) Blockchain credentials, (xiii) Augmented,

extended, virtual and mixed reality (AR, ER, VR, MR) based learning, (xiv) Robots and bots as teachers

2.1.13.2 In the case that the proposed solution includes a cloud platform, the method for estimating the resource consumption of the applications running on the system will be designated.

2.1.13.3 Technological infrastructure (information technologies and other hardware to be used) for the central system monitoring and management will be identified.

2.1.13.4 Alternatives and the desired alternative for the test service model will be identified.

2.1.13.5 Electronic Waste Management Plan will be developed by taking into consideration the legal regulations and GIIPs for the management and disposal of electronic waste for selected solution/s.

2.1.14 The Consultant’s main responsibilities during Technical Requirements Preparation process:

2.1.14.1 The Consultant will enable the establishment of a system architecture that meets the needs of the feasibility project and that is compatible with the latest technology for the best solution agreed with the Client and presented in AEHLDR; and will submit the Technical Requirements Document (TRD) which will be used as a technical terms of reference on the date set out in the delivery calendar.

2.2 OUTPUTS OF WP-2

Information Technologies infrastructure feasibility work package will cover the following procedures:

2.2.1 The Process of Analyzing the Current State and Needs (Output: The Report on the Analysis of Current State and Needs of Information Technologies Infrastructure)

2.2.2 The Process of Analysis Evaluation and Creating a High-Level Design Report (Output: Analysis Evaluation and High-Level Design Report of Information Technologies

Infrastructure Project Management Plan Document including Software Project Management Plan (SPMP) document, Environmental Impact Analysis Report and Electronic Waste Management Plan as Annexes)

2.2.3 The Process of Preparing the Technical Requirements (Technical Specification) (Output: Technical Requirements Document of Information Technologies Infrastructure)

2.2.4 The Client has prepared a PPSD at the negotiation phase of the Project (SSDEP) with tentative description of the content, scope and cost estimates of the above-noted strategic critical contracts (tenders) due to the emergency status of the Project. To clear ambiguities and to approach with the most appropriate procurement strategy for these two contracts1, the Consultant shall be required to prepare an additional market sounding based on the actual cost estimate/s and prepare supplementary PPSD(s)2:

2.2.4.1 PPSD titled “System Design/Software Interoperability/Data Integration and Implementation, including integration of Inclusive, Accessible and Equitable Digital Contents and EdTech solutions”.

2.2.4.2 PPSD titled Procurement of Data Center Service or Cloud Platform Service” before initiating their procurement process.

2.2.5 The Consultant shall prepare bidding documents for the above-said two tenders in compliance with the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July

1 For the third contract namely “Production of Inclusive, Accessible and Equitable Digital Contents and EdTech Solutions for Post COVID 19 School Re-opening as per RFB (Information Systems World Bank’s SPD-Single Stage - to be prepared in English as of its tender’s International Market approach - requires Bank’s prior review)”, please refer to WP 3.6.3.5 Output 9 below.

2 PPSD Short Form Guidance is accessible at http://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/123601488224013672/PPSD-Short-Form- Final.pdf

2016 revised November 2017 and August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”)3 using the Bank’s latest issue of Standard Bidding Documents4 as follows:

2.2.5.1 System Design/ Software Interoperability /Data Integration and Implementation, including integration of Inclusive, Accessible and Equitable Digital Contents and EdTech solutions as per Request for Bids (RFB) (Information Systems World Bank’s SPD-Single Stage- to be prepared in English as of its tender’s International Market approach- requires Bank’s prior review); and

2.2.5.2 Procurement of Data Center Service or Cloud Platform Service as per RFB (World Bank’s SPD for Non-Consulting Services- to be prepared in English as of its tender’s International Market approach - requires Bank’s prior review);

2.2.6 The Bidding Documents to be prepared as per above guidelines and regulations shall be provided complete with technical specifications and detailed cost estimations as well as evaluation and qualification criteria specifically developed for each of the respective tenders.5 The Consultant shall prepare the above documents such that the World Bank’s Core Procurement Principles under the Procurement Regulations: value for money, economy, integrity, fit for purpose, efficiency, transparency and fairness are satisfactorily fulfilled. The Consultant shall prepare the PPSDs and Bidding Documents in close cooperation with the Client and with due care and diligence. Any of the items in these documents shall not contradict with each other and all material specifications shall be in accordance with the specifications of the Turkish standards and/or international standards.

3 Procurement Regulations are accessible at https://ppfdocuments.azureedge.net/083b3f94-a932-4395-a410- 834f8bc14f8c.pdf

4 SBDs are accessible at https://www.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/products-and- services/brief/procurement-new-framework#SPD

5 Please refer to Work Package 5 (5.1.5) for technical assistance required of the Consultant to provide in the evaluation of the technical bids/proposals for the said tenders as well as for the tender referred to in paragraph 3.6.3.5 below.

3 WORK PACKAGE 3: FEASIBILITY AND TECHNICAL DESIGN STUDY FOR DIGITAL CONTENT

The Safe Schooling and Distance Education Project aims to increase the capacity of the education system to provide equal learning to school-age children during and after COVID-19 pandemic and for future crises. The Feasibility and Technical Design Study for Digital Content covers the provision of digital content, identification of the improvement requirements for existing content, and the process for modernization of content delivery and management.

Background

The Digital Education Platform of the Ministry of National Education, EBA, was launched in 2012. While it was initially a social platform where teachers shared their own content, it became over time a platform where new and revised content provided by teachers and other stakeholders are offered with a channel-labelling approach. Although EBA has hundreds of thousands of different contents, users had complaints that there are challenges about easy access and effective exploration to the content within EBA. In September 2019, EBA underwent a comprehensive improvement work thus becoming a platform with personalization features, LMS structure, and content presentation at subject/topic/learning outcome levels on Courses, Library and Professional Development sections.

The content sections on EBA are listed below:

• Learning Outcome-Based Content: There are more than 1,800 pieces of content that are identified by MoNE based on the curriculum. These contents (videos, applications, images, pdf documents, audio files, etc.) are offered to users following the adaptation process. • Library Content: It offers different digital materials under 7 separate sections (from science and technology to nature and environment). They include various materials such as videos, images, audio files, applications and books/magazines). • Professional Development Content: It contributes to the professional development of teachers with teachers-specific content, group activities and synchronous/asynchronous distance education courses.

Feasibility Analysis and Design Objectives for Digital Content

All analysis and reports within the scope of this feasibility and technical design study will be in line with any requirements for content pointed out in MoNE’s Education Vision 2023, including content for blended teaching and learning (face-to-face and online) and relevant pedagogical approaches. They will consider the revision of current content based on identification of strengths and weaknesses as well as the determination of system needs and accessibility requirements for the content. Also, NDES will include a resilient ecosystem as well as being manageable for enabling all content to be accessed by users on NDES and meet the needs of stakeholders who have management roles. Finally, lessons learned will be collected on how other countries are sourcing and managing digital content, as well as procurement and curation of content.

3.1 SCOPE OF WP-3

The main responsibilities of the Consultant within WP 3 is defined under 4 main categories: Current State Analysis, Needs Analysis, Recommendations and Methods of Preparing the New Structure and Relevant Reports.

In the first category, to reveal the current situation, a Report on Analysis of the Current State and Content Asset Mapping will be created by identifying the existing digital content on EBA platform (Learning Outcome-Based Content, Library Content and Professional Development Content) as well as all content created by all departments of MoNE. Also, all existing sections of the platform and relevant workflow will be identified. Content Asset Map will include the completeness rate of the content based on the relevant field. It will be a comprehensive report based on grade, subject, topic and learning outcome levels. This report will be a reference point for the preparation of SWOT Analysis of Content Structure and Processes, which will determine the strengths and weaknesses of the digital content, current content delivery system and the technical design of EBA platform.

In the second category, the Needs Analysis will be carried out. It will include the Field Research Report, which will be prepared with the participation of teachers, students and parents to determine the needs of the digital educational content. This category, will also involve the Stakeholder Analysis for the collection the opinions about the platform and the content from all

of MoNE General Directories and from the other stakeholders determined by the Client. The results of the Needs Analysis will be prioritized since it will contribute to the determination of the vision of the work package.

In the third category, the Recommendation Reports will have the utmost importance as they will contribute critically to the solutions to different issues identified or to be identified during the process. Therefore, scientific research will be carried out; separate processes will be identified for each recommendation report; and Software Development Documents elaborating the integration of recommendations into the system will be submitted. The Recommendation Reports will be on the issues like contribution to the vision, interoperability of MoNE systems, improvements on the Platform, Digital Transformation and Virtual Integration, Keeping the Ecosystem up-to-date, Rating structure, Betterment of the Regulations and Strategy, and Provision Methods.

In the fourth category, an adaptation for the new system through methods of preparing the new structure and relevant reports will be scheduled in order to identify the standards and classification procedures. In this context, Preparing the document, and Classification Process will be identified and Standards Document will be created. Later, classification tasks will be modelled.

Roundtable Meetings

The Consultant will meet with relevant representatives of all Directorates General to be determined by the Client for joint studies during the process. Roundtable meetings will be scheduled as due.

3.2 ANALYSIS OF CURRENT STATE

Key Responsibilities of the Consultant during the Current State Analysis:

3.2.1 Analysis of the Current State and Content Asset Mapping (output 1)

3.2.1.1 As the first step of the Ecosystem flow, the evaluation of existing Learning Outcome-Based Content, Library Content and Professional Development Content on EBA platform as well as all content created by all departments of

MoNE by the Consultant will include but will not be limited to the following studies:

Inventory breakdown of content with respect to school level, school type, grade, course subject, subtopic, purpose, type, portal section, use case, learning outcomes, grade level, teachers’ fields of interest, professional competency area, Identification and analysis of the digital content, websites and microsites of all departments under the Ministry of National Education. Workflows of the current content related features and structural design of sections and navigation structure and background running features such as scoring subsystem, management panel, etc. of the Platform and the learning management system including but not limited to flows starting with uploading content, student assignments, reporting, exams, courses and libraries, etc as well as all other associated features and sections of the Platform will be identified and analyzed.

3.2.2 SWOT Analysis of Content Structure and Processes (output 2)

3.2.2.1 Content creation and management processes such as the content production system, moderation structure, curriculum management, content uploading management panels, etc. of EBA Platform will be examined. Strengths and weaknesses of Content and Curriculum structure will be included in the SWOT Analysis.

3.3 NEEDS ANALYSIS

The main responsibilities of the Consultant during Need Analysis:

3.3.1 Field Research (output 3)

The Consultant is expected to carry out a ‘Field Research’ in order to identify the content and features of the platform that are needed by teachers, students and parents using EBA actively. Therefore:

3.3.1.1 The findings of the research shall inform about features to be added on EBA platform.

3.3.1.2 Within the Field Research, a survey will be administered to the maximum number of teachers, students and parents possible including vulnerable/disadvantaged ones to be determined by the Client. The Client reserves the right to demand an increase in the number of participants.

3.3.1.3 The survey questions will be determined, categorized and submitted for the approval of the Client in advance.

3.3.1.4 The Consultant is expected to bear in mind the scientific data collection criteria throughout the research.

3.3.1.5 Necessary measures will be taken in order to protect personal data and information. Special attention will be paid to the identification of needs of all vulnerable and disadvantages groups including students with special talents and students of special education.

3.3.1.6 An objective needs analysis report compatible with scientific standards will be prepared.

3.3.1.7 Surveys to explore needs, expectations, preferences, usage scenarios, user experience feedback, content and platform use cases, reasons for other tools and platforms used, etc. will be prepared and reported separately for teachers, students and parents by considering their use of the system. All surveys to be administered will be jointly designed with the Client.

In addition:

• In the event that there are other needs emerging as a result of the vision determination process within WP 3 and other research and analysis to be carried out by the Consultant, the scope of the research can be expanded.

• Evaluations and feedback from the Field Research will be grouped and prioritized. Needs will be categorized and reported as those SHOULD be met

or MUST be met. A RMP will be created for each development item. They will provide data for WP 2.

3.3.2 Stakeholder Analysis (output 4)

A Stakeholder Analysis will be carried out in order to identify the expectations of Directorates General of MoNE and other stakeholders to be determined by the Client towards the Digital Content Ecosystem.

The Analysis will be structured and reported in a way to include content needs, platform design and management features. The Analysis will:

• Pay special attention to the identification of digital educational content needs of users including vulnerable/disadvantaged groups; and

• Identify stakeholders’ general expectations from the system.

3.3.2.1 Content Needs by relevant General Directorates, emergency content needs, learning outcomes-based content requirements, all users’ content requirement dictated by the future learning model and educational needs, content based on in or out of classroom, individual vs group learning scenarios will be determined. Identified content needs will be prioritized into three tiers.

3.3.2.2 Platform Needs analysis will cover all stakeholders’ evaluations and recommendations on features of the whole platform and sub platforms, content presentation, LMS features, virtual classroom features, content development tools, gamification, portfolio sub system, platform user interface & user experience, new generation content type functionality needs, access modes (mobile/desktop/etc., online/offline) based platform needs.

3.3.2.3 Administrative Needs analysis will identify, group and prioritize needs for the interoperability of MoNE structure and the integration of content, courses and curriculum, stakeholders’ opinions on the ideal structure of content production and curriculum management systems of the Platform, active use of

authorization features (uploading, publishing, matching, assigning authorization to relevant units, etc.) will be included.

3.3.2.4 In the event that there are other needs emerging as a result of the vision determination process within WP 1 and other research and analysis to be carried out by the Consultant, the scope of the research can be expanded.

3.3.2.5 Evaluations and feedback from the Stakeholder Analysis will be grouped and prioritized. Needs will be categorized and reported as those SHOULD be met or MUST be met. A RMP will be created for each development item. They will provide data for WP2.

3.4 RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendation Reports will be more comprehensive than typical recommendations. Work plan needed for the integration of each recommendation into the system will be created in detail and identified step-by-step. RMP will be created for presenting the recommendations about the development. Development aspects found suitable by the Client will provide data for WP 2.

Academic literature reviews, scientific articles, consultant opinions, etc. will be taken into consideration while preparing the Recommendation Reports.

3.4.1 Recommendation Report 1: Contribution to Vision (output 5)

3.4.1.1 In order to provide reference for the determination of post-COVID-19 education vision and the new learning model, research will be carried out to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative scenarios as well as the concrete reflections on EBA platform. In addition, research will be carried out in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative scenarios and the concrete reflections on EBA platform and content processes that will provide reference for the determination of education vision and new learning model in the case of an emergency disaster management.

3.4.2 Recommendation Report 2: Integration of MoNE Systems (output 6)

Measures will be identified in order to enable a smooth data exchange between different units of MoNE.

3.4.2.1 Necessary integrations for a dynamic curriculum management will be identified.

3.4.2.2 An integration model that is automized with all service providers such as the service of e-School.

3.4.2.3 Good global examples of the integration of non-digital content into digital content will be reviewed.

3.4.2.4 Mobile applications will be supported with reality applications and possible outputs will be evaluated. These outputs will be integrated into the education system by means of gamification. In addition, all kinds of drawing and design (instead of QR code) will be integrated into the system and course books.

3.4.2.5 The scope can be expanded taking into consideration the data of needs analysis and vision goals to be determined within WP 1.

3.4.3 Recommendation Report 3: Platform Improvement (output 7)

3.4.3.1 Improvement aspects will be recommended by identifying the features that will improve the global and local digital content as well as alternative presentation and consumption scenarios of LMS.

3.4.3.2 Research will be carried out in order for the best use of personalization scenarios for students, teachers and parents.

3.4.3.3 Recommendations for improving the search engine will be identified.

3.4.3.4 Recommendations for increasing personalized data mining models (platform actions, search engine, monitoring, etc.) will be established.

3.4.3.5 Qualified digital library structures and library content features will be identified in order to improve the library structure of EBA.

3.4.3.6 In order to offer contents in a personalized way to better fit into the teachers’ annual plans, customized teaching design alternatives (such as weekly, monthly and yearly calendarization of assigning tasks to students by teachers) will be identified.

3.4.3.7 Further research will be carried out on the development of supporting structures that include synchronized and asynchronized instruction designs enabling the active and easy use of content. Examples include the elements of group interaction included in the assignments sent by teachers and adding interactions into the videos, etc.

3.4.3.8 Structures will be identified in order to enable a more effective course design on Virtual Classrooms with new features.

3.4.3.9 Platform examples that can be developed for a gamified structure will be identified.

3.4.3.10 Needs will be identified in order to offer a level-specific platform with an improved design.

3.4.3.11 Models will be discovered for visually impaired students to make the maximum use of the content and platform. Models with automatic audio description or audio description created by system users will be identified.

3.4.3.12 Models will be discovered for students with hearing disabilities to make the maximum use of the content and platform. Models with automatic subtitles or subtitles created by system users will be identified.

3.4.3.13 Research and recommendation for establishing structures where students ask questions to teachers and receive responds instantly.

3.4.3.14 Methods to facilitate the use of content and platform by all other vulnerable and disabled students will be searched separately.

3.4.3.15 An interactive environment will be planned where students can communicate with their teachers and classmates. The platform will be up-to-date and appealing to students.

3.4.3.16 The structures to contribute to the Student Assessment (exams) on the platform will be identified.

3.4.3.17 Recommendations about the effect of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) on the platform will be placed.

3.4.3.18 The structures of digital education platforms such as global and local content management, moderation system, curriculum management will be analyzed; and exemplary features will be identified. Global good examples will be reviewed in order to automize the moderation structure.

3.4.3.19 Examples of a structure where students can get pedagogical support will be identified.

3.4.4 Recommendation Report 4: Digital Transformation and Virtual Integration (output 8)

To understand the state of art and the new generation of perspectives, a Recommendation Report will be created that identifies the approaches adopted by global and local leading alternative digital content platforms. The Report will include global good examples, features of systems that will help identifying scenarios of easy and active consumption of digital content by users, and advantages/disadvantages of each scenario. Workflows and requirements for needed designs will be identified and included in the Report. These outputs will provide data for developments.

3.4.4.1 Recommendations for the integration of artificial intelligence algorithm into the new system will be determined by supporting the teaching management

system with artificial intelligence in terms of content, assessment and evaluation and assignments.

3.4.4.2 The data received from students and teachers will be classified in a detailed way for an elaborate data mining process. Recommendations will be placed for determining student characteristics, grouping students by these characteristics, identifying the reasons of academic failure by using system data, and improving student achievement.

3.4.4.3 Good examples will be identified for the improvement of content suggestion system.

3.4.4.4 Identifying models to be developed for the integration of Augmented Reality (AR) applications into cardboards, moving objects, audio commands and infographics to be used without internet connection (if possible) on especially interactive boards and mobile devices. National and international examples of integration of Artificial Intelligence into education will be searched and examined.

3.4.4.5 Virtual Reality (VR) applications integrated into educational content that are viewed via cardboards and virtual reality glasses on mobile devices as well as model applications for designing short movies/cartoons and platform integration models will be identified.

3.4.4.6 Models to develop virtual tours, virtual experiments and virtual activities with Mixed Reality (MR) applications integrated into mobile devices, interactive boards and computers will be established. National and international examples of integration of Artificial Intelligence into education will be searched and examined. Participants’ interaction with one another and content will be taken into consideration.

3.4.4.7 Extended Reality (XR) applications will be integrated into all reality applications, and virtual designs will be developed. While designing virtual tours, artificial intelligence objects will be included. Models of integration of

extended reality into education will be examined. Participants’ interaction with one another and content will be taken into consideration.

3.4.4.8 The ratio of content that can be integrated into reality applications will be figured. The transition map will be created, and transition will be planned step- by-step.

3.4.4.9 Considering the educational content for students with special needs, content of AR, VR, MR and XR applications will be used to strengthen the skill domains for special talented students and minimize the handicaps of disadvantaged students and students of special education.

3.4.5 Recommendation Report 5: Provision Methods should be submitted in TOR format in line with WB’s SPDs and national regulations and Cost/Benefit Analysis (output 9)

3.4.5.1 The main responsibilities of the Consultant during the process of Setting Out Content Provision Conditions: Identifying global and local educational technology companies and their content; establishment of standards and methods and procurement standards in TOR format

3.4.5.2 The Consultant will perform cost-benefit analysis of alternative solutions (modernization, direct procurement, etc.) within the needs analysis, evaluate alternatives, models, business partners, relevant solution partners and report the results (both advantages and disadvantages and also the most suitable solutions) and also recommendations. The Consultant is to conduct a qualitative and quantitative comparative study on anticipated environmental impacts for each alternative solution and document the study as an Annex to the Report.

3.4.6 Recommendation Report 6: Maintaining the Ecosystem Up-to-date and Rating Structure (output 10)

3.4.6.1 Reviewing the best global examples in order to identify structure that will maintain content on EBA Platform up-to-date and creating a recommendation report. In this report, it is expected to identify first a model to show content

usage and to include the requirements for providing data to all stakeholders; second a rating-model-like structure; third a method to clarify and implement the change and updates of the objective-matched contents; to monitor, identify and meet the change-based needs for the content; and third a system requirement.

3.4.7 Recommendation Report 7: Working Procedures, Legislation Improvement and Strategy (output 11)

3.4.7.1 The requirements of the legislation will be identified in order to include the stakeholders in the new system. A draft regulation/directive will be created to apply the content management and content standards at departments of MoNE. That will include, evaluating of all existing and binding MoNE documents, developing methods and supporting mechanisms for content providers, defining the role of the stakeholders, justification of the legal circumstances.

3.4.7.2 The main responsibilities of the Consultant during the preparation of the Report on the Contribution to the Strategy Document.

In addition, the Consultant has the following during the preparation of the Report on the Contribution to the Strategy Document:

The Consultant will work to determine the future vision and strategy in order to meet the needs of especially vulnerable and disadvantages students and teachers based on the reports on the digital content standards and needs analysis. In this context, content developers will act to determine the capacity to meet the real needs of stakeholders and invest in the sector. In order to achieve evidence-based approaches on policy making and national strategy, the needs, findings from the content ecosystem stage, approaches and standards to determine e-content supply strategies will be stated in a White Paper. In order to contribute to the White Paper, the framework will be shaped during the process and a relevant report will be created.

3.5 METHODS OF PREPARING THE NEW STRUCTURE AND RELEVANT REPORTS

3.5.1 Preparation of the Document for Standards (output 12)

3.5.1.1 Identifying content standards used in various international content ecosystems.

3.5.1.2 Content for all vulnerable and disadvantages groups’ needs will be considered along with the alternative consumption scenarios in terms of accessibility.

3.5.1.3 Reporting the general characteristics of digital content which are accepted qualified globally by their types (scientific competency, ability to meet the learning outcomes, visually designed for the right target age, ability to meet the technical demands of users, ability to meet physical and cognitive ergonomics, etc.).

3.5.1.4 Alternative scenarios for enabling the harmonization of new generation digital content and ever-changing world and rapidly developing technology. Standards for the technical features of the platform will be prepared for scenarios found suitable.

3.5.1.5 Technical aspects to be considered while developing digital content to be used on devices with different requirements such as computers, tablets and smart phones will be specified (technical qualification for supporting the learning of content design).

3.5.1.6 Identifying the conditions for the compliance of frontend structure of the National Digital Education System with the content of determined standards.

3.5.1.7 Identifying the standards of presenting digital content to users and standards of content consumption scenarios,

3.5.1.8 Identifying the standards of LMS by taking into consideration the students’ and teachers’ needs as well as the needs of future education.

3.5.1.9 The classification of digital content on the frontend will be established. The standards of various classification methods of which scientific efficacy is proven will be identified.

3.5.1.10 Literature review will be performed in order to examine the qualified global examples of Professional development content. International standards for the qualifications of a qualified professional development program.

3.5.1.11 Determining the standards for the management panel of EBA Platform.

3.5.1.12 Evaluating the standards used by common stakeholders for the management of global digital education platforms.

3.5.1.13 Identifying the standards for the categories and metadata to be taken as a reference while developing the content uploading system.

3.5.1.14 Ideal structures of curriculum management systems will be examined. Standards to be integrated into different content consumption scenarios will be determined.

3.5.2 Determination of Educational Standards for Digital Content

3.5.2.1 Standards set out in the exiting coursebooks and educational tools’ standards guidelines will be examined, and deficiencies will be identified.

3.5.2.2 Internationally accepted educational standards will be identified and assessed with stakeholders.

3.5.2.3 Identifying standards of content that are pedagogically correct and that address the general public in terms of content features by considering the impact of different cultures and values on the digital content during the review of global content standards (Cultural and pedagogical suitability).

3.5.2.4 Taking into consideration that the content prepared contains scientifically correct information as well as being appropriate in terms of education and meeting the learning outcomes of each subject (scientific competency).

3.5.2.5 In the event that a learning outcome of a subject cannot be addressed with a single digital content, production of digital content will be in line with the sub- learning outcomes, during which necessary measures will be taken in order to keep the integrity (Competency of the Content for Meeting the Scope and Learning Outcomes of the Curriculum).

3.5.2.6 Paying attention to the appealing qualifications and features of the digital content for the target age. Therefore, titles, subtitles, colors, drawings and images to be used on content will be determined in line with the Universal Design Principles (Visual Design that Supports Learning and that is Suitable for the Development of Students).

3.5.2.7 Copyright aspects will be considered when good global examples of content are to be used in NDES Platform.

3.5.2.8 Contributing to the final results document of the technical content standards.

3.5.2.9 Creating a document where the technical standards of content and platform and educational standards are linked together, and the interrelated impacts are shown.

3.5.3 Classification Process (output 13)

3.5.3.1 Within the review of Learning Outcome-Based Content, a comprehensive and subject-base classification of the existing digital content on EBA Platform will be performed by identifying the presence according to the learning outcomes of MoNE curriculum and learning outcome boundaries.

3.5.3.2 Classification of the Professional Development Content on EBA will be modelled in order for the integration of course content into the new structure.

3.5.3.3 Classification of Library Content on EBA will be modelled according to the target age and relevant categories in the new structure.

3.5.3.4 A detail analysis of all digital content, websites and microsites created by all departments under the Ministry of National Education. The presence of content will be checked on EBA and missing content will be identified and linked to the relevant area.

3.5.4 Identifying the Reduction Needs According to the Digital Content Standards

Based on the Report on the Current State Analysis and Report on the Determination of Content Standards, the Consultant will have the following responsibilities for contributing to the Reduction Report for Digital Content Standards (RRDCS)

3.5.4.1 Digital content that will be omitted due to insufficiency to meet the needs of the new system will be justified and those that can be improved will be separately articulated.

3.5.4.2 The justifications of incompliance of existing content with the standards will be identified.

3.6 OUTPUTS OF WP-3

3.6.1 WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CURRENT STATE ANALYSIS:

3.6.1.1 Output 1) Analysis of the Current State and Content Asset Mapping

3.6.1.2 Output 2) SWOT Analysis of Content Structure and Processes

3.6.2 WITHIN THE SCOPE OF NEEDS ANALYSIS:

3.6.2.1 Output 3) Field Research

3.6.2.2 Output 4) Stakeholder Analysis

3.6.3 RECOMMENDATIONS

3.6.3.1 Output 5) Recommendation Report 1: Contribution to Vision

3.6.3.2 Output 6) Recommendation Report 2: Integration of MoNE Systems

3.6.3.3 Output 7) Recommendation Report 3: Platform Improvement

3.6.3.4 Output 8) Recommendation Report 4: Digital Transformation and Virtual Integration

3.6.3.5 Output 9) Recommendation Report 5: Provision Methods should be submitted in TOR format in line with WB’s SPDs and national regulations and Cost/Benefit Analysis

3.6.3.5.1 PPSD6 titled Production of Inclusive, Accessible and Equitable Digital Contents and EdTech Solutions for Post COVID 19 School Re-opening

3.6.3.5.2 Bidding Documents prepared in compliance with the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations complete with technical specifications and detailed cost estimations as well as evaluation and qualification criteria specifically developed for this tender named in Sub Item 3.6.3.5.1. 7 The Consultant shall prepare the above documents such that the World Bank’s Core Procurement Principles under the Procurement Regulations: value for money, economy, integrity, fit for purpose, efficiency, transparency and

6 PPSD Document is accessible at http://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/123601488224013672/PPSD-Short-Form- Final.pdf . Please refer to paragraph 2.2.4 above for the Consultant’s responsibilities as to PPSD for this contract (tender).

7 Please refer to Work Package 5 (5.1.5) for technical assistance required of the Consultant to provide in the evaluation of the technical bids/proposals for the said tender.

fairness are satisfactorily fulfilled. The Consultant shall prepare the PPSDs and Bidding Documents in close cooperation with the Client and with due care and diligence. Any of the items in these documents shall not contradict with each other and all material specifications shall be in accordance with the specifications of the Turkish standards and/or international standards.

3.6.3.6 Output 10) Recommendation Report 6: Maintaining the Ecosystem Up-to-date and Rating Structure

3.6.3.7 Output 11) Recommendation Report 7: Working Procedures, Legislation Improvement and Strategy

3.6.4 METHODS OF PREPARING THE NEW STRUCTURE AND RELEVANT REPORTS

3.6.4.1 Output 12) Document for Standards

3.6.4.2 Output 13) Classification Process

4 WORK PACKAGE 4: FEASIBILITY AND TECHNICAL DESIGN STUDY FOR DEVELOPING “EDTECH INNOVATION HUB” and INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

The second of the 3 components of SSDE project, Digital Content for Safety and Quality, would support the distance education content, both during the period of school closures due to COVID-19 and also for a gradual return to classroom-based teaching which is expected to require a more “blended” (on-line and face-to-face) approach. To support the innovation of such digital education content, the component will build an “EdTech Ecosystem” to promote continuous digital educational content development, pedagogical tools, training, and blended digital-classroom delivery through partnership with parents, teachers, students, community actors, universities and other education content developers.

Ecosystem Integration with Digital Education Materials and NDES components

EBA has already available digital materials for different disciplines, as mentioned in Work Package 3. On the other hand, a specific ecosystem will be established to increase the quality and quantity of digital contents and education technologies. In this line, the project will build “Education Innovation and Participatory Ecosystem” to establish a sound collaboration and communication with all stakeholders and target groups for the ongoing development of digital education materials, pedagogical tools and teacher development. In this component, the main implementation strategy of the ecosystem is the design and implementation of an inclusive digital content & education technology development ecosystem for education in emergency and normalization times as a result of building the premises of the system improvement and capacity building of National Digital Education System (NDES).

Although aforementioned in General Background Information section, all 5 feasibility work is interrelated, the latter two parts (iii) and (iv) are directly related and complementary to each other. While the feasibility studies for (iii) digital contents will focus on the feasibility and technical design of the procedures for direct procurement of digital contents, the feasibility studies for the ecosystem (iv) will focus on establishing the community and infrastructure for ETKİM comprising EdTech Innovation Hub, Professional Learning Lab (PLL) and Virtual Space.

Supply Channels to Acquire Digital Education Innovations

Within Component 2 of the SSDE Project, two main digital content supply channels are planned for the Ecosystem: 1) Direct Procurement 2) Results and products of R&D activities in EdTech Hub. This work package will analyze the feasibility and describe the technical specifications of the services required for the second supply channel through R&D activities. The supply of the new digital education system with directly procured digital contents has been described in WP-3.

Within the scope of WP-4, the Education Technologies and Innovation Ecosystem in SSDE project includes the studies that will enable the operability of the activities conducted as part of the other project components in a sustainable structure. In the Ecosystem flow, as an output of the WP3, the need, standards and strategies for the digital contents will be determined and direct procurement of the digital contents will be realized. On the other hand, the R&D based innovative digital content development activities for future will start in ETKİM in accordance with the standards and needs revealed in WP3.

Operational Organization of the Ecosystem

The main operational unit within the ecosystem will be “EdTech Innovation Hub” for development and testing of educational digital materials, and “Professional Learning Lab (PLL) to support pedagogical and organizational improvements at the school level. Through the digital innovation ecosystem and the cluster of companies attempted for improving education technologies, the R&D activities, dissemination activities, testing and piloting studies, and professional development programs will be sustained with a large group of stakeholders from different sectors related to the education domain.

EdTech Innovation Hub, as a part of ETKİM will be the main center of innovation, collaboration, clustering, research, development and networking endeavors for the EdTech sector and all stakeholders to support content development, training and blended digital- classroom delivery in the ecosystem by creating partnerships with different stakeholders in the field of education. In order to establish a sound collaboration and communication with all stakeholders and target groups, ecosystem structure will include both physical and virtual space– to catalyze these partnerships, to build a dedicated community, to review and revise

existing digital content offer, and to test and provide its delivery through more interactive, engaging and personalized digital tools.

Professional Learning Lab within ETKİM will function as the pedagogical center for quality delivery of digital content through training of teachers, trainers, and guidance to parents and guardians. Blended trainings and guidance for teachers and guardians will be produced with research, pilot and test activities in PLL in an inclusive and collaborative approach. EdTech Hub and PLL will function in both in a physical and virtual space for content development, research, piloting, testing, scaling-up, networking, and capacity building. The hub and PLL will be supported by a comprehensive virtual and social collaboration system to start a community of collaboration and practice. The software design side of the technical infrastructure which will enable all online interactions, collaboration, good practice shares, communication, peer to peer learning, announcements, MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), webinars and school integration process within EdTech Innovation Hub.

Ecosystem Feasibility and Technical Design Focus

Education Technologies and Innovation Ecosystem Feasibility Study includes identifying the appropriateness of the required conditions for establishing the ecosystem planned to be developed through founding Incubation and Innovation Center of Education Technologies (ETKİM) and with the contributions and participations of the whole relevant stakeholders. The feasibility study also covers defining the pertinence of the conditions for the ecosystem to function properly in the organizational and legal structure of the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) and Directorate General for Innovation and Education Technologies (DGIET); in addition, it should provide evidence-based solutions. The activities and the outputs covered by this Terms of Reference (WP-4) will provide the concerned decision makers in Turkey, a basis for assessing the objectives clarified in the following section.

Actualizing these objectives will be possible to a great extent by developing a feasibility study for the whole ecosystem, virtual space and the existing building for ETKİM located in Middle East Technical University Teknokent Region in Ankara.

4.1 THE SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF WP-4

The fundamental tasks in this WP are as follows:

4.1.1 Undertake a detailed feasibility study, including pilot studies, on the establishment of Digital Education Contents and Innovation Ecosystem; identify risks associated with its setting, challenges and their reduction measures.

4.1.2 Prepare a knowledge pack, assuming the feasibility of the ecosystem, with analysis and description of the conditions under which such an ecosystem would be feasible, provide a framework and recommendations for next steps based on piloting, including costs, financing mechanism, the organizational/governance body, establishment process, capacity building, R&D, and future development programs, activities, staffing and equipment, and sustainability recommendations after the SSDE project ends (December 31, 2023).

Recommended Analysis

4.1.3 Within the scope of the EdTech Ecosystem feasibility, the Consultant shall address, but not be limited to, the following outputs:

4.1.3.1 The MoNE Vision for the EdTech Innovation Ecosystem and for the digital and distance education and blended learning

4.1.3.2 Conceptual outline/ operational model concepts that includes all the key features of ecosystem, institutional set-up, operational/governance model, business model (including procurement, data ownership, and phases for integration into content offerings)

4.1.3.3 Appropriate management model/institutional framework for development and operation of the ETKİM,

4.1.3.4 The legislative requirements and recommendations for the ecosystem, based on the organizational and legal structure of MoNE and the relevant units’ responsibilities

4.1.3.5 Needs assessment study for detecting the needs of all the stakeholders that are comprised of students, teachers, parents/caregivers, administrative bodies,

companies, universities, non-governmental organizations and other relevant institutions and organizations,

4.1.3.6 The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis,

4.1.3.7 Expected long term sustainability of operations and available strategies in these regards

4.1.3.8 Proposed financing models and incentives mobilization strategies

4.1.3.9 Identify significant risks including inter alia environmental and social risks and propose measures to mitigate them

4.1.3.10 The readiness and maturity level analysis of the companies developing educational technologies (EdTech companies), by collecting data about the expectations and opinions of these EdTech companies,

4.1.3.11 The proposed model for targeted research and development (R&D) program for the digital content and educational technologies, both in terms of the appropriate models that can be used for structuring the R&D dimension of the Hub and making the necessary legislation regulations as MoNE (which enables providing R&D incentives by MoNE),

4.1.3.12 An asset map covering the inventory analysis of the whole resources necessary for generating the virtual and real community that will make the ecosystem operational,

4.1.3.13 A comparative study and benchmark analysis on the similar structures and organizations conducted successfully in other countries, which will be designed according to the ecosystem asset map and the outputs of the other feasibility elements; and will present the road map and action plan for the

establishment, improvement, communication, cooperation and the sustainability of the Ecosystem community exclusive to Turkey.

4.1.3.14 The feasibility and technical design studies for the design of distance learning programs and methods that will take place within the Professional Learning Lab (PLL) in ETKİM.

4.1.3.15 A framework for the feasibility of the capacity building activities within the PLL which provides possible Continuous Professional Development (CPD) models that will fit the proposed capacity building program within the PLL.

4.1.3.16 An analysis on identifying the Communication and Social Media Strategies for the ETKİM and the innovation ecosystem, which will provide manual or guidelines documents in the end

4.1.3.17 With EdTech Hub and PLL components, ETKİM will connect all target groups and stakeholders via a virtual space to start, foster and maintain a specific community for the Ecosystem. So, a RMP for this online platform will be prepared by the Consultant by using the data and information collected during the feasibility studies described above. The RMP for the virtual space will be generated in concordance with the IT infrastructure principles and framework, which is mentioned in WP2 of this document.

Methodological Approach for Feasibility and Technical Design

4.1.4 All the aforementioned studies in the scope of the feasibility will be conducted by the Consultant. The Consultant may suggest the best methodological approach that would integrate feasibility assessments to recommendations on technical and operational dimensions, which are supported by and based on applied actions such as prototypes and pilot studies. The assignment will be conducted in Turkey and will involve among others desk review of existing literature, conducting focus group discussions and interviews with key stakeholders working in the areas of EdTech and innovation.

4.1.5 The tasks defined in this WP-4 will initiate activities and concrete outputs to launch the ecosystem. A key aspect of the approach proposed here is that the development of the

feasibility study and deliverables, which will outline the elements of ecosystem and operationalization of EdTech Innovation Hub.

4.2 WP-4 OUTPUTS

As mentioned above, the feasibility studies will briefly include organizational design and governance model, global trends and country-specific sector analysis, stakeholder consultation including students, technical feasibility including IT infrastructure and digital contents based on alternative scenarios of technology choices and distance education policy choices, legislative assessment, sustainable EdTech Ecosystem analysis and recommendations, social and environmental impact analysis, and cost-benefit analysis.

The table below shows the nine main focus areas of the expected feasibility study and the related outputs in the scope of these specific actions:

Table 1 Main focus areas and related outputs

The Comprehensive Global and Local WP 4.1, 4.2 Knowledge

Turkey’s Vision for Digital Education: WP 4.3 Content, Pedagogy and Digital Competencies in the Education System

In-Country Needs Analysis for the WP 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8 Ecosystem, EdTech Hub and the PLL

EdTech Hub Business Model within the WP 4.9, 4.10 Ecosystem

The Design of the Professional Learning Lab WP 4.11 (PLL)

Governance and Management of Ecosystem, WP 4.12 EdTech Hub and PLL

Support Systems for the Ecosystem, EdTech WP 4.13, 4.14 Hub and PLL

Financial and Technical Feasibility and WP 4.15 Sustainability

Final Comprehensive Feasibility Study and WP 4.16 Operational Design Report

The contract will consist of the following aspects, with themes and the relevant outputs under each and detailed descriptions. The Consultant is expected to submit the working methodology and model for generating each of the outputs, and get the opinion and approval of the Client before starting the work for each output:

I. The Comprehensive Global and Local Knowledge

This section is comprised of studies that will provide information and input on EdTech Hubs, Education Innovation Clusters, Technology Clusters, Digital Education, Content and Pedagogy.

4.2.1 WP 4.1: Conducting a literature research about the general organization structure and good practices of EdTech Hubs, Education Innovation Clusters and similar Technology Based Clusters in the world.

4.2.1.1 EdTech “Innovation Hub” within ETKİM brings public and private sector specialists, researchers, teachers, and interested organizations and all stakeholders together while Professional learning lab (PLL) will function as a pedagogical unit of EdTech Innovation Hub by providing capacity building activities for research, education and innovation. By examining the existing

literature, documents and benefiting from the best practices in the world, the collected information will be used as input for the feasibility study report.

4.2.1.2 The Literature Research will formulate deep analysis of global education technology developments, trends and comparative synthesis of country practices especially in EdTech Hub and PLL structures at global scale. The literature research should offer a localization model for Turkish context.

4.2.1.3 MoNE-DGIET will be informed about the research model and results of the literature research in the process, in addition to the written report to be submitted at the end of the study. Thus, the Consultant and the project coordinators will come a mutual agreement for developing the accurate models for the Ecosystem and EdTech Innovation Hub.

4.2.2 WP 4.2: Carrying out a Participatory Action Research (PAR) in order to design and initiate the process of Ecosystem development and operation by engaging all the stakeholders

4.2.2.1 The PAR studies will be conducted by the Consultant company, in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders and the project staff. Through these studies, it will be possible to identify the innovation and technology building capacity of the EdTech Hub, and accordingly design and develop the EdTech Ecosystem, by obtaining the general framework about the R&D, innovative technology, innovation ecosystem and digital content building performance and potential of the collaboration among different stakeholders (the governmental education institutions, private sector, university and even individuals), receiving the stakeholders’ opinions and suggestions about the issue, and lastly putting the ideas about the Ecosystem development (suggested by the stakeholders) into action for testing and experimentation in the design process. The Participatory Action Research will not only be a short-term study but an active and collaborative process which will initiate the operation of the Ecosystem, based on collective inquiry with all stakeholders and experimentation on the findings and reflections for Ecosystem operation. Therefore, research and action must be conducted with target groups and

stakeholders to participate in the Ecosystem with a scientifically representative sample size

4.2.2.2 The PAR shall be designed as a mixed-methods research (Interviews, Surveys, Focus Group meetings etc.) with the relevant stakeholders in the Ecosystem, such as representatives from the EdTech companies, Technology-Transfer Offices, relevant public/private institutions and universities; entrepreneurs, investors, academicians, educators with best innovative practices from all levels of K-12 education and individuals. The analysis and results of this research process will provide the required knowledge on the opinions and expectations of the different stakeholders, as well as gathering detailed information about the establishment process of the technology-based ecosystems and clusters and take their opinions about strategies for developing a sound system in the EdTech Hub in Turkey.

The Consultant is expected to prepare and organize the program and content, moderate the meeting whereas DGIET will guide the selection of participants and monitoring. Throughout the whole process, the DGIET Staff and the Consultant will work as co- partners with the METU Teknokent Administration and METU, as one of the relevant responsible units for the identification and coordination of the relevant stakeholders in the identified physical EdTech Hub. The results and the analysis of the focus group meetings should be in the final Participatory Action Research (PAR) report, with the other components of WP 4.2.

4.2.2.3 After the data collection and analysis through the methods mentioned above, The PAR will be an action-oriented process that starts the Ecosystem formation and development proceeding through steps, composed of a circle of planning, action, and fact-finding about the result of the actions taken according to the opinions and suggestions of the Ecosystem Stakeholders. Thus, improvements in the Ecosystem development will be created through the interaction and joint participation of all the related bodies.

II. Turkey’s Vision for Digital Education: Content, Pedagogy and Digital Competencies in the Education System

4.2.3 WP 4.3: Identifying MoNE’s Vision for the digital education, blended learning and the distance education in light of COVID-19 pandemic, and the role of the integration of EdTech ecosystem and PLL activities in this vision

4.2.3.1 This study should create a shared long-term vision for the EdTech Innovation Ecosystem and the PLL activities that will bring about new practices for the digital education, distance education and the blended learning. The vision should be embodied in the written policy and supported by strong legislation so that the vision can survive long; and it will bring strategic, long-term planning based on a vision for the EdTech use in Turkish Education System to develop the operational design of the Ecosystem.

4.2.3.2 For this study, the Consultant is expected to conduct formal interviews with the policy makers within MoNE and relevant target groups and systematically create the MoNE Vision Document for the EdTech Ecosystem and EdTech Use in the education system through blended and distance learning.

The EdTech Vision document created will also be integrated with the SSDE Project objectives, activities and the long-term practices foreseen for the future digital education system.

III. In-Country Needs Analysis for the Ecosystem, EdTech Hub and the PLL

This section is comprised of five main tasks that will provide input to analyze and meet the needs of the Ecosystem, EdTech Hub and the PLL: (i) SWOT Analysis – WP 4.4, (ii) Stakeholder Needs Analysis – WP 4.5, (iii) Asset Mapping – WP 4.6, and (iv) EdTech Market Analysis – WP 4.7, and (v) Environmental Management Plan – WP 4.8. The detailed explanations for the requirements of each task are given below:

4.2.4 WP 4.4: Carrying Out a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis of the Ecosystem, EdTech Hub and PLL

4.2.4.1 The output will establish a broader perspective in order to assess the overall potential for development of the EdTech Hub and PLL in the education field in Turkey. Through this output, a comprehensive SWOT analysis will be conducted at the national level with participation of all relevant stakeholders.

The analysis will consider national, regional (the neighboring countries and Europe) and international opportunities and development trends. SWOT Analysis will be conducted within the framework of the international standards in ISO 9001:2015.

4.2.5 WP 4.5: Conducting a needs analysis for detecting the needs of all the stakeholders that are comprised of students, parents, teachers, administrative bodies, companies, universities, non-governmental organizations and other relevant institutions and organizations

4.2.5.1 As a part of in-country needs analysis for the ecosystem, the aim of the needs analysis is to determine the needs of the different stakeholders in the ecosystem, especially for the digital content development. The analysis results will provide the relevant administrative bodies in the project with the necessary input for developing both the EdTech Hub and PLL activities and the digital contents on the online platform. The needs of the target groups of the SWOT analysis will be included in the need analysis. The need analysis will involve the scientific research cycles as planning, data collection, data analysis and reporting.

4.2.6 WP 4.6: Creating the Asset Map of the EdTech Hub after identifying the available resources and existing strengths in the community, to help understand the ecosystem needs and conduct a pilot study on them to foresee their efficiency for the long run.

4.2.6.1 The purpose of this study is to identify the assets available for the EdTech Hub and the Ecosystem, so that they can be used as the pilot launch of the Ecosystem operation as a part of in-country analysis. The aim is firstly to detect the existing partnerships and opportunities, uncover new stakeholders and opportunities, identify resources, the available and prospective financial resources, and determine gaps between what exists and what is desired for the ecosystem to function as intended. After identifying the assets, the Consultant is expected to use the existing data and resources to start building the community of the Hub and the Ecosystem as a pilot study to test and foresee the functionality and efficiency of the available assets in terms of launching

and sustaining the activities in the Hub and the Ecosystem. The pilot study process will be carried out in coordination and collaboration with the Client; by negotiating with the relevant key persons in charge and arranging the pilot in accordance with the fundamental requirements of the project and the Ecosystem at hand.

4.2.6.2 The created Asset Map to be utilized in the pilot practice of the Ecosystem operation will basically cover the people, organizations, and physical spaces, events, learning opportunities, tools and grants available and necessary for the EdTech Hub. It should also provide information about the possible resource and networking opportunities.

4.2.6.3 Following the Pilot implementation, the Consultant is expected to develop and visualize a Transformation Map (T-Map) for the Ecosystem, based on the existing assets and their use in Ecosystem operation for the longer term. The T-Map will cover at least a five-year process, grounded on the EdTech Vision for the Ecosystem and the digital education system. The T-Map will include the aforementioned Ecosystem assets identified, and indicate the dynamics, interconnections and reciprocal effects among different categories, which will have the driving force and potential to transform the ecosystem. The map will be displayed and submitted by the Consultant both in printable and an online format as a catalogue with categories and the required explanations. The complex web of interlinkages should be clearly represented both in the visualized graphic representations and the accompanying texts.

4.2.7 WP 4.7: Carrying Out the Market analysis for the EdTech Hub, looking at investment and trade patterns and partnership prospects both at national level and international level

4.2.7.1 The purpose of this study is to analyze the EdTech market in order to meet the need of the Ecosystem in terms of creating partnerships and having appropriate stakeholders from the private EdTech sector at the EdTech Hub. A market analysis is required that will be conducted through an industrial survey that will build upon the preceding output by examining, in depth, the prospects for education and innovation technologies development in the EdTech Hub. In this

scope, the Consultant is expected to map the firm inventory including the current market analysis, the list, size and number of the companies, the readiness and maturity levels, sectoral development prospects at national level etc. in the market created by the firms operating in the field of EdTech and related sectors in Turkey. In this map, there should also be the alternative enterprises operating in education technologies and its sub-sectors. It should also cover an analysis of possible prospective partnerships with both national and international EdTech companies. The deliverable should be in the form of an analysis of the market patterns, the volume and value of the market, potential partner segments, the competition, and industry regulations. The market analysis will be conducted in the framework of ISO 20252:2019 international standards for market, opinion and social research.

4.2.8 WP 4.8: Developing an Environmental Management Plan for the operation of EdTech Innovation Hub and PLL

4.2.8.1 The operation of the Ed Tech Innovation Hub center and implementation of the R&D program might be associated with environmental aspects such as generation of electronic wastes, high energy consumption etc. The Environmental Management Plan will address environmental risks and impacts with adequate management and mitigation measures to be implemented in the Hub and PLL and during the implementation of R&D Program. The Plan will be developed in line with the relevant national regulations in Turkey as well as World Bank Environmental Health and Safety Guidelines, Good International Industrial Policies (GIIPs) and ISO 14001:2015 International Standards for environmental management.

IV. EdTech Hub Business Model within the Ecosystem

This section is comprised of two main tasks that will provide input for the feasibility and operational advice for the design of the EdTech Hub Business Model: (i) Targeted R&D program and incentives for innovation – WP 4.9, and (ii) R&D Management in the EdTech Hub – WP 4.10. These outputs should also provide the feasibility and design of the research and knowledge sharing. The detailed explanations for each task are given below, in which the the

Consultant will provide current situation, needs, legislative requirement, funding and financing requirements, organization and governance, etc.

4.2.9 WP 4.9. Reviewing similar existing Targeted Research and Development (R&D) Programs, evaluating the critical success factors, critical risks, adducing lessons, and accordingly providing the specific operational advice and program for the design of the R&D Program within the EdTech Hub

4.2.9.1 The Targeted Research and Development Program within EdTech Hub will provide incentives for innovation investments in EdTech sector via procurement of services from various start-ups, companies, individuals and teachers. The Consultant is expected to design and develop an R&D programme and provide a guide for the MoNE that includes the operational, financing and all related details of the R&D programs in the field. The Consultant should also provide budget allocation plans for each levels and incentivizing models specific for each stakeholder envisaged in the R&D program.

4.2.9.2 The Consultant is expected to help DGIET with configuring the R&D program for strengthening the EdTech and innovation ecosystem. This should include detailed information about the target groups, program priorities, eligibility criteria, expected outputs and the selection (i.e., evaluation) committee. For this, an intensive analysis of existing examples should be provided through the mapping of the available successful programs in Turkey and abroad.

4.2.9.3 The Consultant should provide a guide for the distribution of funds (via procurement of services, ministry’s funding, etc.) in line with national and WB regulations. The guide will be used for defining the financing and funding mechanisms for the incentives provided to the innovators within the R&D program. The guide should indicate the feasibility of this funding and financing mechanism and give suggestions about how to realize them. It should

include all the distribution of funding to necessary parts of the research including supporting activities in the PLL.

4.2.9.4 The Consultant should also provide legislative requirements and suggestions for the R&D program, with reference to the organizational structure of MoNE and the relevant units’ responsibilities. The Consultant should also propose 2 or 3 licensing, copyright and Intellectual Property Rights possibilities for EdTech innovations with pros and cons for companies, start-ups, individuals, academicians and teachers. These legislative requirements and suggestions should enable MoNE to spend the available budget in line with the national and WB’s financial regulations; and provide a guide for the operability and feasibility of funding companies, individuals in the Hub and teachers through PLL.

4.2.9.5 The Consultant should carry out the study according to ISO 55001:2014 international standards for Asset Management Systems while developing the Targeted R&D Program guidelines and providing suggestions for the legislative requirements, rules and conditions concerning financing and asset management.

4.2.9.6 Identifying a model to Incentivize EdTech Innovators in the Ecosystem through External Financial Support and Capacity Development Program at the EdTech Hub

The purpose of this study is to create extra support channels for the companies and enterprises in the EdTech Hub. Empowering the EdTech innovators in the Hub through training programs and financial sources is going to provide ongoing capacity building of the EdTech firms and strengthen the sustainability of the innovations. Within the scope of it, the Consultant is expected to; 1. Suggest an EdTech Incentivizing Model for the EdTech innovations through external investment and funding sources (except for the Targeted R&D Program) as a result of a comprehensive market research, and 2. Provide an EdTech Hub Capacity Building Program Framework which includes training, coaching,

acceleration, networking, pitching…etc activities. It will also indicate ways of linking the Innovators and digital content development in the EdTech Hub to teachers through PLL.

4.2.10 WP 4.10. Carrying out a detailed evaluation and piloting of R&D program models, activities and the management flow of the R&D cycle within the ecosystem recommended on the basis of international best practices in R&D management

4.2.10.1 The intended R&D cycle within EdTech Hub will include some stages starting with the ideas and products coming from various stakeholders. The Consultant is expected to develop MoNE’s “Call for Cooperation: Innovating in EdTech and Education” document, which will be the official program guide to define the scope of the R&D support. The call for cooperation document will identify eligible participants, rules to apply, supported activities, the profile of participants, evaluation criteria -inter alia environmental and social considerations-, the duration of support for the applicants.

4.2.10.2 This document will define the collaboration structure, strategies and criteria for involvement in the EdTech Hub innovations through necessary research, piloting, testing, content development, prototyping, and scalability criteria for applicants.

4.2.10.3 For this output, the Consultant will provide suggestions for R&D program models which will enable DGIET to draw its own map for the project. In order to have a tailor-made R&D model for EdTech Hub according to the needs analysis results, the suggested R&D models should include recommendations and good practices on ways/methods/steps for systematic selection of the startups, R&D program and models for collaboration and online practices, program designs, selection criteria of the firms and start-ups based on their maturity level.

4.2.10.4 The R&D Program will be structured as a Blockchain based system, in order to ensure data security, transparency, controllability and verifiability. The Consultant is expected to model the R&D program compatible with the Blockchain Technology. The Blockchain-based design will enable managing the network of different stakeholder groups in the EdTech Hub through

keeping the full, detailed records of activities carried out by the organizations and individuals within the ecosystem. It will also strengthen the incentive system in order to track the R&D outputs from various stakeholders.

4.2.10.5 A detailed operational process analysis should be reported to identify the connection between the original models and the intended educational versions. The Consultant should provide DGIET with different ways of integrating R&D outputs, including software packages, models, products and outputs and outcomes of any sort.

4.2.10.6 A comprehensive literature review is expected to be fed into providing the intended R&D structure. This review should include both reports and white papers of the public bodies, universities, and companies from various fields which can set best examples research findings which can teach DGIET the lessons learnt prior to our own cases.

4.2.10.7 The Consultant is also expected to conduct mixed methods research studies to examine and strengthen the target groups ‘skills of using outputs coming from the targeted R&D program and presenting how outputs of the targeted R&D program as a part of the continuous professional development (CPD) program could be integrated.

4.2.10.8 The Consultant is expected to provide an EdTech piloting framework and best practices for piloting. Then, the Consultant should carry out the pilot study to test the framework in coordination with the responsible key persons from the project staff, in order to arrange the pilot practice according to the Ecosystem and EdTech Hub requirements.

4.2.10.9 Besides, the Consultant will evaluate the Environmental and Social Impact which addresses the risk factors of the activities to be financed under R&D Program. Feasibility studies for the R&D program including the development of digital educational programs, materials and other pedagogical tools shall include its anticipated environmental and social risks. All of the R&D program activities that will take place in the EdTech Hub shall be evaluated in terms of all environmental and social impacts within the scope of the feasibility studies.

The evaluation of the activities to be performed shall comply with the national legislation, World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework, General Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines and Good International Industrial Practices.

4.2.10.10 The Consultant is expected to prepare an operational manual as a guide for eligibility, piloting, rating, testing, scalability, environmental and social impact evaluation for R&D cycle. The piloting will be conducted by the Consultant company in coordination with the key persons in charge from the Client. The Consultant is going to use the pilot study to assess and modify the R&D Program Model suggested so as to bring it in compliance with the proper operation of the EdTech Hub.

V. The Design of the Professional Learning Lab (PLL)

4.2.11 WP4.11. Developing and piloting the framework for Professional Learning Lab and Capacity Building Program within EdTech Hub to support innovation at school level including alternative models:

4.2.11.1 For this output, the Consultant is expected to carry out studies that will provide model suggestions for the distance learning and blended learning program design and methods that will be organized in the PLL part of the EdTech hub. Accordingly, in line with the program, it is also expected to develop a framework on how it is possible to prepare the intended educational content and to create an environment to make this content digitally available. The PLL Capacity Building Program Framework is then going to be piloted and tested in the PLL to ensure the effectiveness of the framework and check its persistence. Hence, capacity building and Continuous Professional Development models, which fit the proposed CPD content will be conducted. The capacity building is required to cover (a) training of trainers, (b) teachers’ professional development, (c) instructional coaching, and (d) whole-school development. The PLL Continuous Professional Development program will also be supported in alignment with the MoNE’s “School Profile Evaluation”, noted in Education Vision 2023. To achieve this objective, MoNE’s policies and practices on School Profile Evaluation could be confirmed by the teacher

training activities to be carried out in the PLL. School Profile Evaluation and PLL programs will be organized in a way that aligns with the needs and development plans of these schools, especially regarding the teacher competencies and school capacities in terms of digital skills and innovative practices. These contributions to the school capacity, in return, will make it possible to transfer and integrate the technologies and digital contents developed in EdTech Hub and PLL to schools easily, as schools will be more capable institutionally of incorporating new practices.

4.2.11.2 The Consultant should give DGIET several model suggestions for CPD to be included in PLL. The Consultant will work together with DGIET on required arrangements for a tailor-made model for distance learning programs and methods and blended learning. Related to this, the Consultant is expected to conduct a comprehensive literature review of CPD in various EdTech cluster models. The pilot study process that comes after the model suggestions will also be carried out in cooperation with the key people from the relevant project staff of the Client and necessary evaluations, updates, modifications and arrangements will be made in accordance with the objectives of PLL and the EdTech Hub.

4.2.11.3 In this context, it is also required to overview a mapping of professional learning labs as examples to PLL. The Consultant should provide a report on enhancing the connection of R&D activities with the school settings; a guide including prominent models of how to adapt and apply ministry level and PPP (private, public partnership) models to educational settings; and describe how we can adapt their suggested PPP model(s) to educational settings through these examples. A detailed analysis of the partnership models, their nature and key explanations about the models should be reported.

4.2.11.4 To learn from the experiences from key partners in the field, policymakers, representatives from R&D units in 81 provinces, company leaders, international organizations, trainers and researchers working in this field in

Turkey will be the sample for data collection so that MoNE can learn from their evidence-based experiences and learn about their perceptions and views.

4.2.11.5 The proposed framework and the pilot modelling for Professional Learning Lab and Capacity Building Program for teachers should include the piloting, identifying best practices, testing to work with innovative teachers, the models to operationalize the CPD program in the Hub and PLL.

4.2.11.6 The recommended CPD Program within the PLL will be designed as a Blockchain-based structure by the Consultant. The Blockchain infrastructure will be used to develop the online training program in which the teacher activity, data, professional development, progress and content share are tracked. It will be used in the identification process of the training programs and the competences for teachers in the PLL. The blockchain-based structure will also be used to create a standardized accreditation and credential system to manage and deliver badges, certificates, digital credits and credentials for teachers receiving trainings and courses.

VI. Governance and Management of Ecosystem, EdTech Hub and PLL

4.2.12 WP 4.12. Specifying Organizational/governance models for the management of the ETKİM, at both national and local levels, with a clear description of the roles and interrelations of all parties involved (Central and local public institutions, private sector, universities, individual partners);

ETKİM will be composed of three main elements; with different but interrelated functions, First, the EdTech Hub will be the R&D center, with the administration department coordinating the research, development, innovation and communication activities. Secondly, the PLL will be responsible for the pedagogical aspects of R&D and professional development activities for teachers and transfer the innovative technologies developed in the EdTech Hub to the school dimension. Lastly, EdTech Hub and PLL will be connected online via a Virtual Space that will be designed as the digital platform for facilitating communication and collaboration work within ETKİM and Ecosystem.

4.2.12.1 Activities arranged by the three main elements will be shared among the different stakeholders, based mainly on the public-private partnerships: MoNE universities, researchers, EdTech firms, start-ups, funders, philanthropists, investors, teachers and independent individual enterprises or NGOs. While MoNE will function as the administrative and coordinating body mainly, universities, researchers, EdTech firms and private institutions or independent bodies will play a more active role in ETKİM. The feasibility study conducted in this respect is needed to provide at least 3 organizational/governance models that defines the roles, responsibilities and connections among different partners and stakeholders clearly, as well as the hierarchical structure, legislative arrangements, team development and target audience’s role in how ETKİM and the Ecosystem operates.

4.2.12.2 While generating the outputs for the organizational model, at least the five dimensions for the EdTech environments should be taken into consideration as companies, funding sources, stakeholders and their roles, test beds for R&D, and support mechanism for stakeholder engagement.

4.2.12.3 For this output, the Consultant is expected to conduct a set of comparative case studies and analyzing the information gathered on the organizational models of similar institutions or organizations as good practices in other countries. The study and analysis should be designed according to the information gained from other related outputs of this WP, the Consultant is expected to present the recommendations for the most appropriate organization models for Turkish education system and recommendations on the best and the most suitable alternative 3 models for ETKİM comprising EdTech Hub and PLL.

4.2.12.4 The Consultant is required to create an organizational chart, identifying the personnel requirements and qualifications, and delivering a report with the activities and responsibilities of each department and unit in the organizational model suggested for ETKİM. This document should not only identify the organizational chart with the departments and units to be included in the ETKİM structure, but the recommendations for personnel requirements to be employed these departments and units, with their qualifications as well.

Therefore, it is expected from the Consultant to conduct this study during the initial phase of the feasibility study, as it will inform the personnel identification and employment for the ETKİM. The personnel requirements and qualifications will be determined and described in accordance with the Personnel Qualification Inventory (PQI), which is explained in item 5.1.1.1 on Work Package-5 of this Document. It will also give information and suggestions about the activities, tasks and responsibilities of each department, unit, level or position in a detailed and clear manner.

4.2.12.5 The Consultant is expected to analyze, provide suggestions and present the legislative requirements, suggestions for ETKİM, based on the organizational structure of MoNE and the relevant units’ responsibilities. The current legal regulations that define the scope of responsibilities and authority of the MoNE and the DGIET according to The Decree of Law for Presidency (no. 1, 2018) and the law that regulates service procurement and financial rights of MoNE according to the Public Finance Management and Control Law (no.5018, 2003) are limited for the objectives of the project in some respects. A dimension of the project that can provide a case for possible solutions to provide R&D incentives. The suggested legislative requirements will enable conducting the project activities and restructuring the MoNE DGIET. The updates should include the issues around data ownership, privacy, interoperability, algorithmic transparency and intellectual property. The deliverable should be in the form of a recommendation report.

4.2.12.6 The Consultant is also expected to carry out an analysis of social networking and present it in the form of a Relationship Mapping. In this scope, it is expected to conduct a Social Network Analysis and prepare a Relationship Mapping for the EdTech Innovation Ecosystem in Turkey. While conducting the analysis and form the Relationship Mapping, the Consultant should consider relational data and virtually presenting the analysis.

VII. Support Systems for the Ecosystem, EdTech Hub and PLL

4.2.13 WP 4.13: Suggesting an appropriate model for stakeholder collaboration within the ecosystem, providing RMP for the development of the virtual space and carrying out the pilot launch of this platform .

The Consultant is expected to do an intensive work for the details of the software design of the similar virtual spaces and provide a report on their analysis of possible opportunities for this infrastructure by evaluating available virtual spaces and platforms in the field. The MoNE will investigate the choices and choose the one which best fits the needs of the project.

4.2.13.1 The Consultant should examine and analyze common properties of available virtual platforms of kind to prepare the RMP for the virtual platform including inter alia environmental considerations. Then, the Consultant should provide a report based on sample virtual spaces that can be good examples to the intended virtual platform including different user profiles from schools, universities, private sector, and public organizations. It is expected from them to conduct an analysis of available virtual spaces including inter alia environmental considerations so that not only common properties of such virtual spaces but also their general framework will be accessible for the MoNE. Properties related to the project will be in the new virtual platform to be launched and piloted.

4.2.13.2 The contactor is also expected to do a specific needs analysis of the virtual space, and this should be well-researched and reported. The Consultant should prepare a technical design document together with RMP about the scenarios and technical details of the virtual platform.

4.2.13.3 Upon gathering the required information about the general framework and good examples of the sample virtual spaces in a report and preparing the RMP as an input to output 2.2.2 of WP-2, the Consultant will launch the pilot implementation of the Virtual Platform after the launch of NDES. Throughout the Piloting process, the Consultant is going to work collaboratively with the responsible key persons in the Project Client /Project Implementation Unit and staff working for WP-2 outputs for constant monitoring and evaluation of the

implemented model. The necessary updates, modifications and arrangements are going to be made on the Virtual Platform Model according to the test results provided by the piloting process.

The specifications and abilities of the intended virtual platform will include but not limited with (a) the support to the schools, (b) providing collaboration for stakeholders, and (c) allowing and encouraging good networking opportunities for all stakeholder and target groups. The required software infrastructure should be described how stakeholders and partners from schools, companies, universities, researchers, funders, entrepreneurs can cooperate, network, connect act, learn, organize events, develop projects and conduct research will be described comprehensively. The Consultant should collaborate actively with the other 3 feasibility and technical design studies (Mentioned at the beginning of this ToR as (i), (ii), (iii)) of the SSDE project so as to determine and develop the common, interrelated and interdependent aspects of the virtual platform with other components of the project and NDES.

4.2.13.4 The virtual space should be developed by integrating Blockchain technology into the infrastructure. The Blockchain-based structure will enable keeping the EdTech ecosystem data in the virtual platform secured and make it possible to share the data among the platform users safely. For this, the Blockchain-based, distributed cloud storage system will be created for keeping digital records and information.

4.2.13.5 The Consultant is to expected to provide a “Technology Management Strategy” for the activities and innovative technologies developed in the ecosystem. The model should define the integrated planning, design, operation and control of technological products and digital contents in the ecosystem considering inter alia environmental implications. The selection, acquisition and exploitation of new technologies that will be supported by the organization are other components of technology management process in the organization. The strategies should present the planning, coordination and implementation

of the activities, both at micro (organizational) and macro (countrywide) levels and should also be managed/monitored via Virtual Space.

4.2.13.6 The Consultant should carry out the study according to ISO 27001 international information security management standards while developing the virtual platform suggestions and identifying the technology management strategy for the Ecosystem and the EdTech Hub.

4.2.14 WP 4.14: Carrying out an analysis on identifying the Communication Strategy for the EdTech Hub and the innovation ecosystem

4.2.14.1 As a main task to support the ecosystem, EdTech Hub and PLL, there will be a unit responsible for the Communication in ETKİM. This unit will plan and implement organizations and activities, arrange international relations and carry out the social media communication. The EdTech Hub and PLL, the virtual platform and the ecosystem as a whole, needs a sound communication strategy, in coherence with the communication strategy of the SSDE Project in WP1 which is expected to be clarified through this feasibility study.

4.2.14.2 The Consultant is expected to provide information and suggestions for disseminating the activities, building the social network and enhancing communication among different stakeholders and with the external bodies.

4.2.14.3 The Consultant is expected to provide good examples of models for Communication and Social Media Strategies of EdClusters, innovation or ICT companies, technoparks etc. The report should provide deep analysis and fulfilling information based on the existing literature and current trends in organizational Communication strategies, with at least 5 good practices in this field, presenting their models with charts, infographics or tables if applicable.

4.2.14.4 The Consultant is expected to provide strategies, including suggestions, for effective communication and community building dimension. The manual should present a template, alongside the necessary steps and suggestions, ideas, solutions and efficient

methods for integrating the communication dimension into the activities of the ecosystem, Hub, PLL and virtual space (ETKİM) successfully.

4.2.14.5 The Consultant is expected to provide Social Media Strategies, including suggestions in a template presenting the required steps and suggestions for all the possible activities that can be achieved on social media tools related to the project, as specific and concise as possible. The proposed social media marketing goals should align with the overall objectives of the digital content ecosystem, EdTech Hub and PLL activities and stakeholders, which can indicate the value of the work in a realistic manner.

4.2.14.6 The suggestions for Communication and Social Media Strategies will be developed by using the DGIET’s Change Management Approach and Strategy Document for ETKİM as a base by the Consultant.

VIII. Financial and Technical Feasibility and Sustainability

4.2.15 WP 4.15: Carrying out an analysis of the investments and financing required to develop the Hub, options for joint public/private financing and an analysis of the pricing of EdTech Hub and PLL (ETKİM) Activities, financial viability of the Hub and PLL, a sensitivity analysis of the Hub’s and PLL’s viability with regard to different levels of concessional and commercial financing, subsidies, debt/equity ratios etc.

4.2.15.1 Based on contract report on output WP 4.5, an assessment of prices and other pertinent cost factors (including utilities and construction costs as well as considering environmental aspects), this deliverable should elaborate different options for facilities offered to companies, e.g., the provision of developed working area and infrastructure. Each option should be cost under local cost factors and an assessment made of the investment requirements for the Hub. Given the size of the building allocated to the ETKİM, a development program

should be considered by the Consultant, specifying the phases, the amount of the area covered, and the associated investments required.

4.2.15.2 The Financial Analysis should be carried out according to IFRS international financial reporting standards.

4.2.15.3 The financial analysis report should define the prices and cost elements, indicate the options for joint public/ private financing, define the procurement strategies, identify startegies for effective financial management of the ETKİM. Financial and Technical feasibility and strategies for the sustainability of the Ecosystem and the ETKİM after the project finishes (in December 2023) should be included.

Final Comprehensive Feasibility Study Report

4.2.16 WP 4.16: Presenting the detailed final version of the feasibility study and operational design report drawing upon the above.

Based on the previous deliverables, pilot study results and additional work, the Consultant will be required to complete a finalized feasibility study for the proposed ETKİM. The Final Consolidated Feasibility Study and Operational Design Report will be prepared and submitted after the piloting processes are completed and should include updated information based on the piloting results. That study should encompass:

4.2.16.1 MoNE’s long-term vision for the ETKİM activities that will bring about new practices for the digital education, distance education and the blended learning.

4.2.16.2 An assessment of the proposed area for the establishment of the ETKİM: The point of departure for the feasibility study should be a factual verification of the state of play in the development of the area. This factual verification should be provided through interviews and documentation collected from concerned Ministerial and local Government authorities.

4.2.16.3 A detailed evaluation of the potential financial viability/sustainability of the proposed ETKİM, and the definition of appropriate management models recommended: The study should build upon the analysis of existing examples

in the world required within macro task on comprehensive global and local knowledge. This analysis will serve to establish viable and realistic cost parameters as well as indicate viable sale or lease costs. The financial analysis should estimate the likely pricing of building and services/activities offered by the ETKİM to be beneficial in the field of educational innovation and technologies at national and local levels. It should also examine the sensitivity of the financial viability of the EdTech Hub and PLL to different modes of financing between public and private sector and to different levels of debt/equity ratios in that financing. The feasibility study should propose different models of Public-Private Partnerships that could be relevant for operating the EdTech Hub.

4.2.16.4 A market analysis: The study will build upon the results of output 1, 2 and 4. This assessment will examine a sectoral approach to the development of the EdTech Hub, and also the possibilities for stimulating the opportunities for sub-contracting linkages between enterprises located in Turkey and others located in the international level.

4.2.16.5 Institutional recommendations on public regulation of the ETKİM: The study should build upon the results of macro task Governance and Management of Ecosystem, EdTech Hub, PLL and Virtual Space in this contract. The models should be critically analyzed and compared to relevant models adopted by other countries to advocate regulatory mechanisms that are simple, efficient and which can be realized within the limits of human, legal and institutional resources available in Turkey.

4.2.16.6 In line with the Environment and Social Standards of the World Bank, an environmental and social analysis assessing significant environmental and social risks, if any, posed by the ETKİM: These threats, if any, will be listed and analyzed and recommendations will be provided by the Consultant on how to mitigate them.

4.2.16.7 Specification of financing scenarios for the operationalization and sustainability of the ETKİM: These scenarios should cover the division

between public funds and commercial financing; sponsorship; sensitivity analysis of the viability of the ETKİM to different ratios of funding.

4.2.17 The subcomponents just listed above, while all contributing to the overall feasibility study report, will be distinct deliverables in the course of the implementation of the subcontract. All deliverables will be negotiated, reviewed and finalized after approval by the DGIET. From a technical point of view, the Consultant Consultants should specify in detail the methodologies they will use for each project deliverable – unless a pre-designed methodology is provided by the Ministry of National Education Directorate General of Innovation and Education Technologies (MoNE DGIET) Project coordinators, as part of the documentation supporting their bid for this contract. These methodologies will need to be approved by MoNE DGIET project coordinators prior to the work commencement.

4.2.18 Deliverables:

The following main deliverables (written in Bold) are expected, including each of the outputs (given as subtitles under each main deliverable):

• A Contract Inception Report • I. EdTech Vision and Lessons Learned Report o The Literature Review – WP 4.1 o The Participatory Action Research (PAR) – WP 4.2 o MoNE’s Education Technology Vision – WP 4.3 • II. Needs Analysis Report o The SWOT Analysis – WP 4.4 o The Needs Analysis – WP 4.5 o Asset Mapping – WP 4.6 o The Market Analysis – WP 4.7 o The Environmental Management Plan – WP 4.8 • III. The EdTech Feasibility and Operational Design Document o Targeted R&D Program Model Guidebook and Operational Process Analysis – WP 4.9

o A document describing and explaining the tailor-made R&D Program Model – WP 4.10 • IV. The PLL Feasibility and Operational Design Document o The CPD Program Models and Operational Design – WP 4.11 • V. Ecosystem Organization and Management Document o The Organizational Model, including all sub-outputs - WP 4.12 o The Virtual Space and guidelines for the system software design - WP 4.13 o Ecosystem Participation, Communication and Social Media Strategy Manuals – WP 4.14 • VI. Consolidated Technical and Financial Feasibility and Sustainability Report o Investments and Financial Analysis – WP 4.15 o Financial and Technical Feasibility and Sustainability o The Consolidated Feasibility Study and Operational Design Report (including a final summary of findings of the aspects above) – WP 4.16

WP-4 deliverables such as monthly monitoring and project progress reports, checklists etc. expected from the Consultant.

5 WORK PACKAGE 5: IMPLEMENTATION PHASE SUPERVISION CONSULTANCY SERVICE

This work package defines the supervision consultancy service to be provided by the Consultant with the aim of carrying out the SSDE Project (Project) implementation phase in a way that is effective, efficient and compatible with the outputs of the feasibility and technical design studies and according to the project development objectives after the completion of feasibility and technical design studies defined in Work Packages 1, 2, 3 and 4.

5.1 SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF WP-5

The Consultant is expected to implement the Project supervision consultancy service in four macro processes:

(i) Personnel Recommendation; (ii) Technical Assistance and Guidance for Harmonized Implementation and Quality Assurance; (iii) Implementation reviews; and (iii) Project Implementation Completion.

5.1.1 Personnel Recommendation

5.1.1.1 During the project implementation phase, the Client will need all qualifications and expertise that the personnel to be employed should have for an effective project implementation. The qualifications to be prepared according to the international standards will be presented to the Client in the “Personnel Qualification Inventory” (PQI), as a part of Project Implementation Framework (PIF), described in 5.2.2. Recommendatory studies will be carried out for the recruitment of personnel according to the qualifications and expertise indicated in the Personnel Qualification Inventory, regular reports and recommendatory expert list and job descriptions should be submitted in

TOR format in line with WB’s Procurement Regulations8 as well as with samples and templates as may be applicable and national regulations.

5.1.1.2 The Consultant will prepare a recommendatory personnel list in line with the related international standards and qualifications. PQI prepared in the first step, and in consideration of the details determined in feasibility studies will be submit to the Client.

5.1.2 Technical Assistance and Guidance for Harmonized Project Implementation and Quality Assurance

This part will include the preparation work for the supervision consultancy services expected to be completed, in addition to supervision, quality assurance, coordination, assistance, guidance, consultancy and reporting activities to be completed as well as technical assistance required of the Consultant to provide in the technical evaluation of the bids/proposals to be received by the Client under the tenders referred to in 2.2 “Outputs of WP-2”, and sub-paragraphs 3.6.3.5.1 and 3.6.3.5.2 above.9

5.1.2.1 Planning and preparation activities to be completed before the project implementation phase:

A Project Implementation Framework (PIF) covering all aspects such as personnel, resources, information, time planning, etc. needed for the presentation of Project outputs in a harmonized way and according to the required standards on the time period determined in the Project official documents. The PIF is going to cover and include all the following sub-outputs composed of analyses, guidelines, reports and inventories explained as below:

5.1.2.1.1 The Consultant will develop work procedures compliant to ISO 9001 standards in order to reach the project development objectives (PDO) and

8 Procurement Regulations are accessible at https://ppfdocuments.azureedge.net/083b3f94-a932-4395-a410- 834f8bc14f8c.pdf

9 For details of the technical assistance please refer to paragraph 5.1.5 below.

indicators set out in official documents during the implementation phase; and create a “Quality Assurance Guidelines for SSDE Project Procedures and Outputs” (Quality Assurance Guidelines- QAG). This document will specify the quality standards of all outputs and procedures and serve as a framework and guidelines that include quality assurance procedures to reach all official Project outputs, products, objectives, goals and results.

5.1.2.1.2 “Personnel Qualification Inventory” (PQI) as described in 5.1.1.1. will be prepared by the Consultant as a part of the PIF.

5.1.2.1.3 Before Project Implementation Phase starts, a holistic Project SWOT Analysis will be carried out for all Project components and the Preliminary Supervision Report (PSR) including all necessary strategies and measures to be taken by the Client for a successful implementation phase will be prepared by the Consultant. The preliminary supervision report will be parallel with the Quality Assurance Guidelines to be developed

5.1.2.1.4 A “Harmonization Report for Project Components and Outputs” (HRPCO) will be prepared by the Consultant in order to indicate the necessary steps and possible common aspects for a harmonized implementation of the Project components, procedures and outputs.

5.1.2.2 Supervision services to be carried out during Project implementation phase:

5.1.2.2.1 Required supervision, control and guidance studies will be carried out for the implementation of Quality Assurance Guidelines by the Consultant until the end of Project implementation phase (December 30th, 2023).

5.1.2.2.2 Guidance and assistance will be provided for the measures taken by the Consultant for the improvement of aspects mentioned in preliminary supervision report.

5.1.2.2.3 Supervision, control, guidance and assistance required for the harmonized implementation of Project Implementation Framework with the official Project documents of the Project by the Client will be provided.

5.1.2.2.4 Supervision activities to be carried out during implementation period will include document reviewing, surveys, interviews, field studies and other supervision and quality assurance aspects and procedures needed.

5.1.3 Project Implementation Reviews

5.1.3.1 Supervision review meetings will be organized in collaboration with Project Implementation Unit.

5.1.3.2 The Consultant will provide support in evaluating the proposals received and supervision of contracts during the project implementation.

5.1.3.3 Project Progress Reports (PPR) including the general state of the Project, in terms of the situation of the performance objectives, sub-indicators, supervision, guidance, assistance aspects will be prepared by the Consultant and submitted in a meeting to be organized with the participation of the Client and other relevant project stakeholders every 3 months.

5.1.4 Project Implementation Completion

5.1.4.1 After the completion of Project implementation phase, a Project Final Supervision and Evaluation Report (PFSER) will be created by the Consultant. Based on data and evidence, the report will include detailed information, all reports created during the phase and final general evaluation for the project implementation period carried out.

5.1.5 Details of Technical Assistance During the Bidding, Evaluation and Contract Award Stages:

5.1.5.1 The Consultant shall, in addition to the Consultant’s responsibilities prescribed in WP 2, WP 3 and WP 5 above, including preparation of PPSDs and Bidding Documents for three contracts in accordance with the World Bank

Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers – July 2016 revised in November 2017 and August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”) and the Bank’s respective templates and guidelines, provide technical assistance to the Client in the Bidding & Evaluation and Contract Award Stages for the following three contracts:

a. System Design/ Software Interoperability /Data Integration and Implementation, including integration of Inclusive, Accessible and Equitable Digital Contents and EdTech solutions;

b. Procurement of Data Center Service or Cloud Platform Service;

c. Production of Inclusive, Accessible and Equitable Digital Contents and EdTech Solutions for Post COVID 19 School Re-opening as per RFB; and

5.1.5.2 The Consultant shall prepare the technical specifications, bidding documents etc. and all additional documents in such a way that the necessity for variation orders during the contract execution stage is minimized. The Consultant shall be responsible to develop a set of complete bidding documents (with all commercial and technical content) for successful completion of the bidding process and contract implementation.

5.1.5.3 The Consultant shall make any reasonable modification to documents, reports, etc. irrespective of its/their being approved by the Client during the various stages of approval.

5.1.5.4 The Consultant shall provide technical assistance throughout the bidding process for the said three contracts including preparation of clarifications/addendum if deemed necessary, technical evaluation of the bids, drafting of technical input to evaluation reports and the contract. The responsibility of the Consultant shall continue until the successful conclusion of every and each contract tendered.

5.1.5.5 If for any reason any of the contract/s could not be concluded for the first round of the bidding, the Client upon consultation with the Client may consider (i) to

rebid the contract/s on its own without any further input from the Consultant or (ii) to amend the Contract Value as per the agreed Contract rates and renegotiated staff and time allocation to allow for the extra time spent by the Consultant for the second round of the Bidding Process. The Consultant shall not be entitled for any compensation or payment for such suspension of the Contract or any portion of it and shall make no claims and so forth. The Consultant is responsible for having those Key Expert(s) available during the course of the Services under this Terms of Reference or otherwise with replacement/s with equivalent or better qualifications and experience, meet the eligibility requirements and at the same rate of remuneration.

5.1.6 Implementation management and supervision support:

5.1.6.1 The Consultant shall, in addition to its roles and responsibilities listed in the above paragraphs of WP 5 provide technical assistance to the Client throughout the execution of the above-said three contracts in the performance by the Client of its implementation supervision liabilities, including implementation supervision support on supply, installation, testing, commissioning, and acceptance of the system/s as shall be further specified in the respective bidding documents and subsequent contracts.

5.2 WP-5 OUTPUTS

5.2.1 Project Implementation Framework (PIF)

5.2.1.1 Quality Assurance Guidelines for the SSDE Project Procedures and Outputs (QAG)

5.2.1.2 Personnel Qualification Inventory (PQI)

5.2.1.3 Preliminary Supervision Report (PSR)

5.2.1.4 Project Harmonization Report for Project Components and Outputs (HRPCO)

5.2.1.5 Technical and/or combined evaluation reports for the three tenders referred to in WP 2, WP 3 and WP 5 above.

Project Progress Reports (PPR)

5.2.2 Project Final Supervision and Evaluation Report (PFSER)

6 ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECTS

6.1 ORGANIZATION, COORDINATION AND LOGISTICS

The Consultant shall provide the following key experts and non-key experts with the qualifications as follows: (When no qualifications are specified, that key and/or non-key personnel shall have at least five years of general experience and three years of specific experience. When no quantity is specified, sufficient number of personnel shall be assigned by the Consultant as may be required to carry out the assignment as per conditions of contract)

Position/Quantity Project team Leader (1) Work Package Coordinators (5) WP1 Coordinator to act as Project Team Leader WP2 Coordinator (1) WP3 Coordinator (1) WP4 Coordinator (1) WP5 Coordinator (1) Key Experts for WP1 Coordinators for WP2, WP3 and WP4 to act as key experts for WP1 Key Experts for WP2: IT System Architect and DevOps Specialists IT Network Security Specialists Business Analysts Key Experts for WP3 Program Development Specialist, Educational Technology Specialist, Instructional Designer, Business Analyst, Monitoring & Evaluation Expert, Legal Specialist, Educators and Teachers, Specialist Education Expert, Academicians, Computer Engineer/IT Business Analyst Key Experts for WP4 Business Analyst Financial Expert, Education Technologies Specialist Public Law Specialist and Senior Education Specialist Key Experts for WP5 Supervision Expert (1) Quality Assurance Experts (4) Environmental Safeguards Specialist (1)

Social Safeguards Specialist (1) Procurement Specialist (1)

6.1.1 The work experience of project team leader or other members in international organizations such as United Nations, OECD, World Bank, European Commission, etc. will be considered as Professional consultancy experience. Project consultancy services as teaching fellows in universities are considered as Professional consultancy experience. However, only the active project implementation period will count as consultancy experience. In this case, documentation of the consultancy period will be demanded from the relevant institution or organization along with information on the project implementation. Having only the title of consultant in public bodies and institutions, private sector companies, non-governmental organizations, or other legal entities will not be considered as “Professional consultancy”. Having a master’s or PhD diploma will be taken into consideration during the evaluation process.

6.1.2 Required Key Expertise

6.1.2.1 Project Team Leader: Being responsible for the management of the team to carry out feasibility studies as well as the general supervision/coordination of the project activities. Being the first contact person for preparing all correspondence and reports and submitting them to the SSDE project manager and coordinator, he/she will report to SSDE Project Manager of the Client about the status of the Project and completed activities. There is an expected close collaboration between the personnel of the Consultant and SSDE project personnel. Team leader will be responsible for the overall feasibility studies. Team Leader will have the following qualifications:

• At least 8 years of professional consultancy experience, • International experience in at least 2 (two) EdTech projects • Excellent communication and teamwork skills, • Excellent command of English, • Experience in the feasibility studies of projects similar to SSDE Project,

• Experience in projects supported by UN, World Bank or any other international development organizations implemented in Turkey, Middle and Eastern Europe (MENA) or Middle East countries or similar countries, • Experience in the private sector, particularly with IT and/orEdTech Small and Medium-sized Enterprises,

6.1.2.2 Work Package Coordinators: A consultant with the following qualifications shall be assigned as a Work Package Coordinator in the team that will implement the work packages. The Consultant shall assign one of the Work Package Coordinators as the responsible person for each work package and informing the Client. Coordinators are the contact persons for all issues related to the package they are responsible for. Coordinators must have excellent communication and teamwork skills as well as excellent command of English.

6.1.3 Work Package Coordinators to be assigned will have the following qualifications depending on the work package:

6.1.3.1 Qualifications for Work Package 1 Coordinator:

The coordinator of the work package 1 shall also act as the Project Team Leader who shall have the qualifications listed in 6.1.2.1.

6.1.3.2 Key experts and Qualifications Required for Work Package 1:

Work package coordinators for WP2, WP3 and WP4 will serve as the key experts for Work Package 1 and their qualifications are listed as follows:

6.1.3.3 Qualifications for Work Package 2 Coordinator:

A coordinator will be appointed for WP-2 and will be responsible for providing inputs on system design and architecture for the new digital education platform and providing recommendations on system design considerations, principles, integration architecture, and in finalizing the system architecture and design for NDES. She/He is to carry out infrastructural project design studies to examine the current system and to determine the most appropriate technology for the new system that will serve 5 million concurrent

users and to decide on other requirements. The coordinator should have sufficient knowledge on learning management system and architecture design for online learning system with deep software architecture and programming skills. In order to assist the coordinator in these matters the key experts to be assigned will be: IT System Architecture Specialists, IT Network & Security Specialists, DevOps (Software Development and IT Operations) Specialists and Business Analysts for tasks within the scope of WP-2.

Responsibilities shall include:

• Coordinate with related stakeholders for finalizing the system design and architecture for NDES, including low level and high-level design for the system, interface architecture, security architecture, etc. for NDES by committing that the design of the system will fulfil the system's requirements, in particular non- functional requirements (volume, scalability, confidentiality, integrity, availability). • Drive identification of requirements across business units and identify system’s processes through evaluation of real-time data, determine and develop user requirements for system to ensure maximum usability. • Support the development of a Software Requirements Specification (SRS) which should detail:

o functional requirements (e.g., what a product should do), including reporting templates o usability requirements o technical requirements (e.g., security, network, platform, integration, client, etc.) o environmental requirements o support requirements o interaction requirements (e.g., how the product should work with other systems)

• Communicate and provide clarity to stakeholders with respect to the requirements of the business processes and making sense of these requirements in order to ensure that the end products will solve the business problem(s) at hand. • Provide capacity building details on system architecture and design considerations.

• Provide the network system architecture of the organization for the smooth and non-interrupted system services. • Support in finalizing the system architecture and design, integration architecture and design, and security architecture and design for NDES. • Guide the strategy, patterns, and coding to implement cloud-native development and test automation applications. • To ensure that the activities and decisions of the related work are aligned with the priorities contained within the WP-2. • Transfer the knowledge and skills for the above functionalities to relevant staff at MoNE by providing training when necessary.

6.1.3.4 Key experts and Qualifications Required for Work Package 2:

Work Package 2 Coordinator must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Computer Science, or Information Systems Management or related field. • At least 8 years of professional consultancy experience. • International experience in EdTech projects that may be given as references. • Excellent communication skills, including fluency in written and spoken English, report writing, and the ability to write for and to a variety of stakeholders in terms of their information needs. • Minimum 5 years of recent practical experience in related expertise. • Programming language proficiency (Java/Ruby/C/C++/Node.JS/Python etc.) with knowledge of the Agile, Lean, and DevOps practices. • Capability for modelling components, data and services. • Capability for specification of service interfaces, service data and reference models. • Good knowledge of interoperability technology (e.g. web services, message oriented middleware, service oriented bus). • Capability for modelling service data and reference models.

• Good knowledge of service implementation patterns (synchronous, asynchronous, request/response, etc.), distributed system design and messaging layer. • Experience with infrastructure automation, infrastructure as code, automated application deployment, monitoring/telemetry, logging, reporting/dashboarding, and continuous delivery technologies. • Experience developing cloud-native applications that adhere to microservices. • Experience in architecture modelling tools. • Business experience in international/multicultural environment and public administration are assets. • Ability to cope with fast-changing technologies used in application architecture.

IT System Architecture & DevOps (Software Development and IT Operations) Specialists must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Computer Science, or Information Systems Management or related field. • Minimum 5 years of recent practical experience in IT systems architecture and design. • Programming language proficiency (Java/Ruby/C/C++/Node.JS/Python etc.) with knowledge of the Agile, Lean, and DevOps practices. • Capability for modelling components, data and services. • Capability for specification of service interfaces, service data and reference models. • Good knowledge of interoperability technology (e.g., web services, message- oriented middleware, service oriented bus). • Capability for modelling service data and reference models. • Good knowledge of service implementation patterns (synchronous, asynchronous, request/response, etc.), distributed system design and messaging layer.

• Experience with infrastructure automation, infrastructure as code, automated application deployment, monitoring/telemetry, logging, reporting/dashboarding, and continuous delivery technologies. • Experience developing cloud-native applications that adhere to microservices. • Experience in architecture modelling tools. • Experience in international/multicultural environment and public administration are assets. • Ability to cope with fast-changing technologies used in application architecture. • Excellent communication skills, including fluency in written and spoken English, report writing, and the ability to write for and to a variety of stakeholders in terms of their information needs. • Strong practical knowledge of relevant Microsoft applications. IT Network & Security Specialists must meet the following minimum requirements: • Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or Information Systems Management or related field. • To have worked as an admin in the Network or System Security field for at least 5 (five) years in the IT Center of applications that use corporate security products and simultaneously serve 1.000.000 users. • To have Cisco Certified Network Professional Security (CCNP) and Cisco Certified Network Professional Security (CCNP Security) certificates. • To have knowledge at very good level about UTMs that work as brand- independent active-active or active-passive (including features such as firewall, crypto IPS, web filtering, application filtering, SSL inspection, IPSEC tunnel, SSL VPN, etc.). • To be able to create signature to IPS system. • To have been involved in design, implementation and management of network and security projects that give service to simultaneous 1.000.000 users. • To have experience with security of Microsoft and Linux operating systems. • To have experience with DDOS prevention. • To have experience with server security.

• To have experience with load balancer devices, SSL offload and SSL bridging areas. • To have knowledge about and experience with identification and authorization at user and computer access. • To have knowledge about penetration test and vulnerability scanning systems. • To be able to conduct first-level penetration test of systems. • To have knowledge about and experience with Root-CA, self-signed and trust certificates. • To have knowledge about network segmentation. • Excellent communication skills, including fluency in written and spoken English, report writing, and the ability /to write for and to a variety of stakeholders in terms of their information needs. • Strong practical knowledge of relevant Microsoft applications.

Business Analysts must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Management Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical / Electronic Engineering, Mathematics Engineering departments of universities or related field • At least 5 years of business analyst experience • Practical experience generating process documentation and reports. • Excellent communicator with the ability to translate data into actionable insights • Proven development of innovative and impactful systems solutions. • Excellent communication skills, including fluency in written and spoken English, report writing, and the ability to write for and to a variety of stakeholder hierarchies. • Strong practical knowledge of relevant Microsoft applications, including Visio.

6.1.3.5 Qualifications for Work Package 3 Coordinator:

Digital Content Development and Coordination Specialist (Work Package Coordinator)

The Specialist work for Digital Content and Platform Designer; • Planning the Current Situation Analysis studies and the SWOT analysis studies

• Within the scope of needs analysis, conduct field research and stakeholder analysis • Cooperate with MEB PIU and carry out joint studies with relevant units, • It is expected to be capable of organizing the preparation of a "Software Development Document" by conducting a literature review for the preparation of recommendation reports and by determining good examples at national and international scale. • To be the first contact person to prepare all correspondence and reports and send them to SSDE project officers • Creating and regularly updating the ecosystem policy, principles, strategy plan and organizational implementation plan of the project; and coordinating the related processes; • Taking necessary precautions, planning related processes and reporting them to the Client in order to establish an ecosystem that will enable the collaboration among all stakeholders, and support educational digital content development and blended education processes.

1. Qualifications include:

• 5 years’ management experience in a large-scale project as a team leader and content development expert,

• Program Development Specialist

• Knowledge in educational content development processes and tools;

• Experience in distance learning design and management;

• Familiarity with new media tools;

• Excellent team working and communication skills;

• Excellent command of written and spoken English, Turkish knowledge is an asset;

6.1.3.6 The coordinator of WP 3 is expected to work in a team which includes preferably the following experts (team should be approved by the Client):

Program Development Specialist,

• Educational Technology Specialist,

• Instructional Designer,

• Business Analyst,

• Monitoring & Evaluation Expert,

• Legal Specialist,

• Educators and Teachers,

• Specialist Education Expert,

• Academicians,

• Computer Engineer/IT Business Analyst who can prepare the RMP.

6.1.3.7 The Key Experts and the Required Personnel for Work Package 4:

The following qualifications will be required for WP4 coordinator:

• At least 8 years of professional consultancy experience in digital education projects, of which 5+ years in the field of research and innovation center /cluster, both at policy and implementation levels in a senior position, preferably in EdTech Innovation Cluster development and management • Solid experience in financial and operational aspects related to research and innovation center /cluster, in particular in Public-Private Partnership elaboration and set-up, preferably in EdTech Innovation Cluster development and management • First-hand knowledge of institutional setups/arrangements for regulating and managing research and innovation center /clusters, preferably EdTech Innovation Clusters • Experience in establishing and managing a research and innovation center /cluster in the Middle-East/Europe/USA, with institutional and business environments relevant to that of Turkey – would constitute an asset. • Familiarity with the private sector, particularly with IT and preferably EdTech Small and Medium-sized Enterprises • Experience in implementing projects in Turkey, Middle-Eastern countries and other countries that may set a good example within UN, World Bank or other international development organizations programs will be considered an asset. • International experience in EdTech projects that may be given as references, will be considered as an asset

• Experience in working with the state organizations in Turkey will be considered as an asset • Analytical competence and recognized ability to coordinate a multidisciplinary team • Excellent planning, reporting and communication skills • Fluency in English; Knowledge of Turkish will be considered as an asset • Advanced degree in education, economics, management, business administration, industrial engineering or any other relevant discipline will be considered as an asset.

Key experts for tasks within the scope of WP-4 are listed as business analyst, financial expert, educational technologies specialist, public law specialist and educational technologies specialists. During the feasibility work, the Consultant or the Client can add new and necessary expertise to the team:

Business Analyst must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Experience in organizational development, administration, management and operation • PMI Certificate (PMI-PBA® Business Analysis Personnel Training Certificate) or an equivalent certificate related to the projects conducted in this field. • Experience in capacity building and enterprise development in national and international organizations • Experience as part of a research and innovation center /cluster management team would be an asset • Having worked on feasibility studies on EdTech projects on a similar or larger scale • Having 5-7 years’ extensive experience and background in planning and development of detailed master plans or related disciplines with an emphasis on educational capacity building projects • Experience in Turkey is required • Experience with MoNE, UN, OECD, European Commission, World Bank or any other international development organizations would be an asset.

Financial Expert must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Have minimum of master’s degree in Economics, Finance or Business Administration. • Preferably 7 years or more of experience in international EdTech projects • Experience in public bodies, private sector/SME development initiatives • Experience in field studies, market research and surveys • Experience in conducting feasibility studies and case modelling for public bodies, knowledge and experience in financial development especially in designing capacity building programs • Project finance expertise in PPP and World Bank projects • Good analytical (information and data) and writing skills • Previous relevant experience in Turkey an asset.

Educational Technologies Specialist must meet the following minimum requirements:

• At least 7 years of relevant experience in digital education projects, including EdTech clusters/ research and innovation center • Proven experience of developing digital content and learning analysis together with Research and Development experience in educational technology field. • Experience with the participation in organization of high-level consultations, workshops including with the members of European Commission, World Bank, government and local authorities • Previous professional experience with the feasibility studies in EdTech sector would be considered an asset. • Familiarity with the educational system in Turkey required • Previous experience in Turkey required.

Public Law Specialist must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Master’s degree in public law, private law • At least 10 years of proven experience in public law • Experience in international large-scale public and private projects

• Experience in international law consultancies • Previous experience in Turkey • Previous experience in providing technical assistance to government institutions is an asset.

Senior Education Specialist must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Experience with design, develop, and maintain a variety of digital training content for teachers and students. • Experience with the participation in high-level organizations for consultations, workshops including with the members of European Commission, World Bank, government and local authorities • Previous professional experience with the feasibility studies in EdTech sector would be considered an asset • Technical knowledge on systems (learning management systems -LMS-, content management systems, etc.) and liaise with the IT feasibility study to identify how the ecosystem solutions will integrate into the IT infrastructure. • Familiarity with the educational system in Turkey required • Previous experience in Turkey required. • At least 10 years of relevant experience in teacher training projects, experience in EdTech clusters/ research and innovation center will be an asset. • Proven experience of training teachers and trainers on competences

In addition to the WP-4 coordinator and key experts, the personnel in the field is required to collect data for the outputs. The personnel in the field must meet the minimum requirements below:

• 10+ years of experience in education development at national level • Experience in providing direct support to universities, public bodies, and private organizations • Strong linkages with public institutions and network of private businesses • Excellent communication skills in both English and Turkish • Ability to identify national/local project resources (surveys, studies …)

• Previous experience within international development programs an asset.

The experts qualified in these and the following areas should be in the team. During the feasibility work, the Consultant can add new and necessary expertise to the team:

• A local economist • A local engineer familiar with the education and informatics sector in Turkey • Research teams to conduct the pieces of research studies • Legal experts for the legislative dimension of the feasibility studies • Professional Trainers and Teachers for the pedagogical activities • EdTech/ICT experts and academicians • Communication specialist • Translator/interpreters for English-Turkish-Arabic as required by the project.

6.1.3.8 The Key Experts and the Required Personnel for Work Package 5:

The following qualifications will be required for WP-5 coordinator:

• University degree from the Department of Industrial Engineering, Engineering, Business Administration or other related departments • Minimum 5 (five) years of Professional consultancy/management experience in quality assurance, quality control, supervision and audit; Having a PMP certificate from the PMI on the relavant fields will be an asset. • Having a certificate in quality engineering, quality audit, Six Sigma or quality development • Experience in planning, implementing and evaluating the regulatory and preventive activities. • Knowledge in the terminology, tools and methodology of quality assurance and supervision • Experience in project planning, implementing, supervision, management and evaluation. • Experience in designating procedures for supervising and reporting supervision and quality issues, • Experience in strategic planning and management,

• Excellent command of English and Turkish. • Problem solving skills • Analytical thinking skills, • Effective use of verbal and written communication channels, • Experience in management, coordination and leadership, • Experience in planning and organization, • Data visualization and analysis software using skills, • Problem solving skills, • Verbal and written communication skills,

Supervision and quality assurance experts:

4 supervision and quality assurance experts will be recruited for Work Package 5. Having knowledge and experience in at least one of the following areas required by all Project component and subcomponents on the condition that each expert is competent on a different area given below, will be an asset.

• Certificate in system infrastructure, network management, software development, creating software design document. Having CSMQ (Certified Manager of Software Quality) Certificate.

• Planning and management of digital content development procedures. Description of the digital content standards and technical requirements.

• Educational technologies and digital content ecosystem design and management, educational technologies, R&D and innovation program development, cluster- incubation-hub design and management.

• Project cycle management, monitoring, assistance, evaluation, guidance and consultancy procedures.

Key experts for Wp-5 must meet the following minimum requirements:

• University degree from the Department of Industrial Engineering, Engineering, Business Administration or other related departments

• Planning and organization skills, relevant experience or certificate (PMI-SP® PMI Project Scheduling Professional: PMI-SP certificate) will be an asset, • Experience or certificate in risk management (PMI-RMP® PMI Risk Management Professional: PMI-RMP certificate) will be an asset. • Other relevant knowledge and experience in the scope of the work package 5, • At least 5 years of experience in Project supervision, audit and evaluation, • Having a certificate in quality engineering, quality audit, Six Sigma or quality development will be an asset. • Experience in identifying, implementing and evaluating procedures for supervision and reporting of quality issues, • Knowledge in the terminology, tools and methodology of quality assurance and supervision • Experience in the planning, implementation and evaluation of regulatory and preventive activities. • Excellent command of English and Turkish. • Advanced experience in preparation of evaluation report in Turkish and English, • Advanced skills in data analysis, evaluation and reporting, • Data visualization and analysis software using skills, • Excellent skills in MS Office • Teamworking skills • Analytical thinking skills, • Excellent command of verbal and writing communication skills, • Problem solving skills

Qualifications for Procurement Specialist

• Four-year graduate or post graduate degree from law, finance, economics, business administration, or engineering faculties of universities • Minimum 10 years of general working experience • Minimum 5 years of working experience in procurements by International Financing Institutions rules and regulations

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• Minimum 5 years of working experience in procurements by World Bank rules and regulations • Ability to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Project, etc. • Fluency in English

Qualifications for Environmental Safeguard Specialist:

• Graduate and/or post-graduate degree from environmental engineering or environmental services

• Minimum 10 years of working experience in environmental management, assessment and mitigation practices of environmental risks and impacts, methodology and procedure development, environmental impact analysis and minimum 3 years of working experience in occupational health and safety

• Minimum three years of working experience in projects funded by International Financing Institutions, World Bank, EU, etc.

• Ability to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Project, etc. • Fluency in English and Turkish Qualifications for Social Safeguard Specialist: • Graduate degree from social sciences, sociology, economics, public relations, education or similar departments

• Minimum three years of working experience in education sector, distance education projects or related activities

• Minimum three years of working experience in projects funded by International Financing Institutions, World Bank, EU, etc.

• Experience in stakeholder engagement

• Experience in international standards in identification of social status, stakeholder engagement, labor force,

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• Ability to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Project, etc. • Fluency in English and Turkish

Language Requirements

The working language of the Consultant is English. All technical documents and reports will be in Turkish and English. Key technical personnel should be able to speak and write English fluently. All translation/interpreting activities into Turkish including the surveys will be carried out and covered by the Consultant. All agreement notification to be submitted by MoNE DGIET will be in Turkish and English.

The Consultant will create a detailed Work Calendar for all the works to be performed during the work process. This Work Calendar will include the order of works, beginning and end dates, period of the work, relations between works, intermediate and final outputs, and milestones to be achieved. The Draft Work Calendar will be submitted to the Client in 1 (one) week as of the beginning date in 6(six) printed and 1 (one) electronic (USB) copies. The Final Work Calendar to be created with the changes required by the Client will be submitted in 2 (two) as of the beginning date in 6 (six) printed and 2 (two) electronic (USB) copies.

6.1.4 The Consultant will report to the Client once every two weeks a Progress Report on the relevant activities. 2-week project progress reports will be submitted to the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) within MoNE DGIET. These reports will be submitted to the Client in 6 (six) printed and 1 (one) electronic (USB) copies. The Progress Reports will include all the activities, bilateral meetings, summary of concretely completed works performed and problems faced, and progress recorded during the reporting period. These reports will compose of a checklist of completed and ongoing activities for the work packages. PIU will review the reports, monitor the progress of the project and make comments/take steps as needed. The reports will be subject to the approval of the Administrator and will be binding for progress payments.

6.2 THE CONSULTANT’S REQUIREMENTS

1. The Consultants should be in the consulting business for not less than the last 10 years prior to deadline for submission of interests;

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2. The Consultants should have at least 5 years of specific experience prior to deadline for submission of interests in each of: (i) development of Edtech research and innovation center/cluster and ecosystem structures including the management and operations; (ii) educational digital content and pedagogy development through need analysis, standards, design and strategy; (iii) technology infrastructure (IT infrastructure, platform design, service design (PaaS), CDN, virtual classroom, etc.) design, development, implementation and management);

3. The Consultants should demonstrate availability of the key experts for the performance of the services described in the TOR;

4. The Consultants should demonstrate experience in the implementation of projects financed by the international organizations including UN and World Bank;

5. The Consultants should demonstrate sound administrative and financial capacity.

In case of Consultants not doing business in Turkey, the Consultant shall be required to have a registered office in Turkey (if awarded the contract) as per conditions of contract.

6.3 DOCUMENT APPROVAL PROCESS

6.3.1 Documents submitted to the Client will be reviewed by the Client and the Client’s comments will be submitted to the Consultant in 20 (twenty) working days following the submittal date, unless a longer period is deemed to be required, and so notified in writing to the Consultant, by the Client.

6.3.2 The Consultant shall revise the documents in line with the Client’s comments, and submit the revised documents to the Client within three (3) working days or a longer period specified in the written request of the Client, following receipt of the comments. The Client may request for arrangement of face-to-face or virtual meetings to discuss the delivered documents to expedite the process.

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6.4 DELIVERY CALENDAR

The delivery dates within the Project are given below:

Table 2 Delivery Calendar with End Dates

Activity Description End Dates

WP 1.1 Inform about, synthesize and draw lessons/strategies from General Trends in End of 4th week Education and Distance/Blended Learning

WP 1.2 Operational Feasibility Report End of 14th week

WP 1.3 Cost/Benefit Analysis, Environmental & Social Safety, and Sustainability End of 16th week

WP 1.4 Stakeholder, Participation and Communication Feasibility Report End of 15th week

th WP 1.5 Feasibility Report submitted to the Presidency's Strategy and Budget Department End of 16 week

WP 1.6 Overall recommendations report. End of 16th week

WP 2.1 Report on Current State and Needs Analysis of Information Technologies End of 4th week Infrastructure

WP 2.2 Report on Analysis Evaluation and Solution Design of Information Technologies End of 12th week Infrastructure

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Activity Description End Dates

WP 2.3 Technical Requirements Document of Information Technologies Infrastructure End of 16th week including Bidding Documents and PPSD(s)

WP 3.1 Report on the Current state and Asset Map of Content End of 3th week

WP 3.2 SWOT Analysis Report End of 5th week

WP 3.3 Field Research Report End of 5th week

WP 3.4 Stakeholder Analyses Report End of 6th week

WP 3.5 Recommendation Report 1: Contribution to Vision End of 2th week

WP 3.6 Recommendation Report 2: Integration of MoNE Systems End of 8th week

WP 3.7 Recommendation Report 3: Platform Improvement End of 8th week

WP 3.8 Recommendation Report 4: Digital Transformation and Virtual Integration End of 8th week

WP 3.9 Recommendation Report 5: Provision Methods should be submitted in TOR format in line with WB’s SPDs and national regulations and Cost/Benefit Analysis End of 12th week including Bidding Documents and PPSD.

WP 3.10 Recommendation Report 6: Maintaining the Ecosystem Up-to-date and Rating End of 8th week Structure

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Activity Description End Dates

WP 3.11 Recommendation Report 7: Working Procedures, Legislation Improvement and End of 16th week Strategy

WP 3.12 Document for Standards End of 10th week

WP 3.13 Classification Process End of 16th week

WP 4.1 Literature Review End of 4th week

WP 4.2 Participatory Action Research (PAR) End of 24th week

WP 4.3 Vision Document for MoNE Education Technologies End of 4th week

WP 4.4 SWOT Analysis End of 12th week

WP 4.5 Needs Analysis End of 12th week

WP 4.6 Creating of Asset Map and Transformation Map End of 18th week

WP 4.7 Market Analysis End of 12th week

WP 4.8 Environmental Management Plan End of 14th week

WP 4.9 Targeted R&D Program End of 14th week

WP 4.10 Research and Development Program Models End of 14th week

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Activity Description End Dates

WP 4.11 Continuous Professional Development Program End of 14th week

WP 4.12 The Organizational Model, including all sub-outputs End of 12th week

WP 4.13 RMP document for Virtual Space End of 8th week

WP 4.14 Communication Strategy End of 12th week

WP 4.15 Investment and Financing Options End of 16th week

WP 4.16 Final Feasibility and Operational Design Report End of 24th week

WP 5.1. Project Implementation Framework (PIF) End of 9th Week

WP 5.2. Quality Assurance Guidelines (QAG) for SSDE Project Procedures and Outputs End of 9th Week

WP 5.3. Personnel Qualification Inventory (PQI) End of 9th Week

WP 5.4. Preliminary Supervision Report (PSR). End of 9th Week

WP 5.5. Harmonization Report for Project Components and Outputs (HRPCO) End of 9th Week

WP 5.6. Project Progress Reports (PPR) Quarterly

WP 5.7. Project Final Supervision and Evaluation Report (PFSER) End of 140th week

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6.5 WORK PROGRAM AND DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED

6.5.1 The Draft Work Program will be submitted to the Client in 3 (three) printed and 1 (one) electronic (USB) copies in 1 (one) week following the starting day of work. The Final Work Program to be created in consideration of the changes made by the Client will be submitted by the Consultant in 3 (three) printed and 1 (one) electronic (USB) copies in 2 (weeks) following the starting of the work.

Table 3 Documents submitted by WPs

Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

Trend and SWOT analysis of existing WP 1.1 Inform about, synthesize and draw face-to-face and distance/blended General Trends in Education and lessons/strategies from General Trends in educational technologies in both global Distance/Blended Learning Analysis Report Education and Distance/Blended Learning and local scale, lessons learned, and strategies adapted for Turkey

Requirement’s analysis WP 1.2 Operational Feasibility Report Operational Feasibility Report Identification of status-quo and gaps

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

Cost/Benefit Analysis, Environmental & WP 1.3 Cost/Benefit Analysis, Environmental Cost/Benefit Analysis, Environmental & Social Social Safety Analysis Sustainability & Social Safety, and Sustainability Safety, and Sustainability Report Analysis

Stakeholder Identification Analysis

WP 1.4 Stakeholder, Participation and Communication Strategy Requirement Stakeholder, Participation and Communication Communication Feasibility Report Analysis Feasibility Report

Event Planning

WP 1.5 Feasibility Report submitted to the Feasibility Document prepared within the Feasibility Report Presidency's Strategy and Budget Department Presidency's format

WP 1.6 Overall Recommendations Report Identification of Core Recommendations Recommendation report

Analyzing the Current State and Analysis Report on the Current State and WP 2.1 Current State and Needs Analysis Identifying the Problems and Needs Identifying the Problems and Needs

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

Presentation of the Alternative Solutions to Report on the Analysis Evaluation and Solution WP 2.2 Report on Analysis Evaluation and Meet All Needs Based on the Results of the Design for Information Technologies Solution Design Analysis Infrastructure

WP 2.3 Preparation of Technical Requirements Building the System Architecture Meeting Technical Requirements Document for (Technical Terms of Reference) including All Project Component Needs that is Information Technologies Infrastructure PPSD(s) and Bidding Documents Compatible with the Latest Technology including PPSD(s) and Bidding Documents

Review of the current content on EBA Platform EBA Report on the Analysis of Current State WP 3.1 Analysis of the Current State and

Content Asset Map Asset mapping (AM) of the content on Asset mapping of content EBA Platform

WP 3.2 SWOT Analysis of Content Structure SWOT Analysis for digital content and SWOT analysis report and Processes technical design of EBA Platform

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

Needs analysis for the provision of digital WP 3.3 Field Research Needs Analysis Report content matched with learning outcomes

Needs analysis for the provision of digital WP 3.4 Stakeholder Analysis Needs Analysis Report content matched with learning outcomes

Provide reference for the determination Recommendation Report 1: Contribution to WP 3.5 Recommendation Report 1: of education vision and new learning Vision Contribution to Vision model in the case of an emergency

disaster management.

Recommendation Report 2: Integration of MoNE WP 3.6 Recommendation Report 2: Integration Measures will be identified to integrate Systems for RMP, including PPSD and Bidding of MoNE Systems different units of MoNE. Documents

İnvestigations in local and global digital WP 3.7 Recommendation Report 3: Platform Recommendation Report 3: Platform systems will be conducted to make Improvement Improvement for RMP improvements.

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

Identifying the approaches adopted by global and local leading alternative digital WP 3.8 Recommendation Report 4: Digital Recommendation Report 4: Digital content platforms for improvements Transformation and Virtual Integration Transformation and Virtual Integration for RMP matching the new generation understanding and perspectives.

WP 3.9 Recommendation Report 5: Provision Methods should be submitted in TOR format in Explanation of provision Methods and Recommendation Report 5: Provision Methods line with WB’s SPDs and national regulations Cost/Benefit Analysis and Cost/Benefit Analysis report and Cost/Benefit Analysis

Reviewing the best global examples in Recommendation Report 6: Maintaining the WP 3.10 Recommendation Report 6: order to identify structure that will Maintaining the Ecosystem Up-to-date and Ecosystem Up-to-date and Rating Structure for maintain content on EBA Platform up-to- Rating Structure RMP date.

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

WP 3.11 Recommendation Report 7: Working Identifying the requirements of the Recommendation Report 7: Working Procedures, Legislation Improvement and legislation in order to include the Procedures, Legislation Improvement and Strategy stakeholders in the new system. Strategy report

Determination of Standards for Digital WP 3.12 Document for Standards Content and Technical Design of the Digital Content and Technical Design Standards Platform

Classification for placement in the targeted Classification final report and Identification of WP 3.13 Classification Process structure Reduction Needs Report.

Review of Good Examples in the World on WP 4.1 Literature Review Literature Review Report Similar innovation and Education Clusters

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

Determination of the Technology Report on the Research Results Development Capacity of Ecosystem and WP 4.2 Participatory Action Research Analysis Report on the Educational Technology Multi-Stakeholder Ecosystem Design and Company Profiles and Stakeholder Operation in Development the Ecosystem

Long-term Educational Technologies, WP 4.3 MoNE’s Educational Technologies Blended Learning and Distance Education MoNE’s Educational Technologies Vision Vision Vision for Innovation Hub and PLL Document activities

Holistic Evaluation of the Potential of WP 4.4 SWOT Analysis Report on the SWOT Analysis of Innovation Hub Ecosystem

Identifying All Stakeholders to be included WP 4.5 Needs Analysis Needs Analysis Report in the Ecosystem

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

Creating a Map Demonstrating the Report on the Innovation Ecosystem and Asset WP 4.6 Asset Mapping Ecosystem Sources and Possible Impacts Map of the Innovation Hub

Review of the Market of Educational Report on the Analysis of Company Inventory Technology Companies in terms of WP 4.7 Market Analysis Mapping of the Turkish Educational structure, volume, value, competitive Technologies environment, etc.

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

The operation of the Ed Tech Innovation Hub center and implementation of the R&D program might be associated with environmental aspects such as generation of electronic wastes, high energy WP 4.8 Environmental Management Plan for consumption etc. The Environmental the operation of EdTech Innovation Hub and Environmental Management Plan Management Plan will address PLL environmental risks and impacts with adequate management and mitigation measures to be implemented in the Hub and PLL and during the implementation of R&D Program.

Identification of the Strategies and WP 4.9 R&D Incentive Program Applications that can be used for the Incentive Program Guidelines Inventive Fund for EdTech Companies

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

Recommendation for the Models and Recommendation Report on the Application WP 4.10 R&D Program Models and Activities Applications of R&D Cycle, Management including Call for cooperation document, the Flow and R&D Activities of the Ecosystem R&D Models and Good Examples

Recommendation for PLL and CPD WP 4.11 Capacity Building Program Programs for the innovation at schools and Program Framework for Capacity Building PLL Mapping

Analysis of the Identification of Report including Institutional Model Management and Stakeholder Roles; Recommendations for Innovation Hub, WP 4.12 Institutional Model Determination of Duties, Authorizations Exemplary Applications and Legislation and Responsibilities; and Legislation Requirements Recommendation

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

Demonstration of Software and System Infrastructure Requirements of the Model including the System and Software WP 4.13 RMP for Virtual Platform Platform for the Online Collaboration of Requirements for the Virtual Platform, will be Innovation Hub Stakeholders. RMP format updated according to the pilot study results will be submitted.

WP 4.14 Communication and Social Media Identification of Promotion and Communication Strategy Guidelines

Strategy Dissemination Strategies Social Media Strategy Guidelines

Identification of Investment and Financing Investment and Financing Analysis and WP 4.15 Investment and Financing Analysis Options (Public Fund, Private Fund, etc.) Development Program

Preparing the detailed feasibility and WP 4.16 Presenting the Final Feasibility Study Consolidated Feasibility Study and Operational operational design document based on the and Operational Design Report Design Report previous studies and piloting results

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

A comprehensive framework study including personnel, resources, WP 5.1. Project Implementation Framework information, time planning, etc. needed to (PIF) achieve outputs and results to be achieved within the project according to the Project Implementation Framework Document

development objectives and indicators set out in official documents and in harmony and in line with required qualifications and standards

Creating a framework and guidelines that WP 5.2. Quality Assurance Guidelines (QAG) will identify the quality standards for all Quality Assurance Guidelines (to be delivered as for SSDE Project Procedures and Outputs outputs and procedure, and include quality part of the PIF Document) assurance procedures to achieve the

outputs

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

WP 5.3. Personnel Qualification Inventory Carrying out an inventory study which will (PQI) identify the qualifications needed for the Personnel Qualification Inventory (to be personnel to be employed for the project delivered as part of the PIF Document) implementation

Creating a preliminary supervision report to guide the management of WP 5.4. Preliminary Supervision Report (PSR). Preliminary Supervision Report (to be delivered implementation phase in a favorable as part of the PIF Document) atmosphere, based on the results of the Project SWOT analysis.

Implementing the Project procedure and Harmonization Report for Project component WP 5.5. Harmonization Report for Project outputs in harmony, and identification and and subcomponents (to be delivered as part of the Components and Outputs (HRPCO) reporting of possible common aspects PIF Document)

Submittal of quarterly supervision reports WP 5.6. Project Progress Reports (PPR) Quarterly project progress reports summarizing the progress

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Definition of Work Analysis Documents to be Submitted

Evaluation Report will include the results of the evaluation of project outputs and The final report to be submitted within 15 days WP 5.7. Project Final Supervision and results according to the predetermined after the completion of the project Evaluation Report (PFSER) quality standards in a graded level of implementation phase harmony and based on evidence.

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