Call for EOI – Individual Trainer – Open Data Kit (ODK)

1. Background

The Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia (WECSZ) is a charitable, membership based and non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting the conservation of the environment and Zambia’s diverse natural resources. https://conservationzambia.org/

One of the Society’s major programmes is its Environmental Educational programme; the Chongololo & Chipembele outreach programme that is run in schools, communities and church groups. The Chongololo and Chipembele Clubs of Zambia (CCCCZ) are extra-curricular activities that are conducted by a group of young people with interest in environmental conservation.

2. Rationale

Advances in information technology have opened exciting new avenues for how research is conducted and data is collected, with huge implications to monitoring and evaluation (M&E) as published by the Devimpact Institute. It is on that premise that WECSZ aims to increase their capacity to make use of such tools.

Objectives of this training include;

1. To enable the participants to install and manage the ODK system.
2. To enable the participants learn how to set the various components of mobile data collection using the ODK platform.
Short-Term Contract Outcome: The development of a comprehensive ODK training module to ten (10) WECSZ members of staff that includes theoretic and practical expressions ODK in use in 3 days.

3. Individual Trainer Deliverables:

This training must equip the participants with skills to author, field and manage mobile data collection platforms using ODK.

By the end of the three (3) days training, the trainer must ensure that WECSZ members of staff must be able to:

• Create survey forms using Build or XLS Forms
• Set up ODK Build, Collect and Aggregate
• Upload forms to an Aggregate server
• Load forms into Collect on an Android device
• Use ODK Collect to fill out forms with field participants
• Upload survey data from Collect to Aggregate
• Export and Analyse data from Aggregate

The trainer will also be required to submit a post training report a day after the training ends.
Important Note: The training module must be tailored to address data collection issues within projects that are built on the 4 strategic focus areas of WECSZ which are: Water and Climate Change Resilience, Forest and Wildlife Conservation and Policy Advocacy & Education.

4. Sample of Training Module Content

Introduction to Mobile Data Collection

• Introduction to mobile phone data collection
• Data aggregation, storage, and dissemination
• Understanding question types forming a questionnaire

Introduction to Open Data Kit (ODK)

• Components of Open Data Kit (ODK)
• ODK Form
• ODK Collect Application Interface
• ODK Aggregate
• ODK Manage
• DK platforms and formats

Setting up ODK Collect

• ODK Collect Installation from google play
• Manual installation of ODK
• ODK Collect Menus, Settings and Security
• Best practices for ODK Collect

ODK Aggregate Server

• Setting up own aggregate server using Google App Engine
• Configuring ODK Aggregate Server
• Uploading the form to aggregate server
• Managing forms in Aggregate
• Working with submitted data in aggregate
• Administering aggregate

Designing and Creating forms using ODK Build

• Using ODK build
• Uploading forms to aggregate
• Form properties

Designing and Creating form using XLS form

• Introduction to XLS Form
• Question types
• Form Logic, styling, language
• Form operators and functions
• Form validation
• Uploading form to aggregate server

Using ODK Collect for field data collection

• Filling forms in ODK Collect
• Managing forms in ODK Collect
• Collecting different types of data
• Submitting data to ODK aggregate

Data Management

• Exporting data from ODK Aggregate as CSV
• Downloading data in different formats
• Formatting data for further analysis using statistical applications
• Outputting data through Google spreadsheet

Visualizing Geographic Data

• Exporting GPS Coordinates to Google maps
• Exporting GPS data for Mapping/Visualizing
• Visualizing GIS data using QGIS

5. Required Skills and Experience

• At least 3 years of experience working with data collection processes using ODK.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting training sessions of this nature with small organisational groups.
• Proven experience in data collection, analysis and presentation more especially in developmental programmes with an environmental focus.
• Experience working with civil societies in Zambia in the Field of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL).
• Certification in data collection tools such as Microsoft Excel, IBM-SPSS, Atlas.ti

6. Timeline

• Total number of working days: Five (5) days in the month of September 2020 at a location to be communicated to the Trainer at the right time. Working days breakdown: 1 day module preparation, 3 days training and 1 day reporting.
• Area of Operation: Lusaka, Zambia

7. Payment

100% payment will be made after the successful delivery of all the completed training modules and submission of post training assessment report with highlights and recommendations within 5 days after the training is completed.

8. Material Rights

After the successful delivery of the training module, the Individual Trainer will be required to sign off on a permission document for WECSZ to have and use the module for future in-house staff orientation sessions.

9. Application Requirements

Interested candidates must submit the following information:

• A Curriculum Vitae with traceable references from previous training workshops completed.
• A sample training module and workflow of how the Individual Trainer envisions the training will be conducted
• Total professional fee with an itemized budget showing costs for all the inputs that will be required by the Individual Trainer to carry out and successfully complete the work required.

All information must be addressed to the National Coordinator -WECSZ and submitted to the following email; [email protected]. The emails should be clearly labeled: ODK-APPLICATION-IT-Applicant’s Name.

Young experienced female trainers are encouraged to apply.

The Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia is an equal employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, tribe, religion or gender. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.