Create Interactive Content to Complement English Language Radio Scripts

Description

he Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Embassy Khartoum announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to manage and develop an online interactive platform for the FY 2020 Sudanese Folktale Project. The Sudanese Folktale Project is a multi-tiered program that supports English Language teaching. The project involves two primary components: a series of short radio shows, and a series of complementary online activities. The radio programs are being produced under the auspices of a separate grant agreement. This Notice of Funding Opportunity invites proposals solely for the development of the online platform. The purpose of the online platform is to actively engage listeners of the radio programs by providing audiences with opportunities for continued English language learning and assessment. Project development and planning should begin within one week of the receipt of audio files containing the radio programs. The online content, ideally should be ready when the radio scripts are ready to be broadcast. Some coordination with our partner radio Station and the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section will be necessary to confirm the exact timeline. Content for the online platform will be supplied by the Public Affairs Section. The online platform will provide interactive assessments for uses and real-time data collection for formative assessment by the Public Affairs Section. Product Description The Sudanese Folktale Project is a series of 21 short radio plays based on Sudanese folktales translated into English. The radio plays are designed to help English language learners improve their ability to comprehend English, primarily spoken English. Each radio play is 5-12 minutes long. These radio plays are being recorded in Khartoum, Sudan. Audio files of the radio plays will be supplied to the online developer. . The online developer is responsible for naming the files in a way that is compatible for production. Online functionality After learners listen to each radio play, we want them to go online and complete comprehension questions to assess how much they understood. Therefore, we are writing manuscripts of comprehension activities that can be turned into digital interactions. Each folktale will have 15 comprehension questions. We think the questions should appear one-by-one on a mobile device. The awardee/online developer should outline the best platform for presenting the online content for the intended Sudanese audience. The online developer will be provided text content, developed by English language teaching experts, the online developer will create the most engaging format to present them interactively and for users to track their progress, as well as allow PAS Khartoum to see the results in aggregate. The text content will follow these patterns: 1 A learner is using his phone and logs in to his account. They select the name of the folktale he listened to on the radio. 2 They select the quiz for that folktale and see one question at a time appear on screen. 3 They answers the question, click “next”, answers a question, and so on until all 15 items are complete. 4 The learner then sees their score as the number correct (8/15). 5 The data is collected and saved. The next time the learner logs in and takes the same quiz, they should see the score as the new number correct (11/15) and the data for both scores should be saved. We want to be able to assess improvement. Online interactive activities The manuscript of the online comprehension quizzes will be supplied to the digital producer by U.S. Embassy Khartoum. The manuscript will be written in MS Word with no formatting unless otherwise requested. The Digital Producer is responsible for naming the files in a way that is compatible for production purposes. A set number of interaction item types will be used and answers will be indicated in the manuscript. Normally, the digital producer and content writer would agree on the item types, but the content will be written first and the digital production will come at a later date. Therefore, only widely-used interaction types are being proposed for the content of the quizzes. Proposed interaction types: Multiple choice: text prompt / text answers with vertical radio buttons Multiple choice: audio prompt / text answers with vertical radio buttons One prompt with up to four answer choices. The answer choices are arranged as words, phrases, or sentences that appear vertically under the prompt. Multiple choice: text prompt / audio answers with vertical radio buttons One prompt with up to four answer choices. The answer choices are arranged as words, phrases, or sentences that appear vertically under the prompt. Drop down menu: text prompt / text answer choices in drop down menu One prompt appears with up to six answers in a drop down menu. Click to match: text prompt / text answers Two sets of texts are shown. An item in wordpool 1 is clicked. It is matched by clicking an item in wordpool 2. Type in answer: text prompt / type in answer A text prompt appears. The learner types in a letter or word. This item type will be used only for short answers to avoid the burden of typing long strings – it’s hard to match to keyed answers. Order the sentences: text prompts / type in numbers to order the sentences A series of sentences appear vertically. Users type in numbers to place the sentences in the correct order. If this can be done as a drag and drop interaction, that’s better, but I don’t think this is easy or possible to do on a phone. Online Non-Interactive material Each folktale will have a list of vocabulary for the episode. This is not interactive. It is merely a static list of words that learners can refer to – a handy reference. The vocabulary lists will be supplied as MS Word documents unless requested in a different format. Supplied to the Online Developer 21 radio play audio files in a common audio format. The finished audio files will be sent to the digital producer in the format the digital producer requires. The digital producer must communicate the required format to U.S. Embassy Khartoum. One audio file per folktale episode. 21 transcripts of the radio plays in MS Word or other format as needed. One transcript per folktale episode. 21 manuscripts of digital interaction quizzes. 15 items per folktale for a total of 315 items. 21 vocabulary lists in MS Word or other format as needed. One vocabulary list per folktale episode. Audio assets that are used with the digital interaction quizzes. It is possible that we will need separate recordings of the audio files needed for the interactive quizzes. The estimate is 5 audio files per folktale for a total of 105 audio assets. This notice is subject to availability of funding. Funding Instrument Type: Fixed Amount Award Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in six months or less. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION Address to Request Application Package: HughesKE@state.gov Application forms required below are available at: grants.gov Content and Form of Application Submission Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible. Content of Application Please ensure: The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity All documents are in English All budgets are in U.S. dollars All pages are numbered All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins. The following documents are required: 1. Mandatory application forms SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance ) at: at: https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424_2_1-V2.1.pdf SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at: https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424A-V1.0.pdf SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at: https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424B-V1.1.pdf 2. Summary Page: Cover sheet stating the applicant name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program. 3. Proposal (30 pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below. Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact. Introduction to the Organization or Individual applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies. Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed Program Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable. Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives. Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate. Proposed Program Schedule and Timeline: The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events. Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program? Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardee

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