In 2025, more than 8,700 educators enrolled in a new online course developed by The European Wergeland Centre’s Schools for Democracy programme, which helps educators combine traditional teaching methods with modern digital tools.
The course, “How to Teach in the Digital World”, was developed in 2024 by Schools for Democracy programme consultant Oksana Pasichnyk, together with the Centre’s Ukraine team, and officially launched in May 2025.
Based on the approaches, principles, and educational materials of the Council of Europe and The European Wergeland Centre, the course supports teachers in applying digital technologies to improve their lessons and motivate their students.
Both the COVID‑19 pandemic and Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine have made many teachers and students reliant on remote and blended learning. The course seeks to change how digital tools are perceived in education — not merely as substitutes for in‑person teaching, but as pedagogical resources that can enrich the learning experience.
Since the outbreak of Russia’s full‑scale war, digital resources have become an important professional and emotional lifeline for many teachers, offering both opportunities for professional growth and a sense of support amid difficult wartime conditions.
The Wergeland Centre began developing online courses in 2019. Today, a wide range of courses is available in Ukrainian on the Prometheus platform and the Centre’s own e‑learning platform. In 2025, a total of 24,277 learners signed up to the platforms. Since its launch, How to Teach in the Digital World has awarded certificates to over 2,000 learners. Participants appreciate the course developers’ on‑the‑ground experience and their awareness of the challenges associated with distance learning.
“Thanks to the course, I was able to systematise my existing knowledge and master new approaches that are critical to my professional activities. The emphasis on practical aspects was particularly valuable, allowing me to immediately apply the skills I had acquired,” says Svitlana Matviychuk, senior lecturer at Mukachevo State University.
“I don’t have to know and be able to do everything in the digital world; I just need to learn how to choose what I need. The world is changing, children arechanging, and the course helps me accept these changes,” adds Halyna Bukhno, teacher at the Dnipro Ukrainian-American Lyceum.