The next destination of regional seminars was Gegharkunik

“We should study in detail what we have heard and seen today by the start of the next academic year, the seminar was highly educational”.

On June 24, from the early morning the second regional seminar on learning and using the innovative educational platform Ashkharatsuyts started in Gavar High School. More than 50  pre-registered history teachers attended the voluntary training on Ashkharatsuyts.   

“We are here because we have learnt about the Program from our colleagues, we are familiar with the Ashkharatsuyts platform”, the participating teachers were saying while looking for their names in the register. 

The Seminar Program was full. “We have developed an intensive and a rich course: we teach how to use and integrate Ashkharatsuyts in the teaching process from lesson planning to practical group activities”, says Mrs. Arevik Avetisyan, Program Director of Ashkharatsuyts. 

Hovhannes Ghazaryan, Executive Director of Visual Armenia Development Foundation, the author of the “Ashkharatsuyts” Program kicked off the seminar by posing a question. “Let’s think what is that you need for History lessons, which are the main challenges that you face?!” With the active engagement of the participants the main obstacles to an effective and more student-oriented lesson were identified. The questions posed by Mr. Ghazaryan sought a specific purpose: by the end of the seminar they all together had to summarize whether the “Ashkharatsuyts” educational program could help the teacher to achieve their main goal – to have interested and engaged students.

Mrs. Nina Ghuloyan, Principal of Gavar High School, warmly welcomed the attendees and spoke about the importance of the Program. “Our school is actively involved in the Program. We are always ready to test innovative approaches to have more interesting lessons that meet the requirements of the 21st century. I believe in the potential of our children. They are very smart and hardworking, we have to put maximum effort and continue working on our skills to be able to give them the best”.

Mrs. Hasmik Barseghyan, History teacher of Hayravank Secondary School, who had recently received a qualification certificate of “Ashkharatsuyts” Program, shared her personal story with the participants. She is one of those teachers who, on her own initiative, made the “Ashkharatsuyts” accessible to her students despite all the limitations: she carried equipment from home to school, from school to school and organized a project work on Hayravank. As a result her school and students were awarded with an interactive display to continue their voyage with “Ashkharatsuyts” . 

Then, Naira Yerkanyan, Haykanush Ghevondyan and Mariam Khachatryan, trainers of the “Ashkharatsuyts” educational program, step by step presented the “Ashkharatsuyts” platform and demonstrated how to use it not only for lesson planning and group works, but also for shaping historical thinking. 

“We should study in detail what we have heard and seen today by the start of the next academic year, the seminar was highly educational” Mrs. Amalya Zolayan, history teacher of Gavar High School said at the end of the seminar.