Years ago, when Naira Yerkanyan, a trainer and mentor teacher of the Worldview innovative educational platform and coordinator of the “Smart-Boards for Worldview Schools” competition, first encountered Worldview, only one topic was available: “The Armenian Highlands.” At that time, Naira, as a history teacher, shared her opinions about the platform with the team.

In her description of that fateful meeting, Naira was impressed not only by the platform but also by the willingness of the team behind it to listen to feedback and work on it. 

“To ask a teacher what they need, what gaps exist in the platform, what to pay attention to, and which areas to develop—right from the beginning, the voice of the educator became heard, and that could not help but inspire me as a teacher. The entire subsequent program was formed with the needs of learners and educators at the forefront. A platform was created that would help teachers realize their dreams,” notes Naira.

When our trainer teacher reflects on the daily changes of the platform, she smiles as she recalls the initial version of Worldview — as if you are starting to build the “Silk Road,” with only the first stones laid.

“Of course, I thought that new topics and maps would be added, the platform would expand, and spread, but I never expected it to gain such widespread recognition, to gather a powerful teaching community around it, and to implement so many programs. For me, the significant influence of the program leader, Arevik Avetisyan, on the development and success of the Worldview program was crucial. When I saw how she coordinated everything, writing articles on equal footing with everyone, I believed they would succeed and joyfully joined the team.”

Regarding the active engagement of teachers from all corners of the country, Naira has her justification: the Foundation believes in teachers. “That belief has been mutual — Visual Armenia has gained the trust and faith of the teaching community across the republic. The community ties its hopes to the Foundation’s programs and expresses its willingness to contribute, learn, and help shape guiding teachers,” states our colleague.

She emphasizes that Worldview provides teachers not only with new methods and skills but also with opportunities for continuous growth and increased recognition. However, for Naira, one of the most inspiring results is enabling teachers to discover and see their own potential.

“When we first open the platform with newly joined teachers, there is an excited flood of questions—what is this tool, how did you do that action, what else is left for us to do? They are surprised that it is possible to have maps encompassing such a long time period alongside extensive media and articles attached to them. Once they start applying and developing their own methods, they say, ‘We had no idea we had this potential,'” shares Naira.

Our colleague, who teaches history in high school, highlights one of the main challenges regarding involving students in the learning process. Worldview has also helped overcome this.

“The platform’s diverse functionalities attract 21st-century students. It seems impossible to surprise them, but every tenth grader, upon entering the platform, asks first, ‘Is this really Armenian? How was it created?’ They see and touch history. The level of national awareness significantly improves because students easily explore their country’s historical journey,” says Naira.

It is the students who provide their observations about the platform, suggesting joining the Visual Armenia team during various events and presenting Worldview from their perspective.

Our colleague is confident that the Visual Armenia Development Foundation will continue to implement various impactful programs aimed at improving the quality of public education — remaining true to its mission of always holding the teacher’s hand, standing by them, believing in them, and providing opportunities for self-development.