Who We Are: Unveiling Haykanush Ghevodnyan, WorldView Mentor Teacher and Content Creator

“I tell other teachers: Do we want a quality education? Do we want a strong homeland? The change starts with us. Only by transforming ourselves can we achieve everything we aspire to. I truly believe in this change and in the vision our Foundation, Visual Armenia, has embraced.”

Haykanush Ghevodnyan, an art historian with a master’s degree in Theology, has been teaching History at school for 18 years. Through her own experience, she understands the challenge of capturing students’ attention and engaging them with history—or any subject. That’s why she was always in pursuit of ways to make lessons more interesting, which eventually led her to WorldView.

Haykanush Ghavondyan recalls when the WorldView platform was first introduced to a group of teachers. Initially, their meetings were held virtually, but they soon transitioned to in-person sessions. What captivated Haykanush was how the platform’s developers were in direct communication with teachers from the very beginning. They actively sought to understand the teachers’ needs, ensuring they were creating something practical and effective for the classroom. Haykanush was one of the first to join the WorldView team, starting as a content developer and later becoming a mentor teacher.

“As a practicing teacher, I know what both teachers and students need. However, creating articles was only half the work. We also had to figure out how to integrate them into the teaching process. We started developing methods so that the teachers weren’t just conveyors of information, we had to ensure that the students became active participants in the learning process too. I began by testing these ideas myself. The first lesson I remember was with a ninth-grade class, and the topic was Alexander the Great’s conquests. The school lacked the necessary technical equipment, so I brought a computer from home. I still remember the students’ excitement. It gave me wings—I knew we were doing something meaningful.”

For Haykanush, capturing the students’ interest is only half the battle. She explains that, in teaching terms, you cast the right “bait” and catch the student in your “net.” “I had a student who wasn’t indifferent, but simply didn’t enjoy humanities subjects. However, the WorldView maps sparked his interest. He started exploring and became more engaged with the lessons. Many students access the platform via their phones, which makes learning more appealing to them. They don’t even realize how they start to learn. I have students who aren’t fond of reading books, but the platform feels like a ‘toy’ in their hands. In this environment, they learn.”

The enthusiasm of teachers grows with the success and excitement of their students. Haykanush Ghevondyan has heard this statement many times from the peers she trains and collaborates with. This is reflected in the ever-expanding teaching community that utilizes the WorldView platform which now engages over a thousand teachers. Haykanush has played a significant role in this growth, not only as a content creator but also as a mentor teacher. She admits that her experience with WorldView has transformed her as well, helping her evolve as a historian, teacher, and leader.

“Preparing and presenting any material to an audience requires extra effort. The teachers undergoing training, experience this as well. You have to digest the material yourself before passing it on and presenting it to others. Over the past two years, this professional growth has been evident in all of us. When you see that your work is valued, that you’re making a difference and contributing to change, it truly inspires you. I love Gandhi’s words: ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world.’ Right now, we are “becoming” that change. I ask other teachers: Do we want a quality education? Do we want a strong homeland? The change starts with us. Only by transforming ourselves can we achieve everything we aspire to. I truly believe in this change and in the vision our Foundation, Visual Armenia, has embraced.”

Haykanush compares the introduction of WorldView into the education sector to the Industrial Revolution. She explains that just as the steam engine ignited a monumental shift, WorldView has emerged as a transformative force in education. The most significant impact, she believes, will be felt in the years to come. She takes immense pride in the platform’s extensive collection of high-quality, meticulously verified Armenian-language content, all housed in one place. “Today, there’s no other online resource in the country that offers such accurate information. We’re now competing with Britannica on an Armenian scale, and that’s one of our strengths. This content is tailored to our needs—it wasn’t imported from elsewhere and artificially localized.  And the students’ amazement —’ What? Our people created this?’—That’s another joy in itself.”

When Haykanush talks about WorldView, she lights up with the enthusiasm of a student. The platform helps teachers make lessons more engaging, captures students’ interest, and equips them with the skills to learn and analyze. Everything a 21st-century teacher and student need is available on the WorldView educational platform. Haykanush sums up her thoughts with a clear, powerful vision:

“Our goal is to build a strong, thriving country. To achieve this, we need competitive human resources, which requires a robust educational system. A strong system begins with empowered teachers. By empowering them, we strengthen future generations, and that, in turn, strengthens our country. This is our path. It’s this shared belief that drives us forward. In the future, I’ll be able to look my grandchildren in the eye, knowing I contributed to this change.”