Teachers are the heart of what we call education. A teacher who knows how to use artificial intelligence effectively is less fatigued, has more time for creativity, and can provide better support to each student. This leads to happier children who experience a more individualized, engaging, and effective learning process. In this way, a school transforms into a space for genuine development for everyone.
Yevhen Kozolup, Course Instructor for the Secondary Education Program
In collaboration with Google and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Beetroot Academy has developed a modern training program for Ukrainian educators, spanning pre-school, secondary education, vocational pre-university education, and higher education.
The program lasted six weeks and covered the entire educational process, from idea conception to implementation. The Beetroot Academy team created educational materials for 16 events, which included online sessions, practical workshops, and Q&A sessions. We focused on course topics, scenarios, presentations, and theoretical guides for participants.
Special attention was given to selecting speakers—practitioners who work daily within the Ukrainian education system and have firsthand knowledge of its workings. All training sessions were conducted with an emphasis on quality, accessibility, and practical benefits for each participant. We made every effort to ensure that the program was not only relevant but also highly applicable, allowing for easy integration into real teaching practices.
The program began with a straightforward approach: participants were introduced to the basic principles of working with artificial intelligence and learned how to formulate their initial queries using Gemini. Gradually, we developed an understanding of how AI can assist teachers, not as a replacement, but as a supportive tool.
In the subsequent stages, educators became proficient with more than ten digital tools and learned how to create comprehensive educational materials, including notes, visual content like graphs and videos, presentations, and interactive tests. Special attention was given to the ethical, safe, and responsible use of AI within the educational environment.
As a result, thousands of Ukrainian teachers are already applying the skills they acquired in their daily work, whether at schools, colleges, or universities. Some of them have even joined the Ukrainian Google Educators Group community, where they continue to grow, share experiences, and support each other in the digital transformation of education.
Firstly, I was pleasantly surprised to see that all the participants were open to gaining new knowledge and eager to change their approach to working with students in the age of artificial intelligence from the very start. However, it was clear that for some of them, AI was a completely new concept; they had only heard about it but had not yet used it. Did this pose a challenge? Not at all! Our classes were conducted in an incredibly productive atmosphere. The participants engaged in real-time tasks, learned how to formulate their own prompts, and explored various AI tools. As a result, everything progressed smoothly. Given their extensive experience with students, by the end of the program, participants were already proposing ideas for integrating AI into their teaching practices.
Yevhen Kozolup, Course Instructor for the Secondary Education Program
In my opinion, the most significant shift during the course was a change in perspective regarding the use of artificial intelligence. At the beginning of the program, the participants' chat rooms were filled with some caution, but as each lecture progressed, more and more participants began experimenting with the tools independently, sharing their discoveries and initial successes. One of their favorite discoveries was Google's NotebookLM, a tool that greatly simplifies working with educational materials. This was especially appreciated by those who had to navigate a large number of new regulations in education, as it made working with texts much faster and more convenient.
Artem Artyukhov, Course Instructor for Pre-Vocational and Higher Education Institutions
We carefully selected our speakers, all of whom possess not only technological expertise but also a deep understanding of the Ukrainian educational landscape. Among them are award-winning experts from the Global Teacher Prize Ukraine, such as Anna Velychko. We also invited Oksana Pasichnyi and Artem Artyukhov, both co-authors of state recommendations for integrating AI into secondary and higher education. Additionally, we included educational specialists who actively implement and teach artificial intelligence to students every day.
Honestly, I was most impressed by how quickly the participants learned and explored the new tools. Especially those who initially said, "I don't know anything about AI." Within just 40 minutes, these same teachers were creating their own apps, generating activities for children, and even discussing the ethical aspects of using technology. It wasn't just training; it was a genuine shift in thinking.
Anna Velychko, Course Instructor for the Preschool Education Program
I was particularly struck by the unique "math" of the course. At first, even our online platform wasn't prepared for the number of teacher participants. Not only did computer science and mathematics teachers join, as expected, but so did specialists in literature, music, and physical education. This broad range of interest and a deep awareness of the need for change in the AI era reaffirmed that Ukrainian teachers are remarkable. They are eager to learn, adapt, and lead others.
Yevhen Kozolup, Course Instructor for the Secondary Education Program
The outcome has been significant. Thousands of educators across Ukraine have received practical tools to make learning more modern, engaging, and effective. We are proud to have played a role in making this journey possible.
Participants in the program have joined the Ukrainian Google Educators Group community. This is a space where educators can exchange experiences, support one another, share ideas and resources, and continue their professional development beyond the course.
We believe that technology should serve the benefit of people. Education is a key area where tools like artificial intelligence can deliver tangible results: saving time, enhancing interaction with students, and introducing new formats for presenting material.
Based on my experience, I can confidently say that the skills educators acquire during the course allow them to spend more time on deeper and more personalized interactions with their students. The educational process will become much more interactive, and the creation and adaptation of materials will be faster and more flexible. Tasks that used to take days or even weeks can now be completed in just a few hours. A teacher who knows how to work with AI is like Tony Stark in his Marvel costume: powerful, efficient, and technologically equipped. I encourage everyone to try on this "suit" and use it to bring about positive changes in their educational or scientific fields.
Artem Artyukhov, Course Instructor for Pre-Vocational and Higher Education Institutions
Mastering artificial intelligence tools provides teachers with not only new opportunities but also enhances their confidence in their abilities. They evolve from being mere users of ready-made solutions to becoming creators of content, ideas, and curricula. This shift significantly reduces routine workloads, saves time, and, most importantly, opens the door to innovation. If we have more educators like this, Ukrainian education will transform into something more modern, flexible, and vibrant. This is precisely what our education system needs today.
Anna Velychko, Course Instructor for the Preschool Education Program
This program was made possible through the cooperation of the Beetroot Academy team (Bohdan Moskalenko, Anastasia Shuplat) with the Google team (Anastasia Barna, Iryna Bishko, Orest Bavda) and the CFC Big Ideas team (Yelyzaveta Lutska, Mykhailo Katz, Polina Dyachenko, Sofia Kohut).
The Beetroot Academy team is dedicated to developing projects that enable people to master advanced digital skills, regardless of their age, profession, or level of training. We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Google on this significant initiative and are already planning new projects.
Stay updated by following our news and joining our community. Let's work together to create inspiring and transformative education.