Estonia empowers Moldovan teachers to adopt new digital tools

Author: Marian Männi

A group of Moldovan teachers gather in a classroom for a workshop. They are eager to learn how to use digital tools in their classrooms, but they have questions. “Where do we get computers that are modern enough for the tools?” one asks. “Will these new skills increase my salary?” another wonders. Before diving into new technology, they want to understand the actual benefits of adopting these new tools. 

In a country where teachers earn between 470 and 850 euros a month and some schools lack modern equipment, these are all valid questions. The workshop moderator, Tudor Lapp from Future Classroom Lab Moldova, reassures them that even if not all the schools are ready for innovation and even if there aren’t, at the moment, any financial benefits to the teachers who acquire the new digital skills, it’s time to kickstart change. “We have to start somewhere,” he insists. “Why not now?”

About two dozen teachers came to the capital from across the country to listen to Lapp. They will be bringing these lessons back to their villages and cities.

Introducing a systematic approach to digital training

In collaboration with UNICEF and the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), Tallinn University researcher Mart Laanpere created a digital skills training and assessment course based on the Estonian experience but specifically tailored to the needs of Moldovan teachers. The programme is divided into three levels and consists of ten modules - half lecture-based, half independent study using interactive materials and videos. These resources help teachers test their understanding and build three structured lesson plans.

“This isn’t just about learning technology; it’s about improving teaching through digital tools,” Laanpere explains. He advocates for the flipped classroom method, where students learn new material through videos and interactive content at home and then apply their knowledge in class.

This approach demands extra effort from teachers, who must prepare materials in advance. And that’s why the digital course was created, to support teachers as they practice this new skill. Ultimately, it’s not just about technology; it’s about a more effective and engaging way of teaching with technology playing a supporting role.

The pilot phase has already been completed. Under Lapp’s guidance, these new digital ambassadors will soon start passing their knowledge on to their colleagues around Moldova.

Technology alone is not enough

This training system is not actually about technology; it’s about how teachers use it, Laanpere says: “Pedagogy always comes first. Technology supports the teacher, not the other way around.”

One rule in these training sessions is to not use PowerPoint presentations. “They kill creativity,” Laanpere says. He advocates for more engagement and excitement in classrooms, and that comes from the teachers, not the tech.

Lapp embodies that enthusiasm as he leads the workshop, inspiring the teachers in the room. When he speaks, they listen intently, giggle, and dive into the screens placed in front of them.

This wave of change started during the pandemic when Moldovan teachers were motivated to develop their digital skills, explains Elena Gurita, a digital ambassador at Gadeamus Theoretical High School in Chisinau. Initial interest was high but the application was haphazard. At first, new tools appeared, and the teachers kept switching from one to another. Therefore, a system that brings clarity and order to this new way of teaching is highly appreciated.

Despite teachers’ interest in learning digital skills, many do not have the most up-to-date technology in their classrooms. Access varies widely across the country.

An IT teacher Minadora Beiu is from Gura Camencii village, about 120 kilometers from Chisinau. Her school has 300 pupils. “All our classrooms have internet, Wi-Fi, computers and smart boards,” Beiu says. That goes even for the kindergartens in the area!

Many urban areas aren’t so lucky. “We don’t have 100% access,” says Natalia Ursu, an English teacher from Moldova’s second biggest city, Balti. “More funding goes to rural schools, so we make do with what we have.”

Estonia encourages Moldova to make the leap and learn from Estonia’s experience

In the 1990s, Estonia launched the Tiigrihüpe (Tiger Leap) programme, which brought internet access and digital tools to every school. But leaders quickly realised that just having computers wasn’t enough; teachers needed to know how to use them effectively.

“Estonia's own digital leap taught us that technology alone doesn't transform education. It's how teachers use it that makes the difference,” says Kristi Kulu, ESTDEV’s programme manager for Education. “By sharing our experience with Moldova, we’re not just introducing digital tools, but empowering educators to shape the future of learning and teaching.” 

Even if the conditions aren't perfect, you have to start somewhere.