Rakuten Viber launches chatbot to support Ukrainian teachers’ facilitate online learning
Viber is partnering with Ukrainian education studio EdEra to develop educational courses to help Ukrainian teachers organize distance learning; with 98% penetration in Ukraine, Viber’s platform is popular among teachers affected by the surge in remote schooling
SAN FRANCISCO. September 2022 - Rakuten Viber, the global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication, announces the launch of an initiative to help teachers organize distance learning due to increased demand and need. With 98% penetration in Ukraine, Viber’s new chatbot will provide free courses to support millions of teachers and students forced to begin or continue remote education this school year.
Ukrainian schools are not able to facilitate full-time in-person education due to the ongoing dangers in the region. The September 2022 survey conducted by the Rakuten Viber team in Ukraine shares that 66% of respondents will study online, and another 19% will pursue a hybrid of remote and in-person study. 55% of Ukrainians believe remote learning is a favorable solution, while 17% support a mixed form of schooling.
Rakuten Viber is partnering with Ukrainian educational studio EdEra to develop online courses that tackle the top challenges teachers face during distance learning. The free course will consist of 10 modules covering topics such as:
How to organize homework via Viber
How to keep attendance records and monitor knowledge
How to motivate students to engage in learning during distance learning
How to organize a chat with students and parents
With an estimated over 450K teachers within Ukraine, the new chatbot will provide the tools they need to support better learning through the Viber platform. As remote and hybrid education continues in other European regions, the “Teach the Teachers” chatbot will also be available in Greece and Bulgaria.
“It's difficult to provide education when everyone is isolated, as we saw throughout Covid and now continuing within Ukraine. Viber has become one of the key tools for communication for remote learning within these regions,” says Ofir Eyal, CEO of Rakuten Viber. “We want to help kids continue their learning through these difficult times and to help teachers – who are in their third year of remote teaching – find better and smoother processes to maximize productivity. This initiative is one of the many steps Viber is taking to support the community."
According to Rakuten Viber’s data, the use of group chats among Ukrainians under the age of 18 increases 3.9 times when school returns in September, compared to its usage over summer. This trend continues annually, regardless of whether the students are remote or in-person.
Access the chatbot here: https://chats.viber.com/teachtheteachersua
About Rakuten Viber
Rakuten Viber connects people. No matter who they are or where they are from. The global user base has access to a range of features like one-on-one chats, video calls, group messaging, and updates and discussions with their favorite brands and celebrities. Rakuten Viber ensures users have a secure and free environment to share their emotions. Rakuten Viber is part of Rakuten Group, Inc., a world leader in e-commerce and financial services.
