Abstract:

In many education systems, digital platforms are perceived as tools that support teachers’ professional development and increase access to high-quality teaching and learning materials. However, the availability of digital resources does not automatically translate into their regular use in everyday school practice.

The aim of this presentation is to analyse the role of nationwide digital educational resources in supporting teachers’ professional development in Poland, using the example of the government-operated Integrated Educational Platform (Zintegrowana Platforma Edukacyjna – ZPE) and the Educational Toolkits (Zestawy Narzędzi Edukacyjnych – ZNE) published on it.

The analysis is situated within the broader context of systemic initiatives aimed at developing open educational resources and improving teachers’ access to materials supporting modern teaching methods. The study draws on desk research and web research concerning the development of digital education infrastructure in Poland, including the transformation of the e-textbooks project into the Integrated Educational Platform and the resources made available through it. Particular attention is given to a project implemented in 2023–2025 whose objective was not to create new materials but to disseminate and support the use of resources developed in earlier initiatives. The project included dissemination conferences, hybrid training programmes with follow-up modules, and Networks for Collaboration and Self-Development designed to support teachers in using these materials in their everyday practice.

The presentation also discusses the results of an ex post evaluation conducted after the completion of the project implemented by the Centre for Education Development (Ośrodek Rozwoju Edukacji – ORE), a nationwide public teacher training institution supervised by the Minister of National Education. The evaluation used methodological triangulation, combining the analysis of secondary data with qualitative and quantitative data concerning teachers’ familiarity with, perceived usefulness of, and actual use of ZPE and ZNE resources.

The findings suggest that the effectiveness of digital educational platforms depends not only on the availability and quality of teaching materials but also on the provision of sustained forms of professional development support for teachers. In particular, workshop-based training, opportunities for peer exchange, and professional collaboration networks play a crucial role in enabling teachers to adapt and implement digital resources in diverse school contexts.

Keywords:

Teacher professional development, Digital education platforms, Open educational resources, Teacher training, Professional learning networks, Poland.