Rapid digital competence development through emergency remote teaching: a three-wave analysis of teacher training during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated immediate digital transformation in education, revealing critical gaps in teachers’ technological competencies. This study examines a rapid-response professional development program implemented across three waves during March-April 2020, engaging 1,500 registered Ukrainian educators. The five-day intensive course addressed essential cloud-based teaching competencies through Google Workspace tools. Data analysis reveals a 54.4% completion rate among the 1,029 active participants, with subsequent implementation tracking showing marked improvement in technology adoption. Post-training surveys (n=263) demonstrate a shift from 11.8% independent task management to 82.5% conducting synchronous online classes by 2021. The research identifies critical implementation challenges including technical literacy barriers, collaborative document management difficulties, and participant engagement patterns. Two additional face-to-face cohorts (n=91) provided comparative data on instructional modality effectiveness. Longitudinal assessment indicates sustained behavioral change, with 56.7% of teachers adopting previously unused digital tools. These findings inform emergency professional development design, suggesting optimal participant cohort sizes, prerequisite assessment protocols, and structured deadline management. The study contributes empirical evidence on rapid competency development under crisis conditions, with implications for resilient educational system design.