Addressing controversial issues like gender, armed conflict, and climate change in education can be challenging due to strong emotions and differing opinions. However, these topics offer significant learning opportunities. Our project aims to equip teachers with the confidence and resources to tackle these issues in the classroom, recognizing that while many educators are keen to discuss such matters, concerns about conflicts, policies, and classroom dynamics often lead to avoidance, especially among the less experienced.
Our strategy includes developing resources for both digital and traditional means to facilitate engaging discussions and self-reflection on controversial topics. The goal is to improve secondary education teachers' ability to handle these issues, promoting an educational environment that embraces diverse viewpoints. We aim to achieve a confident teaching workforce skilled in managing difficult conversations, provide adaptable tools for discussing controversial topics, and cultivate a classroom culture emphasizing democratic education and critical thinking.
The project's overarching goal is to equip teachers with the necessary skills to navigate controversial discussions, promoting personal growth and mutual understanding in the educational setting, and focus on enhancing citizenship education opportunities for all students.
Our commitment is to provide teachers with the skills and tools to turn challenging discussions into opportunities for student growth, understanding, and resilience, contributing to the education of informed, empathetic citizens prepared to navigate the complexities of the world.
OUR ACTIVITIES
Research and Design
This work package targets enhancing teachers' approach to controversial issues through four objectives: gathering data via focus groups to inform VR scenario creation, developing a teacher's protocol as a guide for handling these topics, introducing formative assessment methods for student debates on controversial issues, and promoting teacher self-reflection on biases.
Development of VR Toolkit
The work package incorporates VR to enhance classroom debates on controversial issues by: 1) Creating VR storyboards from WP2 feedback for lesson planning, featuring ethical dilemmas. 2) Refining a VR scenario based on 360 video feedback for better engagement. 3) Developing four diverse VR scenarios, using pilot insights, for Learning Management Systems and offline viewing. This strategy seeks to foster immersive learning experiences on complex topics.
Teachers' Professional Development Program
This work package aims to improve teachers' handling of controversial topics through two main objectives: 1) Enhancing teachers' confidence in teaching these subjects, aligning with the project's goal to boost teacher competence. 2) Equipping teachers with instructional toolboxes, such as VR, based on insights from the design, research, and development of the VR toolkit. It focuses on developing detailed lesson plans with diverse resources to support teachers, especially those struggling with these issues. Key efforts involve incorporating VR into lessons, tailoring strategies to specific classroom needs, and encouraging reflection on teaching biases.
Design of Digital Learning Platform
This work package focuses on launching an open-source eLearning platform to boost teacher professional development and provide digital toolboxes for teaching controversial topics. It will offer project details, development programs, and collaboration tools, as well as VR scenarios and multimedia objects for online and offline learning. It will also introduce a thorough professional development program using these resources to enhance teaching on sensitive issues. This effort aims to equip educators with flexible, accessible tools within a single eLearning environment, improving educational methods.
The Uncontroversial Learning Platform Is Here!
Summer 2026 | Project Result
The Uncontroversial learning platform is now available for teachers! It brings together educational resources, practical tools and learning activities designed to help educators address controversial issues in the classroom. Teachers can explore the materials at their own pace and discover new approaches to creating an open and respectful learning environment.
Uncontroversial Partners Meet in Rotterdam
16–17 September 2025 | Rotterdam, The Netherlands
The Uncontroversial project partners met in Rotterdam for another transnational meeting. The meeting provided an opportunity to review the project's progress, exchange ideas and discuss the next steps. Working together, the partners continued their efforts to develop practical resources that support teachers in addressing controversial topics in the classroom.
Step Into the Classroom with Our 360° Videos!
Early 2025 | Project Result
What happens when a classroom discussion becomes controversial? Our 360° videos invite teachers to explore challenging classroom situations from different perspectives. Together with supporting educational materials, these immersive scenarios offer opportunities for reflection, discussion and professional learning.
Uncontroversial Partners Gather in Antwerp
7 November 2024 | Antwerp, Belgium
The Uncontroversial partners came together in Antwerp to discuss the project's development and ongoing activities. The meeting offered an opportunity to exchange experiences, review progress and coordinate the next stages of the project. The partners continued working towards their shared goal of helping teachers feel more confident when addressing controversial issues.
Meet BAM – The Bias Awareness Meter!
Early 2024 | Project Result
We are pleased to introduce BAM – the Bias Awareness Meter! This interactive educational resource helps teachers explore cognitive biases and logical fallacies that can influence how we think, communicate and make decisions. Through practical examples and reflection activities, BAM encourages greater awareness of how these thinking patterns can affect classroom discussions.
Uncontroversial Kicks Off in Sofia!
7–8 November 2023 | Sofia, Bulgaria
The Uncontroversial project officially kicked off with its first transnational partner meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria. Partners came together to discuss the project's objectives, planned activities and cooperation. The meeting marked the beginning of a shared journey to support teachers in addressing controversial issues and encouraging open classroom discussions.
We are proud to share...
...that our Uncontroversial project was nominated for the Gouden Pijl Prize, celebrating organisations that promote inclusive dialogue and amplify less-heard voices.
We didn’t take the prize home, but we are truly grateful for the recognition this nomination brought us.
THE PARTNERSHIP
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for the