The role of educators in enhancing students' resilience amid modern educational challenges

Abstract

The war in Ukraine has had a significant impact on higher education students, creating unprecedented challenges for their learning and psychological well-being. Not only do higher education students face traditional academic challenges, but they are also forced to adapt to new realities accompanied by psychological stress, emotional tension, and social instability. In such circumstances, an important factor in students' resilience is their educators – not only as a source of knowledge, but also as a support in difficult life situations. Higher education students are significantly affected by stress caused by intense academic workloads, uncertainty of the future, and socioeconomic challenges. In addition, in countries experiencing crisis situations (e.g., war), students face additional stressors such as fear, loss of stability, and changes in the learning environment. Prolonged stress can lead to cognitive and emotional exhaustion, which negatively affects students' academic performance and overall psychological well-being. Therefore, building resilience is an important task of modern pedagogical and psychological science. ... In times of war, the role of the educators goes beyond traditional teaching – he or she becomes a mentor, support and moderator of a safe educational space. The formation of students' resilience is impossible without taking into account this pedagogical aspect. Creating flexible teaching methods, engaging psychological support, and actively promoting social interaction in the student environment are key aspects that can help students adapt to difficult conditions and maintain motivation to learn. Given the growing challenges associated with modern realities, the development of students' resilience should be a priority for higher education institutions. An integrated approach, including adaptive teaching methods, psychoeducation, and social support, is key to ensuring students' psychological well-being. Further research should be aimed at studying the effectiveness of different approaches to building resilience and developing specialized programs. Integration of such programs into the educational process will not only improve academic performance, but also develop important life skills necessary to overcome the challenges of the modern world.