The relevance and prospects of the digital platform for continuing professional education “Open Agricultural University”

I. A. Ganieva¹, S. V. Koteev¹, N. E. Bobrov^2
1Nikonov All-Russian Institute of Agrarian Problems and Informatics, Federal Scientific Center of Agrarian Economics and Social Development of Rural Territories, All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Economics, B. Khariton’evskii per., 21, str. 1, Moskva, 107078, Russian Federation
²Agro Digital (Trading company “Uralkhim”), Presnenskaya naberezhnaya, 6, str. 2, Moskva, 123112, Russian Federation

Abstract. The purpose of the study was to justify the relevance of online education and to systemically transform traditional educational systems and processes on its basis using digital technologies. Today, about half of the specialized content in the Russian online education market is created for the adult population (42%), including 26% for specialists in specific industries; the most popular (40%) duration of an online course is 1–3 months. The choice of 54% of customers is based on the level of the content offered (video lecture quality, interactive elements, stylish additional materials, the presence of useful links); the second most important factor (indicated by 53% of students) is the possibility of personal expert advice. Open Education is the most popular modern platform offering distance learning in the basic disciplines taught at Russian universities. It was created by the Association “National Platform of Open Education”. In 2020 the number of courses hosted on the platform increased by 40%. But we did not find any online continuing professional educational project in agriculture. The specialized digital educational platform “Open Agricultural University” has been developed and is currently tested to solve this problem through a partnership between a scientific organization, an industrial partner, and agricultural universities. A systematic study of the needs for supplementary educational services by distance methods allowed us to formulate enlarged areas corresponding to the most frequent business requests requiring professional expert advice. Actual directions of the technological development of the project included the integration of end-to-end digital technologies of artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality for the development and provision of new services through an educational resource. The advantages of the created digital platform are the interest of an industrial partner well integrated into the market of agricultural products, as well as the possibility of implementing the project in the model of public-private partnership.

Keywords: digitalization of agriculture; digital educational platform; supplementary distance education; online courses; agribusiness; agricultural educational institutions.

Author Details: I. A. Ganieva, D. Sc. (Econ.), chief research fellow (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); S. V. Koteev, Cand. Sc. (Econ.), academic secretary (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); N. E. Bobrov, general director (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.).

For citation: Ganieva IA, Koteev SV, Bobrov NE. [The relevance and prospects of the digital platform for continuing professional education “Open Agricultural University”]. Dostizheniya nauki i tekhniki APK. 2020;34(4):21-5. Russian. doi: 10.24411/0235-2451-2020-10404.