DIGITAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AS MULTI-AGENT SYSTEM: STUDY OF THE EDUCATIONAL AGENTS EVALUATIVE POSITIONS IN RUSSIAN UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

Purpose of the study: Sociological analysis of the university education digitalization; identifying the evaluative positions for the educational process agents; study of motivational factors for applying to online courses; comparative analysis of evaluative positions in terms of information exchange effectiveness in the digital learning environment and education quality. Methodology: We utilize sociological survey and comparative analysis to identify significant motivations of agents, to evaluate the quality of education by criteria of freedom of choice, preference for the learning format, individualization of the educational route. The empirical base consists of sociological data obtained by online and offline questioning. Principal Findings: The revealed trends of diversity and target conjugation in the university educational environment agent’s positions reflect the institutional shifts in the educational system. These bring about changes in the social role repertoire, the revision of norms and values in the context of the rapid growth of digital practices. Applications of this study: The study results can serve as a basis for improving the university's educational policy and technologies for information support of the educational process. Identifying the problem points of agency and their target conjugation seems to be a tool of social technology to achieve the effectiveness of digital education. Novelty of this study: We give accent to multi-agent approach in the study of distance learning, a comprehensive assessment of information exchange and motivational factors of interacting agents in the university educational environment, education quality evaluation by the criterion of meeting the expectations of students, teachers and administration in the context of learning environment digitalization.