Educational platforms and ecosystems in digital economy

The article considers digital educational services market development on the basis of digital platforms. Research subject: financial market digitalization. Research purpose: to develop theoretical provisions of digital educational services. Research methods. In the course of the research such methods as analysis, grouping, comparison, and synthesis have been used. Results: 1. A specific approach to the categories of "digital educational platform" and "digital educational ecosystem (ecosystem-based higher education)" is proposed. 2. The classification criteria of digital platforms are systematized on various grounds and the "operation scale" criterion was added to the digital educational platforms classification. 3. The current market state is characterized and the latest innovations in the digital educational services are reviewed. 4. Risks of the platform-based and ecosystem-based higher education models development are revealed. Scientific novelty: the authors' specific approaches to the categories of "digital educational platform" and "digital educational ecosystem (ecosystem-based higher education)" are proposed, digital platforms classification criteria are systematized on various grounds, and the "functioning scale" criterion was added to the digital educational platforms classification.


Introduction
The higher education system has been undergoing the enhancement process for quite a long time, and since 2020, these transformations have been growing at a dramatic rate. The digital transformation of education system is in process and a new stage -platform-based education -is being developed.
The research purpose is to develop the theoretical framework of digital educational services.
This predetermined the objectives of the research. First, to propose an authors' approach to categories illustrating digital educational platforms and ecosystems.
Second, to provide the system of the digital platforms on classification criteria on various grounds and to update the digital educational platforms classification.
Next, to define the current market situation and provide an overview of the latest innovations in digital educational services.
The fourth oblective is to reveal the risks of the platform-based and ecosystem-based higher education models development.

Materials and methods
Considering that the issues of increasing the education system efficiency and competitiveness at the international level have long been a priority area, it is necessary to not only find directions for improvement, but also ensure their effective implementation.
The pandemic of Covid-19, the new coronavirus infection, acting as a "touchstone", made it possible to identify all the shortcomings and limits keeping back platform educational environment development.

Resuls and discussion
Addressing the issues of the platform-based education, it is important to note, that if the first stages are distinguished by installation and further modernization of computer classrooms, training to work in a digital space and with specialized software, currently, it is much easier for the present day school-leavers and students, who have all the neccessary skills, to work and communicate on various digital platforms than offline. If considered in a simplified form, in terms of marketing communications specifics, modern school-leavers and students can be divided into 2 target audiences. The first target audience is schoolleavers and students who prefer analog channels of interaction and traditional educational technologies. The second is school-leavers and students who support digital educational technologies. For them, the best option is to work on various platforms in the digital space, which largely impact educational process development. For example, one of the educational technologies is mind mapping, which aims at creative rethinking of theoretical material and presenting it in a structured form. Specifically, this technology can be used both in classroom without using digital technologies, and through special internet resources. Moreover, both options provide creative group work with the predetermined scope of material to be mastered by students in the course of the study process.
Modern school-leavers and students seek active self-improvement, creative selfexpression and have multitasking abilities to work using large amounts of information, which is their specific feature to be taken into account both when building marketing communications with potential students and educational process improvement.
In turn, modern teachers also have to act in a multitasking mode, at the same time, aiming at improving their efficiency.
In the framework of digital model of the national economy and under the influence of the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection Covid-19, the issues of not only the possibility of using digital educational resources and their development, but also of various digital platforms availability and transition to a digital educational ecosystem become relevant.
Approaches to the categories of "digital educational platform" and "digital educational ecosystem" differ in research studies. From the authors' point of view, a digital educational platform is a digital space enabling the educational process participants to interact regardless of their territorial location.
In general, digital platforms can be classified by various accounts: operation scale, value component, focus of digital services provided, the platform specialization, available economic benefits, provided functionality development level, platform activities result, development level and focus provided. A detailed classification of digital platforms and their characteristics are presented in Table 1. Platforms acting as a holding company and / or platform investor, involving companies developing platform portfolio strategy.

Focus of digital services provided Aggregated platforms
Consolidating various services on one digital platform.
Social platforms Digital platforms providing communications services.

Mobilization platforms
Digital platforms allowing to from information picture of interaction, for example, with clients. This information will furhter provide for building a CRM system. Learning platforms Digital platforms providing access to various learning materials.

Platform specialization [3]
Social networks Online platforms for communicating, friends finding, creating common interests groups, both professional or personal.

Messengers
Platforms for online audio and video calls, and text messaging.
Search engines Platforms used for quick access to the necessary information on the Internet.

Web browsers
Platforms for processing search queries, page views, and web document content. Videoplatforms Digital platforms for downloading and further viewing of video materials.

PC OS
A set of programs interrelated and used to manage PC resources and interact with users. Coupons and discounts Digital platforms bringing together manufacturers of goods and services which provide a certain percentage discounts, on condition of having a coupon / discount on this platform for a limited period of time. Civil services Digital platform giving opportunities to receive government services via the Internet.

Commercial
Digital platforms designed to meet consumers' needs and demands and to gain economic benefit from that. Non-commercial Digital platforms to meet consumers' needs and demands, but without any profit derived Development degree of provided functionality [5] Technological Digital platforms providing access to IT resources and technologies.

Functional
Digital platforms giving access to specialized tools.

Infrastructural
Digital platforms providing access to digital infrastructure.

Corporate
Digital platforms allowing for management processes optimization.

Informational
Digital platforms providing informational access to the market.

Marketplaces
Digital platforms aimed at ensuring interaction of the parties by providing access to the market. Sectoral Digital platforms to optimize the participants interaction.

Outcome of activity on the platform [13]
Instrumental Digital platform with software and hardware solutions development as a result. Infrastructural Digital platform where the outcome is IT service and information essential for economic decision-making. Applied Digital platform with transaction as a result, fixng exchange of goods / services between participants in a given market.  Digital platforms to provide public services for individuals and legal entities and digital platforms ensuring interaction of commercial and non-profit organizations with government agencies in the framework of certain projects implementation.

By development degree
Online-store Digital platform with goods / services traded by one seller.

Marketplace
Digital platform representing electronic trading platform with products / services from independent sellers. Digital ecosystem A set of digital platforms with various goods and services.
The above approaches to the digital platforms classification have different grounds. In this regard, digital platforms referring to the education system are distinguished. So, for example, the following types of digital platforms [1, p.9]  Another criterion of the digital educational platforms classification is operation scale. Here, international educational platforms, national and local, both in the framework of one educational institution or consolidating several ones, can be distinguished.
Educational environment is developing in the same way as the RF economy and, in the authors' opinion, transition to a digital educational ecosystem flows naturally from the educational process improvement. It is the ecosystem-based higher education which becomes a logical extension of the higher education system development ensuring the targeted level of training quality for graduates, regardless of global challenges, which significantly impact the current state and perspective system development areas.
According to the authors, the digital educational ecosystem (ecosystem-based higher education) is a set of interconnected platforms consolidating students, higher educational institutions, employers, lending organizations and educational content, which provides for communications building and educational process improvement, considering market requirements and educational organizations' potential.
In the framework of the digital educational ecosystem, several blocks can be identified where universities are represented, employers with their proposals and requirements, normative documents regulating educational process and the activities of educational organizations, training materials, professional standards, banks with student loan programs, olympiads and other competitive events, revealing talented and promising applicants, able to develop in a given direction.
In the educational ecosystem, content availability is shaped by the needs and roles of each participant.
The first block is "banks, universities and olympiads". The target audience of this block is applicants. Here, they can easily learn about training programs, requirements and competitive events, which can add to the applicant's individual achievements. Another important point is to find out about bank lending terms to pay for tuition. Not all families can pay the full sum without borrowings, and in this block, applicants will consider the formal requirements, assess their chances, compare offers of various lending organizations and choose optimal terms.
The second block is "employer-university". In this block, communications are built between the employer and the higher educational institution, owing to which market challenges are identified and a competence model of a graduate is developed, with reference to standards and regulatory documents, formulating educational needs. As a result, a university graduate is a well-trained competitive specialist with the currently required knowledge and competencies.
The third block is "university-employer-student". In the framework of this block, communication links are built to ensure internship and further employment. In that way, successful students can gain valuable experience and prove effective for the potential further employment in the company after graduation.
Turning to digital resources operating in the Russian Federation, the following can be noted. The nationa information system "Modern digital educational environment" has been launched, which provides various platforms and universities to learn online. By the 2020 results, the portal provided access to more than 1,850 online courses, 47 online learning platforms, 140 universities. During the operation period, more than 7mln training sessions by over one million people have been registered. [8] For applicants in its turn, the "Online university enrollment" superservice has been launched. This service provides online application to the university without leaving home. To do this, applicants must attach copies of certain documents and send them to universities online. Moreover, the system itself will form an electronic application and track the resluts.
The issues of the Previously, the ANO "Progressive Education Institute" proposed to introduce the position of IT Director (head teacher / Vice-Rector for digitalization) in educational institutions, whose main task would be to digitalize the educational process. A letter with this initiative was sent to the heads of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, as well as the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation.
However, in February 2021, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation did not support this initiative.
As part of the plan, higher educational institutions are developing digital development programs, where the main target implementation indicator is the introduction of educational programs with e-learning and distance learning technologies.
It is important to note that in 2020, 44 universities under the authority of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation have developed digital development programs and received relevant support, and in 2021 over 90 universities are expected to join the initiative. Starting from 2022, it will be implemented in the context of the federal project "Developing infrastructure for research and training" of the "Science and universities" national project, on a competitive basis, as grants for the digital development programs [8] implementation.
In the authors' view, platform education should not substitute the traditional form of education, but serve as an additional platform to provide educational services, which will contribute to increasing economic efficiency of an educational organization. Both training formats are not contending; on the contrary, they ensure the pedagogical tools expansion to improve the training process development.
On the one hand, platform-based education ensures receiving educational services, regardless of the location, developing personalized learning mode, considering the needs and interests of a particular student, which will provide for the graduates' professional fulfilment. However, like any other field of activity, the higher education platform and ecosystem models development can encounter certain risks.
First, decreasing training quality and student motivation. Second, teaching staff layoff with a subsequent decrease in the scientific potential of the educational institution.
Third, absence of a unified digital educational platform leads to the educational platforms and contents differentiation at the educational institution level.
Fourth, a shift away from the traditional classes format and a reduction of live communication between a student and a teacher.
At the same time, the successful implementation of platform education directly depends on the response to the identified risks and changes in the external environment.

Conclusions
As a result, the authors proposed a specific approach to the categories of "digital educational platform" and "digital educational ecosystem (ecosystem-based higher education)", arranged a system of the digital platforms classification criteria on various grounds, and added the "operation scale" criterion to the digital educational platforms classification. Also, the current state of the educational services market is considered, the latest innovations in digital educational services are reviewed and risks of platform and ecosystem models of higher education development are revealed. Although the transition to digital space is inevitable, it is necessary to do the best to maintain education quality and ensure comfortable conditions of educational services provision, both in digital and analog formats.