EDUCATIONAL STARTUP AS A TOOL FOR TRANSFORMING THE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF EDUCATORS

Abstract

This study examines the phenomenon of the educational startup as a tool for transforming the professional activities of educators in the context of educational digitalization and hands-on learning. While most scholarly work focuses on startups as business models or their impact on the education system, this research addresses the development of educational startups by educators and other stakeholders.

The concept of an educational startup is identified as being significantly broader than that of an educational project. Based on a review of scholarly publications, this study argues that an educational startup acts as a catalyst for the innovative development of all participants in the educational process. The study identifies the key qualities an educator needs to work with educational startups (personal and professional attributes essential for innovative activities; a foundational understanding of an innovative project, its concept, and the conditions for its implementation and growth; the ability to integrate a startup into the educational ecosystem, ensuring its utilization and scalability).

Three key competencies for educators working with educational startups are highlighted (Entrepreneurial competence:a foundational skill that combines knowledge of economics and law with soft skills to facilitate entrepreneurial activities; Digital competence:the ability to effectively apply digital technologies in professional work to create a digital learning environment; Creative competence: the capacity to generate non-standard ideas, make original decisions, and avoid formulaic thinking).

The study outlines and illustrates the process of developing an educational startup, which includes the following stages: idea generation, market analysis and validation, creating a minimum viable product (MVP), and scaling. The fundamentals of business accelerators and business incubators are also explored in a comparative table.

Examples of successful educational startups and their main areas of function are provided. The research demonstrates that successful educational startups require a specialized educational environment and are the result of collaboration between educators and specialists from various fields.