Axiological and institutional potential of digital avatars in the context of digitalization of higher education

Анотація

The aim of the article is to develop a conceptual model of a teacher's digital avatar as a key element of a personalized learning environment in higher education in the context of digital transformation. The architecture, functionality, and axiological and institutional potential of digital avatars within the ecosystem of the digital university are studied using an interdisciplinary approach. The emphasis is placed on defining the role of the avatar as an autonomous participant in the educational process, capable of cognitive adaptation, emotional feedback, and modeling of pedagogical practices.

The methodological basis of the research is a combination of elements of systemic, structural and functional, and interpretive analysis. Analytical reconstruction of technological solutions in the field of EdTech, content analysis of relevant international studies, regulatory and legal analysis of copyright cases in the educational environment, as well as elements of a comparative approach to digital strategies of leading universities, are applied. A three-component model of a digital avatar is proposed, which combines knowledge sources, service and analytical modules, and blocks of user needs.

The results of the research showed that digital avatars are an effective tool for hyper-personalized learning based on the integration of new generation NLP models, biometric feedback, emotional analytics systems, and simulation visualization. The article identifies the advantages of using digital avatars in professional training, in particular in the context of engineering, medicine, and law. The efficiency of adaptive learning scenarios built on the analysis of students' cognitive models, as well as the possibility of democratizing access to leading educational practices, are demonstrated. Particular attention is paid to the risks associated with the “uncanny valley” effect, legal conflicts over copyright, and ethical challenges of using autonomous digital agents in higher education.

The conclusions emphasize the need for further regulatory, ethical, and technological reflection on the introduction of digital avatars as a new type of digital presence in higher education. It is substantiated that digital avatars are able not only to support the learning process, but also to participate in the management of educational processes, transforming the architecture of interaction between all participants of the digital university.