Digital Educational Platforms as a Substitute or Supplement to Traditional Education

Abstract

The transformations brought about by digitalization have led to significant changes in how educational services are delivered and consumed, necessitating a reassessment of the role of digital educational platforms in relation to the traditional system. From a microeconomic perspective, education can be analyzed as an economic good, and decisions regarding the choice between traditional and digital education reflect rational consumer behavior, aimed at maximizing utility under cost and time constraints. The article examines digital educational platforms both as a substitute for and as a complement to traditional education, highlighting how individual preferences, accessibility, and perceived quality influence educational choices. An analysis of the strategic interactions between the main actors in the educational market-educational institutions, digital platforms, and students-through the lens of game theory reveals a trend toward convergence toward hybrid models of education. From the perspective of information asymmetry, this affects the assessment of the quality of digital educational services and creates a need for certification and accreditation mechanisms. The development of digital platforms intensifies competition in the education market, contributing to cost reduction and expanded access, but also to the emergence of both positive and negative externalities. CZU: 37.018.4:004; JEL: I21, D11, D41, O33