Unveiling the Dynamics of Platform Ecosystems: Implications for Education

Abstract

With the recent development of digital technology, the platform ecosystem based on free and dynamic interactions among users has rapidly emerged, demanding a paradigm shift across all areas such as industries, institutions, and modes of behaviors. New theories and perspectives that capture, explain and predict the potentially innovative nature of the platform ecosystem are needed. This paper explores the main characteristics and significance of the platform ecosystem, and analyzes its educational implications. The main characteristics of the platform ecosystem were analyzed focusing on ‘the power of connection and network’, ‘win-win growth through openness and cooperation’, and ‘the process of creation and play’. In addition, the implications drawn in the field of education can be summarized as follows: First, human relationships should be considered as ‘multiple-line interactive relationships’ rather than ‘single-line superiority and inferiority relationship’. Second, education should be emphasized to be operated by the process of 'cooperation' rather than ‘competition’. Third, contents should be conceptualized as ‘materials for creating the educational process’ rather than ‘entities to be conveyed’. Through this discussion, the conventional misleading view of education was criticized and an appropriate alternative framework for education was suggested.