Scientific and technical description of the project: the project is being implemented to provide a service aimed at increasing knowledge in the agricultural sector among various categories of citizens and professionals through a specially developed game-based model and training algorithms on the educational platform «Kolosok» (a mobile online educational platform).

Currently, a significant portion of the population lacks interest in the agricultural sector due to insufficient knowledge. Moreover, there is a shortage of professionals in related fields (such as IT, mechanical engineering, construction, biotechnology, etc.) who are competent in the functioning of the agro-industrial complex. These issues stem from several causes:

– existing career guidance methods and subject-specific knowledge-building approaches are not always engaging for children and their parents;

– there is no universal and free platform for hosting tests and courses that can be used by school teachers and university instructors across various agricultural disciplines;

– mostly foreign apps are used for quizzes, surveys, and game development aimed at creating educational content.

The solution to these issues is the «Kolosok» educational platform, which is expected to positively impact the competitiveness of Agro-Industrial Complex in the Republic of Belarus.

Fig. 1. Interface windows of the educational platform

The platform is an electronic resource accessible via mobile and desktop data processing and transmission devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops, personal computers) through a web client interface.

Pilot testing of the «Kolosok» educational platform project at:

1) competitions:

– Exhibition-competition «100 Innovations by Young Scientists» (September 2023). The project took third place in the category «Agro-industrial and Manufacturing Technologies»;

– Forum «Belarus – China: A Bridge for Innovation 2023» (October 2023). The project received second place among all innovative ideas in the section «Instrument Engineering. Information Technology. Robotics. Artificial Intelligence. Energy»;

– Academic Forum of Young Scientists from Greater Eurasia «Continent of Science 2023» (November 2023);

– International Competition of Original Business Ideas EnCobi (November 2023). The project was selected for the final round out of more than 200 submissions;

– Republican Competition of Innovative Projects (2023). Following the results, the Institute of System Research in Agro-Industrial Complex of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus was awarded a letter of appreciation from the Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus for developing the innovative project «Kolosok Educational Platform.» Additionally, within the special nomination by Belagroprombank, the project won «Best Innovative Project in the AgroTech Sector.» The team was also invited to present their innovation to a broad audience as part of the joint popular science TV program «Science Nearby» by the Belarusian State TV and Radio Company and the NAS of Belarus;

– Republican Youth Project «100 Ideas for Belarus» (January 2024);

– Republican Competition Program «Startup Marathon» organized by Belagroprombank (March – June 2024).

2) exhibitions and fairs:

– Exhibition of New Achievements in Science and Technology at the 3rd International Scientific-Practical Conference «Intellectual Property in the Modern World: Challenges and Development Prospects» (October 19, 2023);

– 21st International Specialized Exhibition «Education and Career» (March 2024);

– AGROforum for Agricultural Education «5 Steps to Quality» (March 2024);

– Fair of Innovative Developments «Agro-Industrial and Food Technologies» (May 2024);

– TIBO-2024 (June 2024).

Fig. 2. Project Piloting

Competitive advantages:

• Use of visual materials and elements that help learners better understand and retain information;

• Enhancement of resource support for the educational process in agricultural-focused classes;

• Ability to independently create game tasks and quests related to agricultural topics, increasing students’ interest in self-directed learning;

• Interactive simulations: virtual simulations and game-based tasks using computer technologies create realistic environments for practicing knowledge;

• Development of collaboration and teamwork skills;

• Increased visibility and reputation for educators through the publication of professional achievements, content development, etc.;

• Open access to all tests (subject to developer approval) without requiring special invitations.