Early Internet as a factor in the development of informal language education in Russia at the turn of the 20th–21st centuries
DOI: 10.23951/2307-6127-2026-4-16-26
This article presents a historical-pedagogical analysis of the formation of informal language education in Russia during the period of radical socio-cultural transformations at the turn of the 20th–21st centuries. The study focuses on the phenomenon of the spontaneous emergence of alternative educational practices, driven by the urgent need for practical knowledge of foreign languages on the one hand, and the mass proliferation of the early internet and digital technologies on the other. The primary aim of the research is to identify and characterize the key vectors and channels of informal language education development in the 1990s and early 2000s, thereby determining the role of these processes in shaping a new type of linguistic personality and learner autonomy. The methodological basis of this study is a multi-level approach. At the macro level, historical and pedagogical analysis is used to examine the state of formal language education in the described time period, which serves as a context for understanding the emergence of alternative educational practices. At the meso-level, a comparative approach is employed, allowing for a meaningful comparison of the institutional foundations, goals, and outcomes of foreign language teaching at the end of the 20th century. At the micro level, various methods of working with historical sources are utilized, including documentary and scientific texts to analyze official discourse, as well as personal and digital materials (interviews, archived websites, early online communities, etc.), to investigate the intersections between systemic changes and specific educational practices during the historical period being studied. The research establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between the abrupt shift to an open sociolinguistic model and the growing need among Russian citizens for practical foreign language proficiency for personal and professional self-fulfillment. The author illustrates how this social demand was met through the formation of an integrated digital ecosystem. Its key components include: 1) tools for tacit learning via computer games and software; 2) socioprofessional communities as environments for non-formal education; 3) platforms for authentic internet communication; and 4) digital tools fostering learner autonomy. The author explains the effectiveness of this ecosystem through its alignment with the principles of self-directed learning and its ability to synchronously activate key motivational subsystems of the individual. The theoretical significance of the study lies in the comprehensive application of the "educational triad" concept to analyze a historical precedent, enabling the reconstruction of the genesis of modern forms of learner autonomy and the use of digital tools in education. The practical significance resides in identifying the heuristic value of this historical experience for contemporary digital pedagogy. The findings are relevant for designing educational environments based on the principles of flexibility, practical orientation, and the activation of learners' intrinsic motivation, which is particularly significant within the context of ongoing digital transformations.
Keywords: informal education, language education in Russia, early internet (Runet), historical-pedagogical analysis, linguistic personality, learner autonomy, digital ecosystem
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Issue: 4, 2026
Series of issue: Issue 4
Rubric: GENERAL PEDAGOGY, HISTORY OF PEDAGOGY AND EDUCATION
Pages: 16 — 26
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