Digital resources in teaching Russian to Chinese students outside of the language environment

Abstract

Introduction. Relations between China and Russia are becoming increasingly close, resulting in a high demand for Russian language specialists in the labor market. The lack of a language environment in Chinese universities is a pressing problem that teachers would like to solve. Therefore, the active implementation of digital technologies will undoubtedly compensate for this deficiency. The purpose of the study is to analyze the use of Chinese internet resources in teaching Russian language in Chinese universities. Materials and Methods. The study involved undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students studying in the fields of "Russian as a Foreign Language", "Philology", "Linguistics" and "Russian Literature". A total of 117 respondents from nine higher education institutions in Russia and China. These institutions include Heilongjiang Institute of Foreign Languages, RUDN, Moscow State University, Moscow State Pedagogical University, Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Russian State University of Tourism and Service, Inner Mongolia University, and Yili Pedagogical University. The research methods employed in the study were analysis of scientific and scientific-methodological literature, observational (monitoring of online and distance learning), diagnostic (interviews with teachers, student surveys), and statistical analysis. Results. It was found that Chinese students do not know which form of education is most preferable outside of the Russian-speaking environment (35.9% – online, 37.61% – in-person, 38.46% – blended). However, respondents (67%) stated that various online resources provide significant help in learning the Russian language. The most popular programs and platforms were Chinese Dingding and Tencent Meeting, international Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Not all Russian-language dictionaries are available online for Chinese people, which is why the share of translation programs assisting in learning Russian language has increased (over 70%). The most frequently used Chinese dictionary was "Qianyiciba" (62%), and the most popular websites include Google Translate, Yudao Translator, Baidu Translate, and Bilibili. It has been proven that among the main problems hindering the process of learning Russian language in online and distance learning formats, psychological discomfort, lack of communication, increase in independent work, and individualization in learning considering the personal needs of students should be highlighted. Conclusion. The results obtained make it possible to determine the prospects for using digital resources in teaching Russian as a foreign language to Chinese students outside of the language environment.