The Possibilities of Using Digital Media Teaching Tools to Popularize the Russian Language and Culture in West African Countries

Introduction. The importance of exploring the possibilities of using digital media educational tools to popularize the Russian language and culture in West African countries is driven by the need to organize cultural and educational activities of Russia abroad in response to modern social, political and economic challenges. Russian science has not solved the problems of comprehensive analysis of factors of digitalization of educational processes in the region, identification of interests of local population in learning Russian language and culture, preferences of potential target audience for use of digital learning tools, identification of conditions for implementation of programs promoting Russian language and culture in the region. The purpose of the study is to analyze the possibilities of using digital didactic solutions to popularize the Russian language and culture in West African countries (case of the Republics of Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana). Materials and Methods. The study covered 92 African students divided into two groups, differing in their integration into Russian culture and involvement in the study of the Russian language. The research tools were developed on the basis of the methodology of the socio-cultural approach which postulates the consideration of cultural patterns and norms of behavior in the design of educational practices. The study was conducted in three phases. The sample was divided based on geopolitical, linguistic, and educational factors. Survey methods were employed, including online surveys and focus groups. An algorithm was created to identify, evaluate, and determine significant indicators of potential and risks associated with the digitalization of media tools used to teach the Russian language and promote Russian culture in West African countries. Results. The markers of opportunities and limitations of digital media content creation for West African countries have been identified: significant ideological correlation of the image of Russia with the Russian language and Russian culture, the positive perception of Russia, the importance of higher education and academic exchanges, and the desire to obtain information through the means of an up-to-date media environment. The communicative priorities of African students are defined as group offline contacts using audiovisual content, support for face-to-face communication with additional materials on social networks and messengers. The triggers of the risk of promoting digital products are presented for the scientific discussion: insufficient level of development and accessibility of cellular communications, the Internet, and information technologies in West Africa, low digital literacy of the population; stable communicative priority of live collective communication; restrictions on the use of social networks and software that arose as a result of the tense geopolitical situation. Discussion and Conclusion. The materials of the article may be of interest to researchers of the socio-cultural foundations of learning Russian as a foreign language, to developers of Russian cultural and educational projects, teachers of open educational centers in Russian in Africa.