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Historical and Pedagogical Background of Educational Activities in Mixed-Age Groups. Education & Pedagogy Journal. 2024;3(11):23-38. DOI:

The author examines the historical presence of educational activities in mixed-age groups. This topic is relevant because many pedagogical practices from the pre-revolutionary and Soviet periods are being reintroduced in modern Russia. For example, collectivism, traditionally valued in the Soviet Union, was officially recognized as a national value in Russia in 2022, which underlines the need for a renewed scientific study of the various forms and types of collective activities, including in the field of education. The educational aspect of mixed-age group activities has significant development potential. The effectiveness of collective education can be improved by organizing interactions between participants of different ages, creating a more realistic model of a diverse society. A problem-oriented analysis of the scientific literature has shown that mixed-age groups are considered an educational tool for moral and social development, especially by specialists in psychology and pedagogy. This view underlines the importance of examining the empirically developed elements of education within these groups through which educational work has been carried out in practice. The focus, therefore, shifts to understanding how these elements of learning, originally intended to promote character and social values, also contributed to wider educational outcomes. In this context, it becomes clear that in modern pedagogy, where participants re-evaluate the historical experiences of their predecessors, mixed-age groups emerge with a clear focus on education rather than character development. Nevertheless, the development of such mixed-age groups also requires recourse to the accumulated historical and pedagogical foundations for the implementation of certain pedagogical elements. This foundation enables the formalization of preconditions – such as voluntariness, the existence of an internal hierarchy (e.g., ‘ranks’), productive activities, simultaneous development in multiple environments, and diversity of forms, means, and methods – that align collectivity, pedagogical goals, and mixed-age composition in a way that is still relevant today. By drawing on this historical foundation, educators can better integrate these elements to develop pedagogical practices that are both effective and appropriate for today’s context.

Keywords: educational activity, history of extra-training pedagogy, extra-training education, supplementary education, children’s movement, theory of collectivity, mixed-age group