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Background. On one hand, education is a specific form of social interaction where participants’ trust is a prerequisite rather than an outcome. On the other hand, the contemporary informational environment, in which new educational practices emerge, is replete with unverified and false information that complicates trust. This creates a paradox: online education simultaneously demands both swift trust and epistemic vigilance. Swift trust and epistemic vigilance are understood as two regimes of critical thinking, and the factors influencing the switch between these regimes are the subject of this study. Purpose. To identify the factors that trigger different regimes of critical thinking in online learning. Materials and methods. The theoretical part of the study is based on the synthesis of epistemic trust concept, theory of swift trust and social-epistemological approach to critical thinking. Based on this, the article presents a pilot survey of students of massive open online courses of Lobachevsky University online learning platform (N=83). Results. The main finding is that the key factor in switching between swift trust and epistemic vigilance is the previous negative online learning experiences. having such experience is consolidated and sharply reduces expectations from any subsequent online learning. The absence of negative experiences, on the contrary, increases swift trust and reduces epistemic vigilance. The main mechanisms of switching between regimes of critical thinking in online education are presented as epistemic delegation, appeal to statistics, logical-grammatical representation, and visual representation. Sponsorship information. The work was funded with a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (project № 24-28-00809 “Critical thinking studies: fundamental research on critical thinking as an interdisciplinary problem”)

Introduction. The online format is becoming the most popular and in-demand way of getting an education in the modern world every day. This trend is due to the rapid pace of technology development and the availability of the Internet, as well as a number of other advantages of online education. The analysis and study of trends in the development of online education allows us to identify key areas of its development, problems faced by stu-dents and teachers, as well as ways to improve the quality and effectiveness of online education. Methods and materials. The research methods were such as analysis, synthesis, monographic, system analysis, generalization. Results. The analysis of trends in the development of online education is carried out. A system of factors for the development of online education is proposed. Discussion. Online education is becoming more relevant and popular, due to many factors. Online education is the next stage in the development of traditional education. The development of online education is largely due to modern tools and methods of work. Conclusion. Online education in Russia is under active development, adapting to modern educational require-ments. The development of online education is supported by both educational organizations and students, as well as the state.

Currently, e-learning content has become firmly established in the practical activities of university teachers. A lot of research is devoted to substantiating the possibilities of distance learning as a new format of education in the era of the digital revolution. The research problem is increasing the effectiveness of using online courses in the educational process of a university. The purpose of the research is to substantiate the possibilities of using online courses in the educational practice of universities as relevant content of a digital service. To achieve this goal, theoretical research methods were used (analysis, synthesis, differentiation, generalization, description), as well as methods of visual representation. The research results: the authors of the article have clarified the concept of «online course», determined the relationship between the categories «e-learning», «distance learning», «online learning», and considered a model of the structure of the online course; the advantages of using online courses for universities have been presented; The negative and positive aspects of the use of online courses by teachers in the educational process have been identified, and taking into account the analysis of experience accumulated in teaching practice, the most optimal options for using online courses at a university have been presented. Key conclusions: an online course is understood as e-learning content, which is an educational and methodological resource for conducting educational activities in the discipline; the optimal use of online courses in a mixed format (in combination with traditional classroom work). The orientation of universities towards the use of online courses in educational practice corresponds to current global trends in education.

The events of recent years in the world and Ukraine (quarantine restrictions due to the pandemic and Russian military aggression) directly affect the format of educational services and create the need to introduce online education, which will guarantee all subjects of the educational process the acquisition of knowledge, preservation of life, as well as psychological and physical health. The research aims to conduct a literature review of the peculiarities of online education at the present stage in Ukraine and analyse its main advantages and disadvantages. As a result of a systematic analysis of the literature, the interpretation of the “online education” concept by various Ukrainian researchers and the peculiarities of online learning under martial law were analysed, and a detailed analysis of the main pros and cons of online education in Ukraine was carried out. The context of the new challenges (the coronavirus pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine) makes distance learning strategically important for ensuring the provision of educational services and preserving the physical and psychological health of all participants in the educational process. The study confirms the active development of online education in Ukraine, with important improvements in infrastructure, teaching materials and teacher training. The importance of online education in both normal and crises is substantiated, and its advantages and disadvantages are identified. The need to learn how to use these technologies while preserving the value of personal communication in education is emphasised. The studies of foreign scholars are analysed and a comparative analysis of education in crises abroad and Ukraine is carried out. It has been found that online education is a promising and necessary form of education, it is developing very actively and can respond quickly and successfully to the needs of society. The practical significance of the study lies in its contribution to the further development of the field of educational technologies and education reform in Ukraine

The article analyzes the methodological foundations of international trade in educational services and current trends in the development of the global education market. It was revealed that one of the key areas of development is the digitalization of the global education market. Digital academic mobility has been gaining popularity in recent years, especially in the conditions created by the Covid-19 pandemic. At the end of 2019 – beginning 2020, the education sector was shocked due to a sharp transition to the online format: neither teachers, nor students, nor schoolchildren in most countries of the world were ready for this. At present it can be concluded that the world has experienced the pandemic and people have adapted to the digital educational environment, but in many regions there is no Internet connection and not everyone has access to a computer, therefore there is a digital divide. According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, by 2030 it is planned to provide all the inhabitants of the planet with quality education throughout their lives. In recent years a large number of EdTech companies have emerged competing for a leading position in the global online education market. Distance learning platforms allow people from all over the world to receive training in areas of interest to them. But in the era of digital transformation the issue of the problems and prospects for the development of the online education market is relevant.

This paper presents a scientifically based approach to analyzing large volumes of data from digital traces of students on social networks, which allows you to effectively identify emerging and most discussed problems among students, as well as highlight pain points that provide opportunities for growth, development of universities and improvement of the characteristics of the educational process, support for students etc. The study is based on a thematic analysis of messages published in university communities on the VKontakte social network using big data tools. The study results showed that Russian university students still face a number of challenges, including weak technical infrastructure at universities, a digital divide in access to online education, and negative attitudes towards distance learning.The scientific problem of the study is the contradiction between the existing volume of unstructured data of students’ digital traces in social networks and the lack of a scientifically-based and proven methodological approach to the analysis and evaluation of this voluminous data, which creates obstacles to fundamental research into the relationship between students’ activity in social networks and their satisfaction quality of the educational process. The practical focus is determined in conducting data analysis using big data tools. The findings and evidence-based implications are useful for developing innovative strategies and tools for assessing and supporting students.The results show that the use of big data tools for tracking trends based on digital traces of students on social networks provides highly accurate analytical data and can become the basis for identifying problematic situations in individual universities and the industry as a whole, for data-driven decision-making and management .

Introduction. The relevance of the study is due to the lack of information for analyzing parents' perception of the problems of introducing distance learning in secondary schools in the conditions of COVID-19. The purpose of the study is to compare the specifics of parents' perception of opportunities and problems of distance learning in conditions of self– isolation by parents in different regions of Russia, as well as to identify attitudes that determine the prospects for its further implementation.Methodology and sources. The theoretical base is represented by the works of Russian authors about the family (A.I. Antonov, O.M. Zdravomyslova, G.G. Filippova). A review of foreign studies of parenthood focuses on its socializing function (R. Benedict, A. Cardiner, M. Spiro). A separate block of works is devoted to the problems of the introduction of distance education (Gül Özüdoğru; Lee; Zhao et al; Garrote et al, Bezrukikh et al, R.S. Zvyagintsev, Yu.D. Kershi, M.A. Pinskoy). The study is based on systematic and activity-based approaches that consider parents as one of the most important factors in improving the effectiveness of distance learning. The article presents the results of an on-line survey of parents (N = 1526) in four regions of Russia (Leningrad and Irkutsk regions, Stavropol and the Republic of Bashkortostan). Data processing was carried out using the SPSS program.Results and discussion. The opinion on the implementation of distance learning was studied not only regarding the education of children, but also the possibilities of using technology by parents. The study showed that they quite objectively assess the problems of implementing distance learning. Parents are not inclined to criticize the school, but they doubt the prospects of implementing the technology in the format it was introduced, arguing that it costs a lot for health, unavailability of technical equipment and the level of training of both students and schools. In relation to their training using distance learning technologies, the statements were positive.Conclusion. A comparison of parents' responses by region showed, on the one hand, a commonality of opinions, and on the other, a significant impact on the results of the assessment of socio–cultural specifics associated with the dominant type of management, the demand for digital skills in the regional labor market.

Digital educational platforms emerged as an anticipated technological response to the need for the modernization of higher education. The digitalization of education was promoted at the state level as a strategy and an instrument to improve the quality and competitiveness of education. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the transition from the classroom to online-only, revealing the lack of purposeful online teaching methods, and insufficient digital competence among teachers. The authors analyzed publications by foreign and Russian researchers to highlight the common problems of higher education digitalization, including datafication, limited capabilities of digital educational platforms, and the changing role of the teachers in e-learning. The article focuses on students’ attitudes towards online education, and their voluntary or unwilling involvement in the digital educational environment, considering synchronous, asynchronous, and blended forms of learning before and during the pandemic. The achieved results suggest that such factors as the novelty and accessibility of online courses at Western universities initially served as a factor of attraction the students, inviting them to diversify their studies in their own creative way. However, increased stress and workload, various technical problems, tough teachers’ control on the one hand, and poor feedback, on the other, weakened the popularity of the digital educational environment. When asked to compare the pros and cons of online education, most students spoke in favour of maintaining the blended education format, as it allows for reducing the workload and – to some extent – enables the students to take control of their education trajectories. This work is intended for educators and researchers interested in the challenges caused by integrating digital technologies into traditional forms of education.

The article aims to critically examine the role of engagement in the study of the educational experiences of adult learners in online learning. The authors highlight the existence of a gap between the nature of adult educational experiences and the lens through which these experiences are studied and evaluated. This lens is the learners' engagement. The authors highlight the complexity of the construct of learner engagement and point out the inadequacy of assessing it solely through behavioral markers. The theoretical framework of the article is the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model for studying the educational experiences of learners in the digital environment, based on the notion of the socially constructed nature of learning. The article shows how the idea of lifelong learning as the formation of a new professional identity of adults is consistent with the idea of an ontological turn in education. By conceptualizing the educational experiences of adults as active participants in the learning process, the authors propose to consider engagement as a characteristic of these experiences. The authors identify external and internal factors of learner engagement. Based on previous research, internal factors are proposed, namely learners’ prior experience, future self-image, and personal goals. External factors are based on the self-determination theory, where the needs for competence and belongingness become particularly salient for engagement in online learning.

The article addresses one of the urgent problems - transformation of higher education in the conditions of digitalization. The article discusses the main directions of digital transformation, which radically changes the economy, education and lifestyle in general. It’s been shown that digital technologies are necessary for the educational process but not sufficient for increasing the effectiveness of academic work. The demand for the ability to analyze systems, dissemination of ideas and methods of process management, the increase in the number of workplaces where skills are required to set tasks and formalize methods for solving them - all these factors makes it necessary to redefine traditional educational results during the digital transformation of education. Achieving this goal is especially important due to the spread of cloud computing, public high-speed Internet, with the widespread introduction of smart digital tools, the use of artificial intelligence methods and the widespread introduction of virtual reality technology. Introduction of digital technologies has been studied that provides an opportunity to improve education, allowing planning concrete steps to transform the work of universities, as well as to improve educational and educational work. In order to cope with the approaching challenges, the Russian education system should implement a digital transformation in the shortest possible time, move to a new model of organization of the educational process, using high-tech organizational, pedagogical and methodological solutions. It’s been proposed to develop and widely implement highly efficient and cost-effective digital technologies. At the same time, it is necessary to overcome technological digital gap existing in education. The novelty of the research approach consists in identifying the main directions of transformation of the educational process at a university in the conditions of digital economy. As a result of the analysis, the author has developed a conceptual vision of the essence, perspectives and possible consequences of the transformation of modern education, revealed the main directions for introducing digital technologies of the educational process based on the use of digital technologies.

The article justifies the urgency and necessity of studying the Chinese education system, education system have beencompared, strong and weak aspects of the education systems of Russia and China have been revealed. The purpose of the study is to identify the causes and analyze the intensive digitization and informatization of China, to determine the ways and means by which the Chinese education system is being modernized. The article justifies the development of distance and online learning, which covers all segments of the population and provides them with information, regardless of territorial affiliation. The aspects providing digitization of not only the production spheres, but also the educational process have been revealed. Creation of an educational space in each country becomes necessary provided that the existing communication networks that cover the whole country and determine the formation of high-quality education and a generation capable of quickly solving tasks based on information technologies. The possibilities of Chinese education to form the prerequisites for the creation of artificial intelligence have been considered, which is the fundamental task of modern humanity as a whole. The arguments for the development of educational systems in Russia and China have been presented, which have both general tendencies and differences in the implementation of programs for education digitization and informatization.

The article presents results of surveys conducted among graduates of online workshops for teachers. Respondents were asked about factors positively and negatively influencing engagement during classes and attendance. The study showed, among other things, during classes attendees also performed other activities not related to participation in the workshops, and yet they highly assessed their commitment and work efficiency. Moreover, since they were logged in all the time during classes, it was assumed that they were present. This indicates that there is a need to ask a question about what “attendance” during online classes is, how it differs from attendance during face-to-face classes and how it should be assessed and monitored. The article attempts, based on original research and scientific papers review, to present the question of online attendance in more detail and to describe possible practical solutions helping in maintaining high attendance and attention during online classes.

Introduction. The purpose of this study is to analyze the ethical and linguo-didactic aspects of the virtual educational space of higher education. The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst for the transition of education to an online format. Of course, most educational institutions and teachers were forced to quickly adapt the methods and forms of online organization of the educational process. The issue of online education has long been considered from the scientific and practical sides, but such a quick and forced transition to online revealed a number of problems and features of online communication. One of the most significant is the problem of the ethics of online communication in education.Methodology and sources. The theoretical base of the study is represented by the works of Russian and foreign authors in the field of pedagogy of the Higher School (I.V. Robert, I.P. Kuzheleva-Sagan), the theory of generations (N. Howe and W. Strauss, D. and I. Stillman, Shamis) and intercultural communications (G. Hoftede).The empirical base of the study was data obtained during interviews with teachers (23) and students (27) of a higher school (semi-structured, random sample), analysis of the content of educational chats and visual analysis of student avatars (625) used in Zoom.Results and discussion. The article outlines the directions of research into the problems of ethics in the process of online education. On the basis of empirical data, the authors record the transfer of an informal style of communication into the format of educational communication with a teacher, which is spontaneously emotional in nature. The authors make the assumption that the regulation of communication processes had an optional and often non-mandatory format. Particular attention is paid to the understanding and perception of the ethical norms of communication by representatives of different generations.Conclusion. The synchronous format of educational communication in the online format has other syntactic, semantic and stylistic features that differ from the previously generally accepted academic language. In the future, this issue requires a comprehensive consideration not only from the communication and ethical side, but also from the point of view of legal and information security. It is necessary to form ethical standards for online teaching.

The pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has had an enormous impact on the education system. Higher educational institutions were forced to adapt to remote interaction with students and urgently switch to online learning. Currently, there are many educational platforms, among which one of the leading is the Californian Coursera service. In 2020, Kazan Federal University developed and published the first Coursera course on first aid — “Staying Alive! First Aid in Emergency”. The purpose of the current study was to demonstrate the course results in one calendar year. We analyzed the general indicators of Coursera — the global online learning platform. We reviewed the course indicators from December 21, 2020, to December 21, 2021. The research assesses the advantages and disadvantages of using online courses in the medical education system. It was concluded that massive open online courses effectively teach theoretical disciplines. In case of implementation of applied courses, it is necessary to search and introduce new approaches for practical skill development.

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Background. In modern society, the process of a person’s professional development is considered as a condition for the successful achievement of professional goals and official heights. Today, a sought-after specialist in the labor market should not only have professional experience, but also have the ability to self-study. In the conditions of the formation of a digital society, the transformation of the educational process is taking place. The changes have expanded access to educational resources of various groups of the population, in this regard, online education has become very popular in society. If schools and professional educational institutions more often retain the usual format of education, then additional education has become more provided in a mixed or online format. Many specialists prefer this form of education, which contributes to the growth of the market for these educational services around the world. The purpose of the study is to analyze the transformation of the learning process and identify the possibilities of online education for the professional development of a specialist. Materials and methods. The data of the author’s research conducted among the youth of the Penza region (2023, n = 395), as well as a secondary analysis of the Russian Public Opinion Research Center data were used as an empirical base. The online education market was analyzed on the basis of materials provided by Businessstat and Netology. Results. The results of the study showed that among specialists, the value of education remains, despite the ongoing changes in this process. Young specialists emphasize that in modern conditions, higher education is not enough to achieve professional results. In this regard, specialists continue their studies after graduation. This trend led to the emergence of new forms of education, the Edtech market was formed. The analysis of the online education market has shown that every year in Russia the number of educational programs being implemented is increasing, as well as the number of students. The data show that popular training programs are associated with the formation of digital competencies. Conclusions. Education has always had a high value in professional activity. At the present stage of society's development, production and organizational processes are becoming more complicated, which directly affects the institute of education. In this regard, the professional development of a person depends not only on personal factors, but also on external factors. The continuity of professional development at the present stage of society's development has contributed to the widespread use of digital learning. According to the results of the study, it was revealed that the majority prefer online training because of the possibility of an alternative to the time of training and the absence of geographical barriers. Thus, online education provides additional prospects for personal development in modern conditions.

The article deals with the psychological problems of the educators of the second language (L2) facing a sudden break with the traditional mode of teaching. The situation was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which entailed the abrupt transition to distance education. Not all educators and learners were ready to respond to the new challenge instantaneously. The purpose ofthe research is to discover how to facilitate the psychological readiness of L2 educators in the sphere of public relations teaching to overcome the hindering forces preventing them from easily accepting the challenges of time. A study was conducted among L2 university educators who were offered a set of five questions to determine the major obstacles to their immediate acceptance of change. As a result, the article offers several recommendations on how to prepare L2 educators for the state ofpsychological readiness for changes. The procedure presupposes the detection of the reasons and ways of overcoming the psychological problems.

The transition to the digital economy, the new needs of the labor market, the existing digital inequality actualize the problems of digitalization of education, which is becoming the most important condition for the development of the economy of knowledge. Considering that the spread of coronavirus infection has transformed various aspects of social life and forced us to accelerate the transition to distance learning, we propose to consider the features of digitalization of the educational environment of the university on the example of the HSE. The article is based on the results of two studies: the All-Russian survey of students "Distance Education 2021" and the author's research conducted at the HSE (Distance 2021). Within the framework of these empirical projects, the goal was to find out the main directions of digitalization of universities in Russia, the main barriers to digitalization of the educational environment, as well as satisfaction with distance learning and the factors that determine this satisfaction. The level of digital technology proficiency, a quick and painless transition to a distance learning format shows the high readiness of the Russian education system to the new standards of the educational process. Students from different regions of the country showed a high level of satisfaction with the quality of online education, and when building their educational trajectories, they would prefer hybrid forms combining off-line and on-line classes. The research results have shown that satisfaction with distance education is generally lower than satisfaction with education at the HSE, and the main factors influencing satisfaction are organizational, not value-motivational. Some differences were revealed in the assessments of the educational process among students of different directions.

The article explores the phenomenon of emergence in the Internet of massive open online courses (MOOC). The author considers the main types of MOOC (cMOOC, task-based MOOC,xMOOC), their applicability at universities, advantages and disadvantages, prospects for further development.

The article is devoted to the issues and problems connected with e-teaching of foreign languages for students in higher school. The results of pre- and post-pandemic surveys after two lockdowns which universities of the Russian Federation suffered from during 2019/2020 and 2020/2021academic years have been compared. The comparative analysis of pre- and post-pandemic students’ attitude to e-learning at the university on the whole and to foreign languages e-learning in particular has been weighed. The authors assessed students’ reaction to possible transition to e-learning, following gradual adaptation to new conditions during lockdown and the role of information technologies in e-learning. Aiming at fundamental analysis of distant learning the authors conducted students’ opinion surveys of the State University of Management on the issues of risks, disadvantages, convenience and advantages of the electronic and blended learning generally and on the issues of foreign language acquisition particularly. Besides, the attainments and skills that the students acquired during the periods of e-learning and which are, in students’ opinion, an essential part of their professional acquirements, have been studied.The article presents the results of postpandemic opinion survey, shows the main problems and advantages of electronic learning, reveals the types of foreign language activities, most recommendable for e-learning, makes conclusions about the advantages of the electronic and blended learning for foreign language acquisition in modern conditions. The conclusions about the necessity of the individual approach to each student even during e-learning have been made.

The analysis of current changes in the field of distance education, and, in particular, higher education among domestic and western universities is presented. The additional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sharp increase in the popularity and use of online education in various segments of the educational process, starting from preschool and ending with corporate programs of companies is noted. The key advantages and disadvantages of online education are identified, as well as emerging risks for Russian Universities and the domestic economy when introducing distance learning.

We have sought the answer to a problem of online education introduced by COVID-19 pandemic. We suppose online education is to be the most dynamic form of professional learning which takes place at a distance with the use of effective informational and communicative tools. Our objective was to be focused on solving specific professional issues, to create conditions for effective learning based on our professional experience, with its maximum use. Socratic Dialogue is a brand that symbolizes the improvement of the quality of thinking in clarifying and solving problems in questioning in the community. Socratic seminars are one of the pedagogical technologies that provide the opportunity for students to actively practice in a wide variety of academic and professional skills. Its systematic procedure is used to examine a text through questions and answers founded on the beliefs that all new knowledge is connected to prior knowledge, that all thinking comes from asking questions, and that asking one question should lead to asking further questions. The goal of this study was to have participants work together, seek and gain deeper understanding of concepts in the text through thoughtful dialogue rather than memorizing information that has been provided for them. Our focus was to explore multiple perspectives on a given issue or top and student’s decision-making for the clinical cases provided. The method has helped us to identify students which lack any concrete knowledge or are not able to implement theoretical knowledge into solving practical tasks. The method also improved creative and critical and clinical thinking of the students who were actively engaged in the process not only during the class but also by preparing effectively for the class. We prioritized flexibility, individualization of learning, and put emphasis on self-study of the students. The authors voluntary move away from the truly philosophical direction in the introduction of Socratic dialogue into the methodology of modern teaching students in medical and biological disciplines and implement this learning option as an auxiliary one in online learning. Finally, authors analyzing the efficacy of a new teaching methodology in which the initiative of the conversation, its directions and possible branches from the original premise are provided to the students themselves.

Educational isolation, as a consequence of the global pandemic, has become an obstacle for guiding activity of pre-school age for a period of over one year. Online education did not include collective playing activity; actually, simultaneous modality of sessions was not at all applied in many public and private pre-school institutions in Latin America. The goal of the article is to show a unique experience of organizing collective sessions of playing with social roles by a preschool institution in Mexico. The results show the necessity of modification of some of the elements of the structure of playing activity, such as the means and the orientation of the activity. A broad variety of means at concrete, perceptive and verbal level were used for online playing. The part of orientation of action was separated from the part of realization of playing to guarantee the process of collective playing. The favorable and negative aspects of organization of online playing activity with social roles are discussed. The conclusions claim for the necessity of profound analysis of online modality of education for psychological development together with urgent re-conceptualization of the content of pre-school period as a period of affective communication and preparation for studying at school.

This article examines the impact of the pandemic on the education system both in the Russian Federation and in the world. The article describes the state policy aimed at supporting and developing education in the difficult conditions of a pandemic and the global crisis. The state program of the city of Moscow "Development of education in the city of Moscow", the main goals and objectives that were analyzed before this program, and also analyzed the results, allowing to judge the effectiveness of measures. Analyzed the report QS Quacquarelli Symonds, with the topic "The impact of coronavirus on higher education in the world", which was attended by more than 11,000 respondents. The report identifies the main difficulties and problems in the education of foreign students, describes the reasons for the difficulties. The impact of a decrease in academic activity on master's programs is considered. The role of partnership and interuniversity interaction is described. The problems having a negative impact on the quality of education are analyzed both from the point of view of the teacher, the student and the material support of the educational institution. The best practices of Russian universities, such as the PRUE named after G.V. Plekhanov, Tomsk State University and Novosibirsk State University, which were able to show outstanding results in the use of methods and tools of distance education. The main platforms used by universities in online education, such as Moodle and DiSpace, are described. The main results achieved in the Russian Federation in the field of education at the end of 2020 are summarized. The main general directions of activities of universities, which will ensure high quality of education and equality in education, are summarized.

Challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic require structural analysis and sociocultural comprehension, which has and will for quite a while have multi-aspect and systemic nature. All elements of the social system have been forced to function in the stress regime in the absence of any basic patterns and tried-and-true methods to solve the arising problem. The overall uncertainty in the organization of the social life and the enforced and, at times, very contentious steps taken at various levels of management have caused polarization of opinions as to the functioning of all social institutions. Special pressure has been put on education, since it is this institution that is mainly responsible for the social system’s stability. In this regard, it has been important and significant to comprehensively study the problems and limitations associated with the functioning of the higher education system in Russia during the pandemic, as well as to analyze the change in tone and attitude both on the part of the public and the teaching corps, as a response to the transition to the new forms of work at higher education institutions.The article was prepared using the materials of two stages of the sociological research “The opinion of teachers of Russia’s higher education institutions on distance learning during the pandemic” conducted in May, June and December 2020. The volume of sample sets made up 3431 people at the first stage, and 6006, at the second. An analysis of research data covers the following areas: organizational problems of transition to distance learning; resources used, organization of lectures and seminars, assessment of the positive and negative aspects of distance learning; perspectives, limitations and trajectories for the implementation of distance learning in Russia’s higher education institutions, as well as a set of social problems aimed at studying social well-being and assessing possible changes in the life and career of teachers.The research data are compared with the data of similar works by Russian and foreign analysts. On the basis of the analysis done and the conclusions obtained, the authors propose practical steps to optimize the work of the higher education system in stressful situations, to use distance technologies in the learning organization. Also, possible forms are considered that combine distance and full-time education, and recommendations are proposed on how to change the tone in perceiving inevitable informational and communication transformations on the part of teachers.This research was performed according to the Development program of the Interdisciplinary Scientific and Educational School of Lomonosov Moscow State University «Mathematical methods of complex systems analysis».

Formulation of the problem. The problems of pedagogical system, innovative methods of education and training of specialists, use of new teaching methods based on computer information technologies and distance learning platforms, use of innovative methods and distance learning platforms in the implementation of online education are considered. According to statistical research, the effectiveness of the traditional pedagogical system is no more than sixty percent. Innovative methods of training specialists in education are the use of new methods that qualitatively increase the effectiveness of ways and means of presenting information compared to the traditional system, learning to find the necessary information independently, checking its adequacy and learnability. Such innovations and novelties can be the use of computer technology and the Internet, and, especially now, of distance learning and communication technology. Materials and methods. The methods include content analysis, synthesis, comparison, description of the obtained research results, generalization. Results. The existing solutions for remote learning (distance learning platforms), using computer telecommunications, were analyzed: Meet, iSpring, WebTutor, GetCourse, Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Moodle, Blackboard Learning System, LMS «Prometheus», The Virtual Laboratory, VirtuLab and ZILLION, video communication and conference programs: Zoom, YouTube, Viber, Skype and others. All these platforms have their own characteristics and features, and their use lies in the possibilities of application in educational institutions and personal preferences of teachers and students. All distance learning platforms are web-based and therefore the requirements for client computers are minimal. The analysis of the remote learning technologies used allows us to determine the basic necessary and sufficient set of software tools that need to be applied for the full operation of the platform in the application of distance learning technologies. Microsoft Teams is suggested as a possible platform for distance learning. Conclusion. Application of remote technologies and software in creation of hardware-distance scientific-educational systems will lead to low cost of software product both for developers and customers (reduction of expenses on additional software) and will provide attraction of a wide range of users due to low system requirements and possibility of use in mobile devices. And usage of Microsoft Teams distance learning platform allows implementing a wide range of capabilities, which this platform has: video communication, different types of communication, provision of all kinds of materials, demonstration of any participant's screen during broadcast for the whole group, list of participants and attendance control, polling, possibility to record events and their further viewing, administration of all processes from the learning side, etc.

This article overviews studies exploring the COVID‑19 pandemic’s impact on education systems and their responses to lockdown restrictions, comparing available findings with international statistics based on continuous education system monitoring. Global organizations acknowledge disruption of classical educational processes and emergency transition to distance learning during the pandemic. Scientific literature examines accessibility of online education, alternative forms of distance learning, and the pandemic-induced financial constraints on universities inhibiting new construction, social support for students, scholarship application, professional development of faculty members, and research growth. The pandemic illuminated the issue of inequality in education, which worsened as a result of emergency transition to online studies. In particular, researchers focus on the most vulnerable groups of students, such as children from low-income families, children from migrant backgrounds, and students with disabilities. Projects aimed at studying the digitalization of education account for the biggest chunk of research inspired by the new pandemic reality. A number of studies discuss not just a formal transition to distance learning but a major technological turn that allows using the unique opportunities provided by digital technologies, which is especially important when teaching medical students. Theoretical inquiry is a distinctive feature of scientific discourse, as compared to the discourse of international expert and analytical reports on the problems of education in the context of the COVID‑19 pandemic. Research on changes to the learning process makes it possible to reconstruct the direct and indirect, as well as latent, threats of the pandemic.

This article is a response to Georgy Lyubarsky’s profound and farsighted speculations about the functioning of educational institutions in the new social context, where conventional approaches cannot be applied anymore. In a situation where mass media take over the school’s function of producing meanings for the public, it becomes impossible to speak about the “majority” and, consequently, about any classical culture common for that majority. Meanwhile, it appears a good idea to create a new mythology (perhaps, a university mythology) that would allow elaborating the theory of general education, first of all in universities, at a new level. If the concepts proposed are considered as viable, development models should also be proposed for institutions of secondary education, where it would make sense to use traditional western and pre-Soviet models of school organization, in much the same way that investors in a recession turn to conservative assets.

The digitalization of higher education is a long-term trend that gained a new impetus for further development because of the forced transition to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the article is to analyze the impact of digital transformation on the educational process in universities and to describe the risks through the students’ eyes. The analysis is based on the results of a survey conducted by the authors in 2020 among students of two universities - Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) and the Institute of the Trade Union Movement of the General Confederation of Labor of Vietnam (IPLV).The article describes the methodology of the online survey. The attitude towards distance learning is interpreted as a three-level attitude with emotional, cognitive and behavioral aspects. It is suggested that students’ readiness to switch to distance learning is determined by a set of macro and micro factors. Among the macro factors are the national specifics of the educational system, traditions in the field of higher education, infrastructure, the national educational policy, and the mobilization potential of the population. Among the micro factors are the cognitive and other psychological characteristics of the students, the socio-psychological openness to innovation.According to the survey results, there is certain similarity in the way Russian and Vietnamese students assess their experience of distance learning. At the same time, significant differences in the perception of the outcome of the digital transformation of education have been revealed. For MGIMO students, major risks are associated with dehumanization, the severing of social ties, and the possible loss of student status. For Vietnamese students the most significant risks are mainly associated with the fears of the decreasing quality of education. It is therefore concluded that distance learning is both the field of opportunities and possible source of individual and institutional risks.

The objective request for the compliance of all spheres of life with the requirements of the information society has accelerated processes determined by the restrictive measures of the covid-19 pandemic. Almost all sectors of the economy were forced to switch to remote working; however, the education system was the most affected. The mass transition to distance learning revealed a number of challenges and contradictions in distant forms of the higher education programs and made the Russian education system respond to the challenges of the digital society. This required a deep analysis of various aspects of distance learning, readiness of all education actors to work remotely, availability of material-technical facilities, methodological support and software, and also an assessment of prospects and scenarios for the development of the Russian education system after the pandemic. In May 2020, the Center for Education Development Strategy at Lomonosov Moscow State University and the RUDN Department of Sociology, with the support of the Russian Professors Assembly, conducted a survey of the academic personnel to study universities transition to distance learning. The survey data reveled the real situation in the education system, features of the forced transition to remote working and challenges of such an educational format, and allowed to reconstruct a portrait of the teacher most skeptical to distance learning. The study helped to make a number of recommendations on improving forms and methods of learning and on developing education technologies in universities; to identify the main risks of distance education and to suggest possible forms of mixed learning in Russian universities.

The relevance of the four-part article is that it examines the legal aspects of the use of information technologies in education, as well as their security, which is the legal basis for regulating these relations. Meanwhile, it should be noted that in recent decades insufficient attention has been paid to these problems in scientific works on jurisprudence. In legal studies the legal constructions of the concepts of Internet addiction, digital educational environment, online training, digital infrastructure, etc. have not yet been investigated. The purpose of the study is: 1) to determine the actual directions for improving legislation on the information security of the educational environment; 2) to substantiate the point of view according to which it is necessary to create and implement programs to educate children and adolescents on the rules of safe behavior in the Internet space and to prevent Internet addiction; 3) to better understand the term safety of the educational environment. In the research process, a diverse set of methodological tools was used: 1) general philosophical methods (dialectical and idealistic); 2) general scientific methods - analysis and synthesis, deduction and induction, analogy, comparison; 3) private (special) methods - logical, comparative legal, formal legal, normative dogmatic; 4) method of interpretation, including a method of problem-theoretical reconstruction. The paper analyzes the main regulatory documents that are used to implement the digital educational environment. The main results of achieving the goal of the study are proposals on: 1) introduction of the concept of safety of the educational environment into the scientific circulation of jurisprudence; 2) relevant legislative initiatives in this area. The theoretical significance of the study. The paper discusses the legal relations prevailing in the field of using information technologies in education, proposes the authors definition of the legal regime for creating a modern and safe information educational environment. The author formulated priority areas for improving this activity. The indicated research results can be used to improve the science of information law.

During the period of the forced transition of universities around the world to the online education, the demand for digital free access services has grown. A unique opportunity has appeared to supplement and develop the theoretical and methodological provisions of online learning based on the analysis of the empirical results that characterize the relevance and effectiveness of the digital environment parts. The educational materials free available at the Internet are the part of the digital environment, which are combined into the concept of open educational resources (OER). The purpose of the study is to assess the relevance of OER for faculty, systematize the main ways of working with them, identify the motives and barriers for the development of OER by faculty. The study conducted among the lecturers at Russian universities showed the high importance and value of OER for their teaching and methodological activities to create and develop the training course content in digital environment. More than half of the faculty staff create and distribute their copyright materials on the Internet on their own initiative for the convenience of their students. The faculty and students freely exchange educational materials using a variety of web services. In conditions of increasing demands on faculty and content of training-course, OER is a valuable resource for educational activities. The analysis of the regulatory framework revealed a lack of OER policy in Russian universities, which is one of the barriers for lecturers to create OER. The results of the study made it possible to develop recommendations for the development of OER in the field of higher education: consolidate the concept of OER in the regulatory framework of education, provide methodological and legal support for the creation and use of OER by faculty, and conduct an information campaign to reveal the prospects and advantages of using OER in higher education.

This article critically examines the result obtained by researchers at the Higher School of Economics in relation to the results of the experiment to assess the quality of online learning. It is noted that the thesis about the possibility of “complete replacement of traditional forms of education with online education without loss of quality” is distorted in the media, and the conclusions are based on insufficient data. To clarify the conditions of the transition and implementation of online technologies, it is proposed to hold a large-scale experiment with a randomly selection mechanisms for participants of training courses, instructors, disciplines (modules). The article focuses on the fact that while the impact of online education on the psychology and physiology of students has not been sufficiently studied, there is a risk of deteriorating health, as well as a drop in the quality of education. It is proposed to develop temporary standards limiting the maximum time of work online for different categories of students and teachers.The risks of «financial bubbles» in the online education market due to the rush demand after the COVID-19 pandemic for government agencies and private businesses has been identified. The conclusion is made about the priority development of short-term online courses related to the development of rather narrow and applied competencies in demand by the modern information society, about the possible success of online technologies in case of obtaining a “second higher” education and improving qualifications. High-quality online systems in the field of higher education require serious investments in research and development in the field of psychology and pedagogy of education, the use of medical control tools. In the medium term, the benefits of this research, conducted by medical scientists, educators and psychologists, will be used by organizations on the “second wave” of interest to online learning. From an organizational point of view, the correct “rotation” of the contingent of students, when part of the time they study full-time, and part of the time they learn online with computers / tablets and high-quality Internet access, will not lead to a deterioration in the quality of education, but will significantly reduce the spread of the pandemic.

Copyright of Open Education: The Journal for Open & Distance Education & Educational Technology is the property of Hellenic Network of Open & Distance Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Open Education: The Journal for Open & Distance Education & Educational Technology is the property of Hellenic Network of Open & Distance Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Open Education: The Journal for Open & Distance Education & Educational Technology is the property of Hellenic Network of Open & Distance Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Economic Research & Business Administration is the property of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The forced shift to remote learning in universities in March 2020 raised the complex issues of organizing lifelong learning for students, conducting academic assessments and maintaining the stability of the educational institution in general for educational systems of all countries of the world. This paper examines peculiarities and general problems of distance learning in the higher education system. It is based on the materials of the sociological survey “Opinions of Russian universities’ students on the forced distance learning”, conducted in May-June 2020. 31,423 university students in all federal subjects of Russia were interviewed. Analysis of research data covers the following areas: organizational problems of transition to distance learning; resources used, organization of lectures and seminars, assessment of the positive and negative aspects of distance learning; perspectives, limitations and trajectories of distance learning implementation in Russian universities.The article also provides comparative data on the analysis of the issues of distant learning of Russian and foreign researchers. The authors propose future-oriented measures for organizing distance learning in universities in the case of the introduction of quarantine restrictions, consider possible forms of combining distance and full-time education, the prospects for the introduction of digital technologies in the organization of training in universities.

The relevance of the study is due to the contradiction between the mass transition of the Russian system of higher education to the distance learning format and the insufficient willingness of participants in the educational process to work under the new requirements caused by the COVID 19 pandemic. Teachers, students and administrators of higher educational institutions in Russia have encountered a number of difficulties. Their analysis will highlight the objective and subjective factors of their occurrence and develop recommendations for the further organization of distance learning in its combination with the traditional format. The purpose of the study was to analyze the modern work experience in the remote format of one of the leading Russian universities – Kazan Federal University. On this basis, the article analyzes successes and problems of this process, shows the contradictions between traditional and distance learning, considers the main models of educational organization that involve traditional and remote learning formats using distance educational technologies. It is concluded that in the system of basic formal education at all levels and areas of training, distance learning can be considered as a form that complements and strengthens the social, pedagogical, organizational, psychological, and didactic potential of the traditional (face-to-face) educational format.The work comprehensively used the methods of theoretical (analysis, synthesis, systematization, comparison, etc.) and empirical (study of literature, conversation, questioning, observation) research.

Introduction. In recent years, an online education market has emerged in Russia with proven technologies and significant financial turnover. The range of courses offered to the consumer is quite wide (marketing, management, humanities, IT, etc.). The purpose of the article is to present a classification of the online courses offered on the Russian market by subject matter and technical tools on the basis of the results of the study conducted, as well as to trace the dynamics of the market capacity for 2014–2021. Materials and Methods. Russian online education market at the present stage of its development was the object of the research. The empirical material included: a statistical analysis of the thematic diversity of online courses on the Russian market; a secondary analysis of the Online Education Barometer questionnaire for 2019, RBC’s ranking of the 35 largest Russian private companies providing services in the field of online education; education market studies for 2017, 2018 and 2020. Results. The Russian online education market capacity rapidly rose on 90 times for 2014–2019, from 0.4 to 36.5 billion rubles, which indicates the explosive growth of online education popularity. The thematic diversity of online courses is determined by the main educational society needs (programming, it-technologies, marketing and business administration). The thematic focus on the Russian “state” platforms corresponds to the education areas of the Russian offline universities. Discussion and Conclusion. The market for online education in Russia exponentially grows. On the one hand, the high demand for online courses can be explained by increasing of knowledge-intensive work number. On the other hand, labor realizes that knowledge and skills are a guarantee of employment. The diversity of online disciplines correlates with the idea of mutual incentives of supply and demand. Indeed, the most of courses are business, IT and design orientated. The article will be useful to universities’ chiefs and private educational companies planning to expand their online courses; for those who are planning to enter the Russian online education market and looking for perspective directions; for researchers and business analytics of the education market.

Purpose of the study. In modern dynamic conditions, education should be directed to the future, have openness and redundancy in relation to the assigned pedagogical tasks, the existing educational students’ needs, the current state of society, economy, and labor market. Ensuring such a quality of education is impossible without Internet resources and information technology, without the organization of students’ online activity. The purpose of this article is to consider the variety of opportunities for students’ educational activities in the Internet, to present a typology of the risks of such activities, to suggest ways to overcome risks and ensure its effectiveness and safety. Materials and methods. The opportunities and risks of informationeducational activity are summarized based on the analysis of scientific papers and the results of an empirical study. In the process of study, we used methods of theoretical analysis and systematization, empirical survey and methods of descriptive mathematical statistics. Empirical study conducted on a sample of the first-year IT-students (N = 174) using the questionnaire method. Results. The variety of types of information-educational activities (educational-cognitive, search-cognitive, communicative-cognitive, informational-creative, entertaining-cognitive) and the advantages of online learning compared to classroom learning are presented. A typology of information-educational activity risks based on two grounds is given. According to object, the risks to student health, development and emotional well-being and the risks of loss of performance are identified. According to localization, external risks associated with the organization of the Internet and online educational activity (congestion of the information space, manipulative technologies in the supply of information, content risks, communication risks, cyber risks, inaccurate Internet content, poorquality educational and methodological support of the educational process, lack of feedback, technical and methodological support), and internal risks associated with the psychological and pedagogical students’ characteristics (instability of the worldview, internal prerequisites for exposure to content and communication risks, internal prerequisites for Internet addiction, aimless and unskillful activity in the Internet space, ineffective cognitive styles and critical thinking, lack of desire for self-development, the prevalence of external educational motives, difficulties of self-regulation, lack of volitional qualities, narrow interests, digital incompetence) are highlighted. Conclusion. Ways of overcoming risks and ensuring the effectiveness and safety of information-educational activity are proposed: 1) promotion lifelong education as a way of existence, development as a value, education as a significant capital; 2) creating excess information-educational environments and educational Internet resources (in relation to the pedagogical tasks and the modern students’ learning needs); 3) development of psychological stability, digital and educational students’ competence; 4) pedagogical management of students’ activities in the Internet (organization, support, control). The possibility of using technological solutions for students’ information-educational activities management is pointed out. At the same time, the important role of lecturers in this process is emphasized.

In the article, the author attempts to identify the scalability factors of Russian EdTech startups, as well as offer recommendations for building a scalable business model. As a result, the author identified five groups of factors affecting the business model scalability and, somewhat, the success of an EdTech startup. It is especially important that this groups of factors correspond to the most important business model elements of an early-stage startup: the market (or “Customer segments”), the product (or “Value Proposition”), customer relations, distribution, as well as resources regarding the team and investments. Such a complex set of factors interconnected with the main elements of the business model can become a tool for making more effective management decisions, reducing entrepreneurial risks, and increasing the success possibility of an educational project. It was also discovered that copying the leader’s business model is not a relevant strategy for an educational startup and the subscription model does not affect success. On the contrary, the orientation to the global market, the key market trends exploitation, and high-quality distribution and promotion affect scalability and success.

This paper is dedicated to challenges of transitioning the educational process to online learning. To present an objective analysis the authors have compared the experience of two Russian universities – MGIMO University and Samara National Research University in the field of foreign language teaching, in particular professional English. The focus of the paper is on difficulties faced by the faculty and the ways academics coped with them.The authors highlight the specificity and peculiarities of such a complicated form of education as distance e-learning. Comparative analysis of online platforms, which are mostly used for the organization of e-learning, reveals their benefits and major drawbacks. Furthermore, the authors reflect upon how learning material is blended and assimilated in order to form an e-course. As one of acute pressing problems, the complexity of students’ knowledge assessment is described. The goal of the paper predetermined the necessity to carry out a survey to accumulate and summarize data on teachers’ and students’ individual experiences of the newly formed online educational environment. As the survey indicates, both professors and students consider elearning to be a real breakthrough. On the other hand, the authors conclude that currently it can be only an alternative to the more traditional forms of education, since it can’t be relevantenough to teaching various aspects of professional communication at universities.

Purpose of the research. The article discusses different views on online education: students, lecturers, politicians. Mass open online courses in the West began to be actively introduced in 2012, but after three years, European and American universities started disappointing in them and began to reduce their importance in training. In Russia, online learning is a popular modern educational trend, which is increasingly being talked about at the highest level and which is promoted by central universities that strive to cover the entire educational space with their digital courses. In October 2019, the Russian Federation President’s special representative for digital and technological development Mr. Dmitry Peskov described key trends for Russian universities in the next five - ten years: the first scenario is “cannibalistic" — several leading universities create online platforms and actually wash the core of regional universities. The second is digital platforms and digitalization, when all universities create their online courses. But behind all this, practically no voices of students are heard — do they want to massively switch to distance education on the Internet? The purpose of this study is to answer this question.Materials and methods. The study of students’ opinions was conducted in 2019 (from May to December) at the Ufa State Aviation Technical University (USATU). The work was carried out as part of the study of the basic course “Psychology and Pedagogy", which is taught to first-year undergraduates and second-year graduate students and during pedagogical practice for second-year undergraduates and third-year graduate students. The main method was a written survey of students about the advantages and disadvantages of online learning, followed by a group discussion in the classroom.The resultswere tested at the “Winter School of the Lecturer - 2020", which was held in January 2020 by the Yurait Publishing House for lecturers from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Ukraine. The research materials were presented at the webinar “Online education through the eyes of students" (speaker — A. Ivanova) and caused wide discussion and multiple feedback from the audience in a group chat. The paper presents the results of a survey of students of USATU and statements from the chat of lecturers.Conclusion. The conclusions obtained as a result of processing the survey of graduate and postgraduate students of the USATU almost completely coincided with the conclusions of the lecturers participating in the “Winter School of Lecturer - 2020": the school and the first post-secondary education (secondary or higher) must be received in the “classical" format. Everyone recognized the best options for applying online education: advanced training; receiving a second education; self-development courses on the latest discoveries and technologies. Distance education must be developed, but only without campaigning: consciously, methodically and technologically thought out. It is necessary to check offline the “qualifications" of people with online diplomas. The main thing is not to rush in the pursuit of ratings and economic benefits with the adoption of ill-conceived and reckless decisions that can lead to intellectual degradation of youth and the correction of which will cost our state a hundred times more.

The present reseach featured the effect of the self-presentation strategies used by lecturers on the socio-psychological interpretation of their personality by students at media lectures. The research objective was to define self-presentation strategies that help shape a role model behavior which could be adopted by the students in conditions of direct lecturer – audience interaction. The study focused on two contexts of online interaction. Students in the test group were offered a public media lecture and an out-of-class media lecture given by lecturers they had never seen before. After that, the students were asked to describe the lecrurers using the polar profile technique. Both descriptions showed that the maximum convergence of the image of the lecturer with the reference role model resulted from the strategies of self-aggrandizement and attractive behavior. The strategies of evasion (for women) and power (for men) deviated significantly from the reference role model. These types of behavior had a negative impact on perception. Students gave them lower scores for professional qualities. Public media lectures also demonstrated several significant negative shifts in the lecturer's personality assessment that did not depend on the self-presentation strategies.

The aim of the study is to identify the factors which determine the demand and possibility of integrating e-learning — mainly, video and online courses - into the teaching process of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (PRUE). The problem area is discussed from the positions of lecturers and students. The hypothesis is based on the assumption that online techniques are positively perceived by both sides, despite a number of limitations which reduced professors’ enthusiasm for expanding the scope of traditional teaching methods. The necessity to find out the motives and clarify the arguments for and against the use of online and video technologies is aimed at solving the practical problem of maximizing the potential of the university in the modern educational environment. The results of the study allow developing recommendations for the creation of effective programs, which should include transparent motivations as well as effective instructions and schemes of work and interaction between departments, lecturers and students of the university, contributing innovative processes in higher education.Materials and methods include the creation of a theoretical background based on published assessments of Russian and foreign experts regarding the development of Smart Education, as well as on existing examples of effective use of e-learning in universities, and critical study of this experience, taking into account the specifics of PRUE. The field study was conducted by means of a survey of university faculty and students. The content of the questionnaires for each group (lecturer/student) was determined by the purpose of the study adjusted for specifics of each party. The methodical approach allowed to build an objective picture of the perspective and readiness to increase the application of e-learning approaches in PRUE.The study results demonstrate a generally positive attitude of students and professors to the introduction of e-learning in the process of teaching in PRUE. At the same time, a certain amount of skepticism and critical reaction of lecturers to the spread of the online component in the educational process has been revealed. The paper provides specific data on the lecturers’ concerns associated with the expansion of e-learning tools in their work. The main problems relate to the need for personal adaptation to the digital space, misunderstanding of the principles of enshrining authorship and recording virtual courses in academic workload, etc.Conclusion. Identified factors of the greatest influence on the perception of online and video tools by students and lecturers at PRUE reveal several difficulties concerning the development of educational technologies. However, they are mostly. Appropriate increase of the online component in the structure of academic discipline, the offer of various forms of interactive, mastery of the skills of applying the latest technical achievements represent today the most important elements of the progressiveness of the higher education. The conclusions of the study are proposed for consideration in the development of Plekhanov University’s plans related to the innovative tasks of the university.

The state of Russian magistracy in the transition to a digital economy has been studied. Some aspects of Russia’s accession to the Bologna process have been affected – problems of transition associated with a lack of understanding of the essence of transformations by the main stakeholders have been noted. The issues of socialization of students of the «digital» generation have been analyzed, the most characteristic of them – the desire for constant change, intolerance of the same type of problems, good knowledge of information technology. It has been noticed, that Russian magistracy is faced with the need to adapt to the needs of the digital economy, as well as the «generational» characteristics of representatives of generation Z.The results of an empirical sociological study “Birth of a Russian magistracy”, carried out as part of the project of the Higher School of Economics Institute of Education, have been presented. The purpose of this study is to analyze the state of modern Russian magistracy and define key processes in which the main Acknowlegements. The article reflects the results of the research in the framework of the project “Birth of the Russian master’s degree”, implemented by the HSE Institute of education, the winner of the Vladimir Potanin Scholarship program of The V. Potanin Charitable Foundation. © The Author(s), 2019. This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). stakeholders (students, teachers and employers) are involved. The results of a survey of teachers of magistracy (713) in Russian regions, as well as undergraduates (1 140), have been reflected in the article. As the main results, information on the use of modern educational technologies in the preparation of Russian undergraduates has been given – a conclusion has been made about the small distribution of on-line education and network programs in universities.The research data characterizing the degree of digital competencies of Russian graduate students have been adduced: information search and processing, use of IT technologies, information security, ability to work with «big» data. It has been noted, that these skills are well developed among modern students, but the participation of universities in their development is low. It has been concluded, that Russian magistracy is characterized by a «transitional» period in solving the problems of the digital economy.

Анализируется современное состояние профессионального образования, которое рассматривается как социальный феномен. Представлены характеристики профессионального образования как составляющей образовательной системы. Отмечается, что современное состояние профессионального образования находится на уровне модернизации в пользу использования инновационных образовательных технологий. Акцентируется внимание на главной тенденции современного профессионального образования – его цифровизации. Ситуация, вызванная COVID-19, привела к тому, что образовательные учреждения были вынуждены перейти на новые форматы обучения (дистанционное и онлайн-обучение). Основными факторами, повлиявшими на данную ситуацию, названы пандемия COVID-19, накопленный международный опыт, современные потребности общества и рыночной экономики. Несмотря на технологические и организационные трудности, выработаны общие подходы к профессиональному обучению дистанционно и онлайн, создана база образовательного контента.

The digital transformation and the changes generated in the R&D field determine the high importance of information and digital literacy for researchers. Research and academic libraries have a great potential in the development of information and digital competencies. This is confirmed by many publications of domestic and foreign library specialists. One of the promising areas to increase information and digital literacy of researchers, is the implementation of the educational function in research and academic library in the distance format. Since 2010, the Central Scientific Library of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences organizes the educational course “Information School for Scientist”. Digitalization-based changes in research field and the relevance of distance training have resulted in the need to process the course deeply. The purpose of the article is to determine the way to modernize the educational course in the Central Scientific Library UB RAS. The article presents the direction of content transformation of the course and the option to convert it into a distance format. Content changes suggest the addition of a number of topics, the choice of which is based on an analysis of the components of information and digital knowledge necessary for a modern researcher. The creation of the online course is supposed, will be based on the Moodle course management system. The author concludes that the updated thematic content and presentation format of the course “Information School for Scientist” will increase significantly the level of information and digital literacy of researchers. It is possible due to synchronization of the course with the tasks facing modern researchers; organization of on-the-job training, the availability of the exhaustive complex of training materials on one and the same platform, and the expansion of students’ geography.

Copyright of Sociology: Theory, Methods, Marketing is the property of Institute of Sociology NAS of Ukraine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)