Review: The object of this research is the negative states experienced by the students during class time. The subject of this research is the correction of negative states by means of virtual reality technologies. The possibility of correcting negative mental states of extreme psychology students is explored from theoretical and empirical perspectives. The author reveals the basic techniques aimed at correction of mental states by means of virtual technologies. Analysis is conducted on implementation of virtual reality technologies in educational sphere. An empirical research is carried out. The author uses the diagnostic methods for assessing mental states, such as exhaustion, fatigue, tension, stress, monotony of satiation; and experimental methods, such as 10-20 minute preview of relaxing and dynamically-arousing scenes in virtual reality headset. It is demonstrated the during the academic day, the students majoring in extreme psychology accumulate negative emotional states, which include: exhaustion, tension, situational fatigue, and monotony. Application of virtual reality technology for submerging students into a virtual space allows restoring mental resources and delay the expansion of negative states. The development of mental resource requires appropriate choice of virtual realities. The conclusion is made that viewing virtual reality scenes of relaxing type decreases the level of exhaustion, while viewing the scenes of dynamically-arousing type with the effect of presence decrease the level of situational fatigue.

Keywords: situational fatigue, mental activity, virtual technologies, virtual reality, extreme profile, higher education, education, fatigue, situational anxiety, stress

Review: The multi-sport event Spartakiad among the teams of Suvorov, presidential cadet, Nakhimov, cadet and Cossack corps has been held by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation since 2011. Such competitions are intended for familiarization of students with regular sport activities, improvement of their physical conditioning, and formation of military-applied skills. Therefore, such events should be part of the continuing professional military education, fulfilling the tasks of physical training of military schools students of pre-university education. The empirical methods of research allowed the authors to examine the protocols of swimming competitions held within the framework of the Spartakiad of public educational establishments of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, analyze the dynamics of attendance by the students of Orenburg Presidential Cadet School of swimming sports classes, reveal the motives for attending such classes by cadets along with the reasons for termination of regular training sessions. The article reflects the motivational aspects of sports activities among the students of different ages, and the degree of impact of competitive activity upon the attendance of sports classes. The acquired results demonstrate the annual increase in the sports skills of the Spartakiad participants of pre-university educational establishments of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation; at the same time, the inclusion of competitions into the plan of sport events of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and their consistency did not affect the large-scale participation in sports activities among students. The question of formation of strong motivation for intense sports activities among students of public specialized military schools as a stage of continuing education requires further search for the ways to improve the structure of physical training in military schools.

Keywords: sports section, sportsmanship, attendance, motives, competitive activity, cadets, military schools, physical training, individual achievement, Spartakiad

Review: The subject of this research is the current system of student loans in the United States. The author analyzes major federal programs for students, types of loans, loan service plans, conditions for receiving scholarship for education. Special attention is given to the specificity of formation of student loan funds of higher educational institutions, and effective system of supervision and control over the parties to the program by the Department of Education that represents government interests. The research employs the dialectical method of cognition, as well as general scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, analogy, etc. The following conclusions were made: the established in the United States system of student loans is sufficiently effective; despite ample opportunities for receiving quality higher education for those born into wealthy families, the United States student loan system affords an opportunity for receiving higher education to the representatives of all social groups.

Keywords: security, solvency, unsubsidized credit, subsidized credit, federal educational credit, educational credit, credit, accessibility of higher education, state programs, credit fund

Review: The subject of this research is the examination of peculiarities organization of the work of the state exam board with regards to remote defense of graduate thesis at the university, and possible ways to overcome the emerging difficulties. The article utilizes and analyzes the data of scientific publications and generalized practical experience of the authors participating in the state exam board and its organization. The analysis involved 48 Master’s Degree graduates and 61 Bachelor’s Degree graduates of the Department of Biotechnical Systems of Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University. The cloud-based platform was used for holding remote online video conferences and Zoom meetings in the extended version. The novelty of this study lies in comprehensive examination of such aspects as preparation of the state exam board, information materials, general procedure for remote thesis defense, peculiarities of issuing grades, need for demarcation of responsibilities between the members of boar, changes in in the work of the members of state exam board, its chairman and secretary. Special attention is given to the methods for preventing violations in technical support of remote thesis defense and measures for ensuring their security. The conclusion is made that the proper organization can help to successfully overcome the difficulties emerge thereof.

Keywords: bachelor, qualification, university, state examination committee, defense, graduation work, distance learning, master, video conference, zoom

Review: Within the framework of studying fundamental disciplines, an educator, from the perspective of competence approach, provides not only theoretical training, but also cultivates the corresponding personality traits. Professional competences can be reasonably divided into the basic – common to all engineering specialties, acquired at the initial stages of educational process; and specific – formed in the course of special disciplines. The goal of this research is to determine, on the basis of analysis of the concept of information competence, its elements developed in the process of studying natural scientific disciplines. The task is set to outline the criteria and indicators of the level of formedness of information competence of future engineers in the process of studying fundamental disciplines. The scientific novelty of this work consists in determination of the elements of information competence of a future engineer developed in the process of studying fundamental disciplines, as well as description of the criteria and indicators of the level of formedness of information competence, characteristics of the low, average, sufficient, and fairly high levels of formedness of such competence in the process of studying natural scientific disciplines.

Keywords: fundamental disciplines, core competencies, information competence, competence, professional competence, professional education, engineering education, professional abilities, competency criteria, competency levels

Review: The problem articulated in this article is associated with the role of physical education within the modern system of education, its value potential and difficulties currently experienced by this branch. The role of physical education consists in the development of physical culture of an individual and the related components of basic personality culture, solution of social and public tasks. The subject of this research is the sphere of physical culture and supply of professional personnel. Physical education instructors should possess personal and professional competences for working with children and teaching sports; such profession imposes numerous requirements that have to be fulfilled by a specialist. The established situation affects the human resource potential in this sphere and prospects overall. The conducted empirical research reveal correlation between the importance of the subject of “physical culture” in school and popularity of the specialty of physical culture among graduates. It was determined the students’ attitude on the subject of “physical culture” in many ways depends on personality of the pedagogue. At the same time, in modern school, the pedagogues face pressure from the school community, which reduces the importance of this subject and its educational potential. All of these facts shape students’ opinion on the profession of physical culture instructor as an unpromising specialty. The school experience of physical culture later manifests in the university. The conclusion is made on the shortage of specialists that meet the demands of profession in the area of physical culture on the current job market. The solution of this problem may be found through heightening interest of the youth to this profession through the development of stable positive attitude towards physical culture.

Keywords: physical education lessons, personnel potential, graduates, teacher, specialist, attitude of school children, professional education, sphere of physical culture, sports services, entrant