State and prospects of distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

Problem and goal. In Russian society, the simultaneous and mass transition to distance learning of educational organizations in March 2020 in connection with a new coronavirus infection caused a sharp discussion about the effectiveness and consequences of this format of training, as well as about the prospects for its use after the COVID-19 pandemic. In the current conditions, the education system is faced with the task of training specialists in the face of the uncertainty of the future and the accelerated digitalization of the economy. The purpose of the research is to analyze the main factors influencing the development and spread of distance learning in the coming years, as well as the possible short and long-term consequences of switching to distance learning in higher education institutions. Methodology. The analysis of the scientific literature and practical activities, as well as experienced teaching, was used in the study. Results. The content and form of education will significantly transform in the long term. Today the necessary digital competencies cannot be acquired within the framework of the traditional educational process (lectures, seminars, exams in oral form), without the systematic use of information technologies in the educational process. Information technologies will be in high demand by graduates and will allow them to be prepared for the practical use of IT in the workplace. In addition, it can significantly improve the effectiveness of training because it allows to implement an individual learning trajectory, personalize training, remove restrictions on the time and place of training, and increase the visibility and interactivity of the educational process. Conclusion. Online education, e-learning using distance learning technologies in the long term will meet the demand of students and society for training in an uncertain future. Thanks to information technologies, conditions are created for active cognitive and educational activities of students, individualization of training is provided, turning the student into an active and equal participant in the educational process, including by refusing to provide ready-made differentiated knowledge, which leads to the formation of the reproductive nature of thinking in students.