Abstract: The object of the study is information transmission systems. Improving the quality of information on the receiving side is considered as the subject of the study. The authors consider in detail such aspects of the topic as the formation of a procedure that significantly reduces the influence of intersymbol interference caused by the interaction of the signal itself and the sampling window. This source of errors, as a rule, is dominant at information transfer rates close to the bandwidth of the communication channel. Studies on reducing the influence of intersymbol distortions are important and relevant, and in recent years a significant number of works have been devoted to them. A signal model simulating the transmission of a sequence of non-modulated pulses of the meander type was considered. It was assumed that the processing of the incoming pulse stream is carried out in real time based on the procedures of periodic evaluation of each element. The methodological basis of the research was the methods of mathematical modeling of information transmission systems and linearization methods using the generalized superposition principle. The main result of the conducted research is the proposed method of forming a homomorphic filter for processing the incoming pulse stream in real time based on the procedures of periodic evaluation of each element. The algorithm of its functioning ensures the transformation of the multiplicative interaction of the signal and the sampling windows into an additive one and ensures the separation of the multiplicatively interacting transmitted information signal and the sampling window in the communication channel. The resulting procedure, which reduces the effect of intersymbol interference on the receiving side, is an implementation of an optimal filter based on a homomorphic transformation. An estimate of the magnitude of intersymbol interference is obtained when using the proposed processing method. The effectiveness of the method in signal streaming processing is demonstrated. The expressions are obtained in the most general form and can be detailed within the framework of the described information transfer model, which is the subject of further research.

Abstract: At present, serious technological changes are taking place in the world and especially rapidly in the field of information and communication technologies. These changes have a significant impact on all aspects of people's lives and activities. The subject of this article is the influence of the development of information and communication technologies on human cognitive functions. The effects of the Internet, smartphones, social networks, calculators, working with the keyboard, and reducing the volume of non-electronic reading are considered in detail. Particular attention is paid to the impairment of verbal and logical memory, the emergence of "digital dementia", the deterioration of analytical and logical thinking, the emergence of clip thinking, a decrease in communication abilities and the complication of current decision-making. A number of possible approaches are proposed as means to compensate for the decrease in the considered cognitive functions caused by the development of information and communication technologies It is shown that the necessary correction can be carried out by training weakening functions with the help of special cognitive gymnastics: suitable intellectual games, certain exercises. The system of compensating classes, including educational games and special exercises, can be combined into an academic discipline under the conditional name "intellectual culture" (by analogy with physical culture). The need to ensure a sufficiently high level of basic knowledge was also noted. In addition, it is proposed to adjust the education system to neutralize the observed negative trends.

Abstract: This paper considers an approach to emotional culture as a component of a specialist's professional culture. It is noted that recently the importance of emotional culture in professional activity has been increasing. However, the modern education system does not provide for the purposeful formation of an emotional culture among students as an important component of graduate training. Therefore, the search for effective ways of forming the emotional culture of students is an urgent task of professional training. The methodological basis of the study was the analysis of scientific publications and generalized practical experience in identifying the main trends and problems in the formation of professional emotional culture in the learning process.
The article explores the features of diagnosing the level of human emotional culture, its role in professional activities and possible ways of forming emotional culture in group and individual communication with students. At the same time, an individual approach is proposed to be carried out taking into account the assessment of the initial level of students' emotional culture. Emotional stimulation, encouraging students to focus on emotional manifestations and drawing their attention to cases of correct and incorrect emotional behavior are considered as the main pedagogical means. The proposed approaches will make it possible to achieve the formation of a professionally valuable and personally significant set of rules for emotional behavior.

Abstract: At present, periods of technological change are becoming comparable to the duration of education in higher education. Therefore, along with the need to use the concept of lifelong education, there is a need to reduce the duration of obtaining basic higher education. Analysis and identification of possible ways to reduce the duration of study at a university while maintaining the required level of graduates' education is the subject of this article. The methodological basis of the work is the integration and generalization of previous studies to improve the effectiveness of training. The article discusses in detail the following complementary ways: changing the content of education and the use of new, more effective teaching methods. It is shown that the reduction of overall time of studying in university while maintaining the required level of education can only be achieved by the joint application of various approaches. The following complementary ways are proposed: changing (optimizing) the content of basic professional knowledge, using more effective teaching methods and individualized learning, reducing auxiliary (transactional) costs for students and increasing the level of motivation of students. More effective teaching methods, in particular, involve improving the lecture system, monitoring progress, and optimizing the speed of introducing new material in group classes. Taking into account the concept of continuous education, a certain fundamental educational background obtained at the university can subsequently be supplemented with short-term modules in the course of additional professional education.

Abstract: Much attention has been recently given to examination of developmental peculiarities of cognitive processes of children and adolescents with special abilities. The goal lies in comparative study of the ontogenetic peculiarities of cerebral mechanisms underlying the processing of emotional information in children who are engaged in extracurricular musical and mathematical activities. The sampling included the children engaged in additional activities and the control group, and consisted of the three age groups: 7-10 year, 10-13 years, and 14-17 years. In the conducted experimental studies, the respondents had to identify the emotional intonation of speech in the given phrase. The study revealed the significant ontogenetic differences in perception of emotional prosody of speech between the control group and the children engaged in additional activities. In the group of children of 7-13 years, who are engaged in additional classes, the predominant activity of left hemisphere testifies to the specificity of inter-hemispheric connections in the perception of emotional information. The dependence of the effects of cerebral lateralization on age was analogous in the groups of children engaged in mathematical and musical activities; and differed from the results of the control group, which allows claiming that the interinfluence of mathematical and musical skills is to a certain extent explained by the peculiarities of developmental age of cerebral lateralization in childhood and adolescence.

Abstract: This article examines the role of humor in educational process of the university. There is a generally accepted opinion that humor is a positive characteristic of teaching and learning. However, it is quite difficult to determine its positive value as far as helping students. Therefore, the subject of this research is the analysis of using humor in the educational process, psychological grounds of its impact, pros and cons of using humor, as well as peculiarities of students’ perception of humor and their response. The methodological framework is comprised of systematization and analysis of scientific publications; generalized practical experience in determination of the key trends and problems using humor in the educational process. The author examines the role of humor in different aspects of the educational process, the impact humor upon motivation and emotional state, use of humor in educational games and nonverbal communication, as well as peculiarities of students' perception of humor, miscomprehension of jokes, and negative humor. It is demonstrated that the proper use of humor in the educational process contributed to position emotional state of students, increases their motivation and interest in learning, reduces anxiety and stress, strengthens confidence, improves performance, and encourages divergent and logical thinking. However, the improper use of humor may entail negative results.

Abstract: This article explores the problems of organizing distance teaching of information technologies to medical workers in the conditions of continuous postgraduate education. The research leans on the analysis of the existing collective experience in the sphere of teaching of information technologies to 277 medical workers in postgraduate education in the department of Medical Informatics and Physics of Mechnikov North-West State Medical University; assessment of learning efficiency based on the results of monitoring of academic performance (test assignments and benchmark tests); analysis of the anonymous survey results conducted among students, as well as online discussions. The author examines such aspects of the topic as the methodology and organization, peculiarities and challenges of e-learning, and the attitude of students towards it. The conclusions is made on the lack of communication between the pedagogue and the students; heightened motivation of students for achieving success in e-learning; technical support difficulties. As a result, the author notes the lower attainment level, namely as far as practical skills. It is established that approximately one third of the students is not ready for e-learning. At the same time, there article revels  the advantages of e-learning, such as ability to combine study and work, taking online courses at any convenient time in a comfortable environment and without transport expanses.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the transformation of the performance monitoring system of university students due to implementation of the teaching concept “self-study – solution – verification – correction”. The article analyzes the forms of control of knowledge, competences and skills of the students in the aforementioned conditions, and marks the possible ways for improving such forms of control. Special attention is turned to the increase of educational function of control along with the role of current practical monitoring, including individual ongoing monitoring. Methodological foundation contains the analysis of scientific publications, expert evaluation, and generalized practical experience in determining the key trends and issues, emerging in realization of performance monitoring. The article defines the peculiarities of individual interview in the course of practical training. Effectiveness of the method of successive approximations in educational function of the ongoing monitoring is revealed. The corresponding changes of final control are demonstrated. It is concluded that transformation of the learning concept leads to the need for adjusting the approaches towards performance monitoring of the students, and primarily, the ongoing monitoring.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the group education. Separation of students into groups based on the rare of learning challenges the educator with a choice of the tempo of teaching. Faster rate of resenting the curriculum than the individual’s ability to process it leads to some gaps in retention of information. The level of information loss depends on both, the speed at which the material is presented, as well as the type of the academic discipline. The article sets out to determine the optimal speed for teaching of group education. It is demonstrated that the optimal index of rate of presentation of information is not fixed; it depends on the type of allocation of ability to retain knowledge, the spread of students in the group based on the rate of learning, as well as the index of minimal rate of information retention. The greater the spread of rate of information retention in the group and the lower the index of learning of the weakest student, the closer to the median index of speed of information retention is the optimal rate of delivery of the learning material; while the lower the spread and higher the rate of information retention of the weakest student, the greater the rate of delivery of the material must cover the students, attempting to fully cover all students within group.