To date, the existing principles of a unified approach to schooling do not meet the requirements of a fundamental socio-economic transition characterized by personalization and customization of products and services that concern all areas, including education. The paradigm of education systems is being restructured in many countries towards a new approach of personalized learning that is adapted to students' needs, allows them to choose individual educational trajectories, and respects unique skills and qualities. The study aimed to determine the impact of personalization on the academic performance of engineering students in physics. The experiment on personalized student support was conducted during the academic year 2018-2019 at I.T. Trubilin Kuban State Agrarian University. The sample covered 78 students. The starting point of the research was the assessment of students' skills in mathematics, as the study of physics is based on mathematical analysis and interpretation. Test in physics and the criterion of alpha Kronbach (test reliability is determined with a coefficient of 0.87) were used as a toolkit for research. Besides, the statistical tools and covariance analysis of data processing were employed. The research was supported by the SPSS Statistics software package. According to the results obtained, higher post-test scores were recorded for students in the experimental group. The personalized learning has been found to have a significant impact on the academic performance of students. Those with low and medium ability in mathematics demonstrated higher growth in academic achievement than students with recorded high aptitude scores. A correlation between learning methods and mathematical skills to achieve high academic performance has been established. The influence of personalization in the learning process was determined to be moderately high (determinacy coefficient of 72.6%). The study is relevant for the development of constructive approaches that could help teachers improve their approach to learning and students improve academic achievements. The results may be of interest to researchers of educational technology, educators, and university administration management.
This paper aims to review the present state of digital distance education, assess the problems associated with transitioning to the online space, and determine the priorities of online education. The study draws on the analysis of surveys, monitoring studies, and statistical information from state services. It examines the technical capabilities of educational institutions, the information technology skills of instructors and students, and their motivation. On top of that, it identifies the main problems encountered during the implementation of digital technologies in the education process while paying special attention to the role of online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a psychological portrait of a modern young student, the authors provide some recommendations for the learning content to increase the interactivity of the learning process and improve students’ motivation. The article ends with outlining key areas for digital learning development that would improve the overall effectiveness of the education system transformation. Keywords: Digitalization, distance learning, Generation Z, information environment, Internet technologies