The article raises the question of the need to strengthen the polytechnical element in higher education and to combine knowledge and skills from natural, technical and social sciences. Today the training of new specialists requires a transition from traditional training materials to a new generation. From one side there is an economical context: changing labor market, constant technological transformations, and the disappearance of some industries and the appearance of others. And from the other there is a change in the way of thinking of modern youth-"clip" consciousness. The authors examined the modern practice of forming educational materials for construction specialties. Also, a sociological study was conducted by observation, experiment and interview methods in MGSU-Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (National Research University). The objects of the study were the students of in engineering and architectural courses on the undergraduate, MSc and PhD levels. Students' answers revealed their desire to expand theoretical and practical polytechnical knowledge, to meet the current level of requirements, to be prepared for sudden changes in the place of work and position, the nature of the activity. The studies also revealed students' attitudes to existing educational materials, the need for changes, and also confirmed the results of previous studies in different countries (in particular, in universities in the USA and South Africa). It was confirmed that students still need a certain number of paper materials, and not just electronic ones, which create a feeling of weariness and fatigue, the so-called "Technostress". The structure of textbooks and handbooks, their design, and the supply of elements of augmented reality also require changes. 1. Introduction