Implementation of virtual reality technologies for professional and personal development of students

Problem statement. Today, virtual reality technologies are actively and systematically used only in the field of various entertainments, despite their enormous educational potential, which is insufficiently used in the system of educating students. Experimental study is aimed at filling this gap through the introduction of virtual technologies into the process of professional-personal development of students. The goal of the research is to theoretically substantiate and experimentally prove the effectiveness of introducing virtual reality technologies to increase the level of professional and individual development of students in various areas of undergraduate training. Methodology. In the experiment took part 118 students from psychological-pedagogical, socio-cultural and engineering areas of undergraduate training. All participating in the experiment carried out blended learning: some subjects were taught in a classroom in a full-time format, and some disciplines were taught remotely using video conferencing on the Telegram platform and virtual reality technologies on the Mootup and Vive Sync platforms. Results. Virtual reality technologies are an effective means for the holistic professional and personal development of students. In the context of the activity-behavioral and cognitive-reflexive components, the highest rates of increasing the number of students at high and situational levels of development were recorded. The smallest experimental impact was recorded on the motivational-axiological component of students’ professional and personal development. A more detailed analysis of the obtained comparative data after the implementation of the experimental work showed that the author’s development had a more significant impact on students of engineering areas of professional training, compared to students of other undergraduate profiles. Conclusion. The use of virtual communication has made distance learning more attractive and focused for students, greatly facilitating the exchange of information, knowledge, values and views, and making this process more natural, as in real classes.