This article touches upon the issues of changes in the educational system in the knowledge society. The main purpose of this research is the study of new teaching methods, with due regard to the needs of society and human potential. For this purpose, educational methods of the US and Russia were analyzed and compared, their advantages and disadvantages were estimated, and common trends in the development of education were identified. It is stated that during the formation of innovative methods of education for future generations, it is necessary to take into account ethical standards of each ethnic group, culture and traditions of specific country, as well as psycho-physical standards of students. It is justified that the idea of the creation of unified teaching methods for the entire planet population is impossible due to geographic, ethnic, political, and economic differences of every country. However, according to research results of popular techniques, it is possible to develop a model of the most appropriate educational method for the vast majority of countries with due consideration of constant development of science as the main influence factor on methods of education. It is concluded that the general trends of global education are individualization and humanization. They lead to the formation of flexible, critical, creative and effective thinking of students in terms of variability and uncertainty of social reality.