The work is aimed at studying the effectiveness of the influence of virtual reality training programs on the formation of educational motivation and thinking among students in the study of higher mathematics. The materials of an empirical study obtained on a sample of 1st and 4th year students of the Russian Technological University MIREA are presented. The study included 3 groups: one experimental group and two control groups. In group 1 (experimental), participants were offered to work in the VR program “Second-order Surfaces”, in group 2 — to read a textbook on this topic, group 3 was offered to relax between the two stages of the experiment. The study (N=90) involved respondents aged 17 to 21 years, of which 23.33% were female. The method of group alignment is applied. The study included 2 measurements of knowledge of the theory of linear algebra on the topic “ Second-order surfaces “(before and after working in the program/textbook reading/rest) and 2 measurements of the current state according to the SAN methodology. The results obtained suggest that working in a virtual reality program for the formation of thinking is as effective as reading a textbook. At the same time, there was an improvement in the overall condition of respondents after working in the VR program: the effectiveness of students increased. A further survey of students using the methodology for diagnosing students ‘ learning motivation (A.A. Rean and V.A. Yakunin, modifications by N.Ts. Badmaeva) showed an increase in educational and cognitive motivation among students working in the VR program.

This paper describes the correction of psychological defenses and anxiety of students through virtual training programs to optimize the educational process. The materials of an empirical study obtained on a sample of students of Smolensk universities are presented. The study involved respondents (N=63) aged 18 to 25 years (M=19.4, SD=0.25), of which 84% were male, 16% were female. The study was conducted in several stages. For the correction of mental characteristics were used, the test "Anxiety Research" was used (questionnaire of Ch.D. Spielberger-Yu.L. Khanina), the "Lifestyle Index" methodology, a virtual reality program to overcome nyctophobia. The reliability of the results obtained on changes in anxiety indicators and mechanisms of psychological protection of students was checked using the Fisher statistical criterion (F). The obtained results make it possible to say that the most sensitive to the effects of VR in the framework of the conversation were protective mechanisms: repression, regression, substitution, denial, which change the assessment of what is happening and the adequacy of behavioral and emotional reactions. Indicators for the "rationalization" mechanism in the control group and in the experimental group also underwent changes, but without significant results.

The use of modern didactic programs in mathematics in virtual reality (VR) requires approbation, proof of efficiency and environmental friendliness. VR properties: the ability to animate (perform actions with objects), interactivity and immersion in the information space are especially important for the training of future engineers, mathematicians and programmers. However, such programs today are still a poorly understood innovation, causing scientific controversy. The purpose of the presented study is to substantiate the effectiveness of didactic VR programs in teaching university students in technical areas, through determining the level of knowledge gained, the impact on the formation of educational motivation and the level of creativity among students in the study of higher mathematics. The methodological basis of the research was made up of the main provisions of the psychology of virtual reality, virtual ontology (V.A. Barabanshchikov, V.V. Selivanov). The assessment of changes in educational motivation was carried out using the methodology of A.A. Rean and V.A. Yakunin (modified by N.Ts. Badmaeva). Diagnostics of the level of creativity was carried out using the Johnson questionnaire, adapted by E.E. Tunic. As a result, it was shown that the students involved in the work with VR programs, at the level of reliable statistical significance, increase the indicators for the parameters of educational motivation, activity and creativity.