Abstract:

Over the past few years, the level of educational failure of Russian students has been increasing. Most unsuccessful students are located in provincial cities. There are a number of both academic and social reasons for this phenomenon. Their identification and search for ways to overcome student educational failure is an important task of interdisciplinary research. Its methodology is based on the principles of sociological, psychological, pedagogical, economic approaches.

The purpose of the article is to study the manifestations of educational failure of students and ways to overcome it. The quality of higher education, the effectiveness of professional and social activities of University graduates, and the development of the country's economy will largely depend on these ways.

Research tasks:
1. Definition of educational failure of students.
2. Analysis of manifestations of educational failure.
3. Identification of ways to overcome educational failure, used in Russian universities.
The empirical base of the study was the results of secondary analysis of the data of the author's research:
1. Questionnaire survey of students (7 universities of the Ural Federal district, 2019, n=368 people, quota sample).
3. In-depth semi-formalized interview with teachers and managers of various levels in Russian universities (2016-2018, n=80).
4. Analysis of statistical data on higher education in the Russian Federation, as well as monitoring the performance of universities (2016-2018).

Research results:
1. The author substantiates the interpretation of educational failure of students. It is the qualitative characteristic of educational activity of students reflecting a measure of discrepancy between personal achievements of students and socially significant results of their activity in the sphere of higher education. At the same time, educational failure integrates manifestations of educational, vocational and personal insolvency in the field of education.
2. In the course of theoretical and empirical analysis, it was determined that the educational failure of students is characterized by several features. The first among them is the lack or weak level of proper educational motivation and professional self-determination. The second sign is a lack of interest in scientific activity. The third sign acts as a predisposition to academic deviations. The fourth feature is characterized by a low level of preparedness to study at the University.
3. The article shows that in Russian universities overcoming educational failure of students is traditionally carried out due to a number of practices: the elimination of academic lag, intensive classes with lagging students, the formation of their interest in research, interaction with strong students and others. However, these practices are not systemic and are not used in all universities. They provide only a local effect, showing the inability of universities to cope with the rapidly growing educational failure of students.
4. It is concluded that universities in Russia need an effective model of educational support for unsuccessful students. The article shows that it should be based on social, pedagogical, psychological technologies to overcome educational failure. Three principles should underlie this model: a differentiated approach to different groups of unsuccessful students, close interaction between students and teachers, their mutual trust in each other.

Keywords:

Students, Russian universities, educational failure, educational technologies.