The article aims to highlight the problems of a Higher education during the period of self-isolation caused by the 2019-nCoV (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Russia and describe an analysis of a personal pedagogical experience of the authors. It is noted that despite the technical difficulties appeared at the beginning of a transition to a new learning model by the means of online educational platforms, pedagogical activity during the pandemic was an example of a competent organization of the educational process. The article focuses on the positive aspects of distance learning in terms of improving the skills of independent work using telecommunication technologies and messengers, but nevertheless points out some serious drawbacks of online learning. It is emphasized that the quality of classes conducted in distance way was not reduced due to the creative approach of teachers using classical and media-educational technologies as innovative. The results of a distance educational activity during the pandemic are considered as a preparatory stage of a teaching society to overcome the crisis in education by combination of traditional and distance methods of teaching. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2020.