Hygienic optimization of educational process at school involving massive use of electronic learning devices

Abstract

Active use of electronic learning devices (ELD) in educational process increases its efficiency and makes knowledge more available to children; but at the same time it creates risks for schoolchildren’s health. Intense visual and information loads can result in schoolchildren being over-exhausted. Our research goal was to give scientific grounds for hygienic optimization of education process (a typical class and a schedule) that would allow preventing apparent exhaustion in schoolchildren studying in a digital environment. To solve the fixed tasks, we applied hygienic, physiological and statistical research techniques. We analyzed factors occurring in school environment and components in education process structure; we examined parameters of body functional state (BFS) on a sampling made up of more than 600 schoolchildren attending 5-9th grades, namely, parameters that characterized their mental and visual working abilities. Results were statistically processed with parametric and non-parametric analysis techniques. Relative risks of unfavorable outcomes in body functional state were calculated as per evidence-based medicine principles depending on how education process was organized (a structure of a class and classes schedules). We developed methodical approaches to hygienically rational organization of a class and schedule provided that school environment was optimal (microclimate, luminance, electromagnetic fields, furniture in rooms, etc.) and electronic learning devices were applied according to age-related regulations. Research results proved that implementation of suggested approaches would make for favorable dynamics of children’s functional state as well as prevention of education-related diseases.

Keywords

• schoolchildren
• digital environment
• over-exhaustion
• hygienic optimization
• class
• schedule
• body functional state
• prevention of education-related diseases