How ergonomics affects student success

Key points:

Students are spending more and more time using digital devices, both inside and outside of school. In fact, the amount of time teens spend in front of screens each day solely for entertainment is equivalent to that of someone with a full-time job.¹ While those numbers may be lower for younger children, when technology use in school is taken into account, the total time adds up quickly.

Nearly three-quarters of educators believe that physical comfort when using educational technology has an impact on student engagement.² And more than half of students report feeling uncomfortable using laptops.³. Ergonomic issues are likely to contribute to discomfort and undermine participation in today's schools.

The good news is that adopting a few simple habits, making some minor adjustments to the learning space, and choosing educational technology designed with ergonomics in mind can make a big difference for students, increasing their engagement, well-being, and motivation. These are some of the best ergonomic practices that schools can adopt to improve student comfort, both in the classroom and at home.

Take a break

Take breaks, even the short ones ⁴–It has been shown to help reduce stress and fatigue at the end of the day, and increase concentration and commitment.⁵ For example, educators could set a timer to remind students to get up, stretch, move, relax, and talk to each other for a few minutes before resuming learning, or organically integrate breaks between subject changes. or activities. It may seem counterintuitive, but regular breaks could help students stay engaged and learn more effectively throughout the day.

Be kind to your eyes

Just like the rest of our body, our eyes also need breaks – often! The eyes work best when taking in information in 3D and from various distances. But working in front of a screen means your eyes absorb information in 2D and from a fixed distance, making them work harder. Over time, this can cause discomfort and make it difficult for students to concentrate.

To give your eyes a well-deserved rest, try implementing the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minuteshave students watch something 20 feet away (something that happens outside, or even just on the other side of the classroom) by 20 seconds (enough time to hum the chorus of your favorite song). This can help your eye muscles relax, preventing the development of eye fatigue, especially during prolonged sessions in front of a screen.⁶

Designating a student to be in charge of the day's eye breaks or a certain activity can also help them feel a sense of responsibility and ownership over their learning.

Raise it up

On average, the human head weighs about 12 pounds and our spine, neck and shoulders can easily support that weight, as long as we look straight ahead. But when we look down (for example, at a laptop or tablet sitting on a desk or in our lap), our head tilts downward by 10 to 15 degrees. It may not seem like much, but with gravity it means that our neck and shoulders now have to support about twice that weight. And the further down we look, the more weight they will have to support.^7.8 While students' heads may weigh less, their spines and muscles are also smaller and still developing, so the extra strain will likely still be felt.

The solution to avoiding these potentially harmful neck-down postures is simple… pick up your tablet or laptop whenever possible or practical, for example when watching videos or reading. Tablet cases with built-in stands are a good first step, but raising your tablet or laptop so the top of the screen is at eye level (for example, using a laptop stand or even just a stack of books) is even better. better. With the head and neck in a more neutral position, students are likely to feel more comfortable and be able to focus better on content and learning. For even more ergonomic benefit, try keeping the screen at an arm's length away to decrease eye strain.

Think about the future

Ergonomic changes could mean the difference between student engagement and disengagement. And ergonomic demands change from one activity to another. For example, students doing activities like drawing or taking notes on a tablet could benefit from a stylus designed to fit different hand sizes and support different levels of motor skill development, creating a more comfortable and effective experience than using a stylus. designed for adults. or your finger. Similarly, headphones optimized for smaller heads can help students listen without discomfort or worry about the headphones falling out or moving if they move, allowing them to focus on their task.

And it's important to remember that ergonomic demands can change from one activity to another: while a tablet placed on the table may be appropriate for drawing or taking notes to avoid awkward wrist and hand postures, it should be supported by a stand and raised. . up to eye level to watch videos or listen to audio content to relieve tension in your neck and shoulders.

Taking into account what different students do most often and when allows educators to adjust the solutions they offer to fit those activities. Making learning with educational technology comfortable is easy once you know what to do, and a little forethought around ergonomics can go a long way toward making students happier, healthier, more focused, and more engaged.

1 The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Preteens and Adolescents – https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/8-18-census-integrated-report-final-web_0.pdf

2 Logitech and EdWeek Research Center. (2022) The ergonomic equation. Logitech. https://www.logitech.com/en-us/education/education-center/whitepaper/ergonomic-equation.html

3 Harris, Courtenay and Straker, León. (2000). Survey on physical ergonomics issues associated with the use of laptop computers by schoolchildren.International journal of industrial ergonomics. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-8141(00)00009-3

4 https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190312-the-tiny-breaks-that-ease-your-body-and-reboot-your-brain

5 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/brain-research

6 https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/computer-usage

7 Evaluation of stresses in the cervical spine caused by posture and head position – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25393825/

8 https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2014/nov/24/text-neck-how-smartphones-damaging-our-spines