Edtech ergonomics should be a bigger part of the tech conversation in school, says Madeleine Mortimore, Logitech’s director of global educational research and innovation. The era of one-to-one devices and ubiquitous technology in the classroom has brought with it many learning opportunities for students, but also a great deal of physical discomfort due to the poor ergonomics of educational technology.
“we did a survey (opens in a new tab) with more than 1,000 participants and district leaders, educators and students,” says Mortimore. “Nearly 50% of students report that they are physically uncomfortable with the current edtech hardware they are using.”
The good news is that some of these discomforts can be easily alleviated. Educators can pay more attention to edtech ergonomics when planning lessons and making purchasing decisions. As part of this process, they can help encourage healthy posture in their students and encourage the ergonomic design of educational technology that takes into account the different ages, shapes, sizes, and needs of students.
1. Edtech ergonomics: providing complementary tools
Research on the physical strain that devices place on students also shows that more than 60% of kids ages 10 to 17 report experiencing actual physical pain and fatigue when using school devices without accessory tools, Mortimore says. These add-on tools can range from external keyboards or mice to stylus pens and headsets. These devices can help students have better posture in unexpected ways. For example, “With headphones, you don’t have to strain or bend over to listen,” says Mortimore.
2. Make sure devices are age-appropriate and adaptable to individual student needs
Students of different ages need devices of different sizes and shapes, and of course there is a lot of variability among students of the same age. Educators should not only provide the types of supplemental tools mentioned above, but also encourage students to customize their devices to their individual needs. “When schools come to us and aren’t sure what to do, we encourage the concept of the Edtech Pencil Case,” says Mortimer. , based on their personal preferences and needs, they can really add, adopt and unlock the full capability of your device.”
3. Consider student comfort when making purchasing decisions
School leaders involved in purchasing decisions must take ergonomics into account. Mortimer says schools should look for “tools that were designed from the ground up for kids.” Schools should also focus on tools that have incorporated student voice into the design process. “We talk a lot about including the voice of the educator, but at the end of the day, the voice of the student is just as important, if not more so, as they will be the users,” says Mortimer. “Make sure the tools that are selected are really age-appropriate and have been tested with all different ages.”
4. Schedule breaks throughout the school day
One free and easy way to improve the ergonomics of edtech is to make sure your students don’t spend the entire class hunched over their devices. Mortimer advises educators to break up screen time with full class participation and avoid having students use their devices for extended periods. This can also help students develop good habits around edtech ergonomics when using their devices at home. “As educators know, breaks are beneficial to the learning process,” she says. “But in this current landscape with all the one-on-one devices and obviously home use as well, having those breaks is just as important for the physical well-being of students.”
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