Hygienic Assessment of Distance Learning in Schools and Gymnasiums of Nizhny Novgorod

Introduction: Current school teaching methods including distance learning may have adverse health effects in children.
Objective: To assess health effects of online education in students of comprehensive secondary schools and gymnasiums.
Materials and methods: We developed a questionnaire to establish the impact of distance learning on the functional state and health of students comprising three sections: educational activities, daily routine and self-rated health. In May 2020, 3,026 fifth to ninth-year students from eight comprehensive schools and five gymnasiums of the city of Nizhny Novgorod, including 1,430 boys and 1,596 girls, filled out the questionnaire and their answers were then analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics software, version 5.1.
Results: Distance learning included online and offline classes (70.7 % in total) and self-study assignments, the latter being more common in the comprehensive schools than in the gymnasiums. The majority of the respondents from the schools (73.4 %) and gymnasiums (67.0 %) noted a greater amount of homework during e-learning compared to offline education. They also reported less time spent outdoors and much more passive leisure. Complaints of increased back and wrist pain and headaches were more frequent in the students of comprehensive secondary schools.
Conclusions: Our findings show that distance learning changed the way of life of all the children surveyed. We observed an increased screen time, the prevalence of static activities, and the development of musculoskeletal and eye disorders. The comprehensive school students noted more negative consequences of online learning compared to their peers studying in the gymnasiums.

1. Kuchma VR, Sukhareva LM, Stepanova MI, Chramtsov PI, Aleksandrova IE, Sokolova SB. Scientific bases and technologies of security hygienic safety of children in the “digital school”. Gigiena i Sanitariya. 2019;98(12):1385-1391. (In Russ.) doi: 10.18821/0016-9900-2019-98-12-1385-1391

2. Andreev AA, Soldatkin VI. [Distance Learning: Essence, Technique, Organization.] Moscow: Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics Publ.; 1999. (In Russ.) Accessed June 23, 2022. http://window.edu.ru/resource/850/23850

3. Kuchma VR, Stepanova MI, Polenova MA, Grigoriev OA, Kaptsov VA, Kondakov AM. About the multicenter research program to ensure safe for children’s health digital educational technology. Voprosy Shkol’noy i Universitetskoy Meditsiny i Zdorov’ya. 2019;(2):4-13. (In Russ.)

4. Kulikova TA, Poddubnaya NA. The tools of realization of the distant learning technologies. Standarty i Monitoring v Obrazovanii. 2019;7(1):32-35. (In Russ.) doi: 10.12737/article_5c540d3049a748.60754182

5. Musina VE, Popova YaV, Provotorov VE. Remote learning of schoolchildren in the educational organization: for and cons. In: Science and Education in the Digital Economy: World Experience and National Priorities: Proceedings of the XVII International Scientific and Practical Conference, Penza, July 7, 2020. Penza: Nauka i Prosveshchenie Publ.; 2020:63-67. (In Russ.)

6. Glebova IA. [The problem of schoolchildren’s readiness for distance learning.] In: Integration of Methodological (Scientific and Methodical) Work and the System of Personnel Training: Proceedings of the XXI International Scientific and Practical Conference, Chelyabinsk, April 20, 2020. Chelyabinsk: Chelyabinsk Institute for Retraining and Professional Development of Education Workers Publ.; 2020:329-333. (In Russ.)

7. Sadeghi M. A shift from classroom to distance learning: Advantages and limitations. IJREE. 2019;4(1):80-88. doi: 10.29252/ijree.4.1.80

8. Martin F, Sun T, Westine CD. A systematic review of research on online teaching and learning from 2009 to 2018. Comput Educ. 2020;159:104009. doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2020.104009

9. Pham H-H, Ho T-T-H. Toward a ‘new normal’ with e-learning in Vietnamese higher education during the post COVID-19 pandemic. High Educ Res Dev. 2020;39(7):1327-1331. doi: 10.1080/07294360.2020.1823945

10. Popov VI, Milushkina OY, Markelova SV, et al. [Assessment of health risks to participants of the educational process during active introduction of distance learning.] In: Starodubov VI, Tutelyan VA, eds. [Urgent Problems of Students’ Education and Health.] Moscow: Nauchnaya Kniga Publ.; 2020:60-80. (In Russ.)

11. Marchuk NA, Gilmanov NK. Features of distance learning of schoolchildren. Molodoy Uchenyy. 2020;(33(323)):123-126. (In Russ.) Accessed June 23, 2022. https://moluch.ru/archive/323/73125/

12. Sokolova NV, Goncharova DG. Hygienic aspects of the educational process in the context of distance learning. In: Fundamentals of Innovative Development of Science and Education: Proceedings of the IX International Scientific and Practical Conference, Penza, December 25, 2020. Penza: Nauka i Prosveshchenie Publ.; 2020:225-227. (In Russ.)

13. Palvia S, Aeron P, Gupta P, et al. Online education: Worldwide status, challenges, trends, and implications. J Glob Inf Technol Manag. 2018;21(4):233-241. doi: 10.1080/1097198X.2018.1542262

14. Jebbour M. The unexpected transition to distance learning at Moroccan universities amid COVID-19: A qualitative study on faculty experience. Soc Sci Humanit Open. 2022;5(1):100253. doi: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2022.100253

15. Fetisova EY, Milenin NS, Senik AI. The studying of influence of distance learning on school students health during COVID-19 pandemic. Integrativnye Tendentsii v Meditsine i Obrazovanii. 2020;2:109-115. (In Russ.)

16. Milushkina OYu, Skoblina NA, Markelova SV, et al. The impact of electronic devices on the physical growth and development of the modern youth and recommendations on their safe use. Vestnik Rossiyskogo Gosudarstvennogo Meditsinskogo Universiteta. 2019;(4):87-94. (In Russ.) doi: 10.24075/brsmu.2019.046

17. Özkaral T, Bozyiğit R. Social studies and geography teacher candidates’ views on coronavirus (COVID 19) and online education process. Rev Int Geogr Educ Online. 2020;10(3):467-484. doi: 10.33403/rigeo.756757

18. Iivari N, Sharma S, Ventä-Olkkonen L. Digital transformation of everyday life – How COVID-19 pandemic transformed the basic education of the young generation and why information management research should care? Int J Inf Manage. 2020;55:102183. doi: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102183

19. Kerres M. Against all odds: Education in Germany coping with COVID-19. Postdigit Sci Educ. 2020;2:690-694. doi: 10.1007/s42438-020-00130-7

20. Shibkova DZ, Baiguzhin PA, Gerasev AD, Aizman RI. The impact of digital learning technologies on functional and psychophysiological responses of the organism: An analytical literature review. Science for Education Today. 2021;11(3):125-141. (In Russ.) doi: 10.15293/2658-6762.2103.07

21. Kuchma VR, Polenova MA, Stepanova MI. Informatization of education: medical and social problems, technologies for hygienic safety students training. Gigienа i Sanitariya. 2021;100(9):903-909. (In Russ.) doi: 10.47470/0016-9900-2021-100-9-903-909

22. Skidmore D. Security: A new framework for analysis. Am Political Sci Rev. 1999;93(4):1010-1011. doi: 10.2307/2586187

23. Morgan H. Best practices for implementing remote learning during a pandemic. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas. 2020;93(3):135-141. doi: 10.1080/00098655.2020.1751480

24. Jan A. A phenomenological study of synchronous teaching during COVID-19: A case of an international school in Malaysia. Soc Sci Humanit Open. 2020;2(1):100084. doi: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2020.100084

25. Sundus M. The impact of using gadgets on children. J Depress Anxiety. 2017;07(01). doi: 10.4172/2167-1044.1000296

26. Kuchma VR, Sedova AS, Stepanova MI, et al. Life and wellbeing of children and adolescents studying remotely during the epidemic of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Voprosy Shkol’noy i Universitetskoy Meditsiny i Zdorov’ya. 2020;(2):4-23. (In Russ.)

27. Bernacki ML, Vosicka L, Utz JC. Can a brief, digital skill training intervention help undergraduates “learn to learn” and improve their STEM achievement? J Educ Psychol. 2020;112(4):765-781. doi: 10.1037/edu0000405

28. Oyedotun TD. Sudden change of pedagogy in education driven by COVID-19: Perspectives and evaluation from a developing country. Res Glob. 2020;2:100029. doi: 10.1016/j.resglo.2020.100029

29. Bao W. COVID-19 and online teaching in higher education: A case study of Peking University. Hum Behav Emerg Technol. 2020;2(2):113-115. doi: 10.1002/hbe2.191

30. Burns R. A COVID-19 panacea in digital technologies? Challenges for democracy and higher education. Dialogues Hum Geogr. 2020;10(2):246-249. doi: 10.1177/2043820620930832