Too Much Screen Time & Online Learning
Hi there. In this education post I would like to talk about how many students are exposed to screens with the increased use of online learning. They are mostly looking at screens from a projector, monitor or TV for prolonged periods of time.
The topic of this post is motivated from a Joe Rogan Experience podcast where Joe Rogan mentions something about we are seeing many people on screens or something like that. I do not remember the episode nor the guest. (Sorry.)
Human Interactions Behind A Screen
In the online learning setting, interactions between the teachers and the students are not in three dimensions. In a physical classroom, the teacher can move around, use body language to point at certain concepts of interest, use multiple board for notes and hand out worksheets to students. With online learning, you can still use some body language to emphasize certain points but it is shown on screens.
Limited Physical Activity
Screen time typically involves sitting down staring at a screen for a long time. Some people may lie down on a bed staring at a laptop screen for a extended period of time. Regardless of how the screen is being viewed, staying at a stationary position for a long time is not great for health as the body is not moving much for blood circulation. Sitting down for a long time is also bad for digestion as fats and sugars are retained in the body.
Eye Strain
Staring at a screen for long periods of times does cause eye strain. The eyes have to focus and refocus on different parts of the screen for extended periods of time. In addition, the eyes are exposed to blue light which is a contributor to eye strain. Looking at books and blackboards is not too bad as the text and background colour is stationary but with screens the text, pages and background can change often and drastically. The constant changes and screen flickering that occur on screens is a lot for the eyes and brain to react to. According to WebMD, eye problems caused from the computer fall under the computer vision syndrome (CVS) category.
There are tips to avoid eye strain. These include:
- Adjusting room lighting
- Giving the eyes a break when it is possible.
- Making sure the screen is not too close for the eyes
- Adjust brightness settings on the screen/monitor
- Using a blue light filter on a monitor if there is one
References:
- https://atlanticeyeinstitute.com/eye-strain-and-screen-time/
- https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/computer-vision-syndrome#1
- https://www.allaboutvision.com/en-in/digital-devices/blue-light/
- https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/the-dangers-of-sitting
