Physiological and hygienic assessment of usage of virtual reality technologies in high school

Introduction. Digital transformation of education leads to the introduction of promising digital technologies into the educational process, one of which is virtual reality (VR ) technologies, which currently are not subject to hygienic regulations.

The purpose of the study is a physiological and hygienic assessment of the use of the electronic learning tools in the framework of specialized education in high school seniors.

Methods. The objects of the study were two hundred forty four 11^th grade students. A survey was conducted on the use of various electronic learning tools (ELT). To assess the impact of VR technologies on the functional state of students there were conducted psychophysiological studies of response indicators to a moving object and of the critical frequency of merging flashes. Assessment of mental performance was realized with the method of proof-reading tests. Two groups of schoolchildren undergoing VR training were examined: with a continuous use time of less than 30 minutes and more than 30 minutes. The obtained results were statistically processed using descriptive statistics methods.

Results. 52.7% of schoolchildren use ELT for more than 2 hours a day in the classroom, 93.6% – outside school. The analysis of complaints suggested the development of computer vision syndrome in 39.7% of respondents. The obtained results of the assessment of the functional state of the central nervous system (CNS) showed the presence of changes in the processes of regulation of the CNS in 42.7% of schoolchildren engaged in using VR glasses. The analysis of the students’ mental performance indicators showed the presence of changes characterizing the development of high degrees of fatigue in 38.1% of students.

Limitations. The limitation of the study is its specificity in relation to the educational institution under study, the contingent of the examined persons, as well as the technical characteristics of the VR glasses model under study.

Conclusion. The conducted research shows the use of VR glasses in the learning process to cause no functional disorders on the part of the CNS, visual analyzer, and neuromuscular apparatus. However, the presence of schoolchildren who have observed changes in the processes of regulation of the CNS, as well as changes characterizing the development of high degrees of fatigue, predetermine the need to continue research.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was conducted in compliance with the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association. The design of the study was approved by the Local independent ethical committee of the.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University) (Protocol No. 23-22 of 11/17/2022). Each participant of the study (or his/her legal representative) gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study.

Contribution:
Kuchma V.R. – the concept and design of the study, editing;
Laponova E.D. – the concept and design of the study, editing;
Platonov O.V. – collection and processing of material, statistical processing, writing text;
Sedova A.S. – the concept and design of the study, editing;
Makarova A.Yu. – editing;
Biryukova N.V. – collection and processing of material;
Boldyreva M.G. – collection and processing of material, statistical processing;
Tikashkina O.V. – collection and processing of material, statistical processing.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: March15, 2024 / Revised: April 5, 2024 / Accepted: April 9, 2024 / Published: June 17, 2024

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