Ergonomic and Anthropometric Considerations of the Use of Computers in Schools by Adolescents

Autor/inn/en	Jermolajew, Anna M.; Newhouse, C. Paul
Titel	Ergonomic and Anthropometric Considerations of the Use of Computers in Schools by Adolescents
Quelle	In: Australian Educational Computing, 18 (2003) 2, S.3-12 (10 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0816-9020
Schlagwörter	Early Adolescents; Computers; Foreign Countries; Secondary School Students; Private Schools; Guidelines; Child Health; Student Characteristics; Educational Technology; Technology Integration; Computer Uses in Education; Technology Planning; Human Factors Engineering; Design Requirements; Physical Characteristics; Adolescent Development; Furniture; Educational Facilities; Australia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Digitalrechner; Ausland; Sekundarschüler; Private school; Privatschule; Richtlinien; Unterrichtsmedien; Computernutzung; Design preferences; Gestaltungsmittel; Körperliche Erscheinung; Möbel; Bildungsstätte; Australien
Abstract	Over the past decade there has been an explosion in the provision of computing facilities in schools for student use. However, there is concern that the development of these facilities has often given little regard to the ergonomics of the design for use by children, particularly adolescents. This paper reports on a study that investigated the ergonomics in the use of computer facilities by Year 8 students attending a private secondary school in Western Australia. In particular, it considered the use of computer in number of locations in the school and the relationship between the furniture provided and the anthropometric characteristics of the students. Data collected included general physical information of the students; furniture dimensions and adjustability; and observed student behaviours. The participants all used the facilities in each of the locations so that throughout a six-month course of the study a profile of how students related to these environments emerged. Data collected supports the findings that students are less likely to engaged in physically risky bahaviour if they have some degree of control over their environment, particularly in being able to adjust furniture to suit their own characteristics. These early adolescent students exhibited a huge rage of anthropometric characteristics leading to the need to provide adjustable furniture for use with computers. A number of recommendations are made for schools to consider as they respond to this situation. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Australian Council for Computers in Education. P.O. Box 1255, Belconnen, ACT 2616, Australia. Tel: +61-3-9349-3733; Fax: +61-3-9349-5356; Web site: http://www.acce.edu.au
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10