Hygienic Assessment of Factors of Learning Environment and Organization of the Educational Process at Schools in Smolensk

Abstract

Relevance: Parameters of learning environment and organization of the educational process can have adverse health effects in schoolchildren. Our objective was to conduct a hygienic assessment of factors of learning environment and organization of the educational process at schools of the city of Smolensk. Materials and methods: We studied indicators of indoor learning environment and the level of organization of the educational process in ten urban comprehensive schools. A hygienic assessment of the microclimate, illuminance, indoor air quality, and organization of the educational process for third and fourth graders (aged 9–11) was given. The assessment of learning conditions and organization of the educational process was carried out according to the method generally accepted in hygienic research (Suharev AG, Kanevskaya LY, 2002). Results: We found that elementary school pupils of Smolensk were exposed to multiple adverse factors such as poor microclimate parameters and insufficient natural illumination in some school rooms, excessive daily study load and irrational distribution of the academic load during the school week. The analysis of the timetable revealed an irrational distribution of the academic load in 37.3% of school days. We established that conditions of education in the surveyed urban schools were moderately dangerous to children’s health (750–806 points). Conclusion: The results enabled us to give a hygienic assessment of the factors of learning environment and organization of the educational process at schools in Smolensk and to outline a set of appropriate preventive measures.