The increasing use of online teaching methods has made it mandatory for students to increase the total screen use time thereby making it difficult for them to find an effective method for them to manage it. Most students are undertaking classes today through the course selling platforms where it is mandatory for them to be present as they undertake classes through videos.
An increase in the total amount of screen time for students brings about major changes to their physical lifestyle as well as also gives rise to negative impact. Too much screen time causes Insomnia in students and also increases the risk of being affected by anxiety and depression.
It is important to understand that despite the fact that most educational institutions that are selling course on the internet make use of other methods besides using video interface to teach students. Despite that, students are always required to use their phones and laptops to learn from the resources provided through the emails or or even ask questions when they have doubts to the teachers using their phones or laptops.
Research has shown that too much screen time in a single day had long term impact on the health of the child in the form of causing attention deficit problems as well as causing issues of obesity. It also increases the risk of being affected by chronic neck and back problems as the students always have to sit straight either on their bed or tables thereby making it difficult for them to provide support to their posture.
Too much screen time is also harmful as it reduces the ability of the students to observe and experience their everyday activities around them and also makes it difficult for them to engage with people in real life. In this way the students are forced to be affected by issues of tunnel vision that are detrimental to their overall growth and development.
In this situation it is of extreme importance for parents to encourage students to allow their body to rest and reduce their screen time. In the given section a few strategies have been discussed that can benefit the students and allow them to give their body rest when they are undertaking online education at a continuous pace.
Methods to Implement
1. Develop Screen Free Times: It is important for students to understand when to not use their phones and laptops and when to use them. Therefore the parents should encourage the students to develop screen free times in their homes especially during meal times as well as socialization. In these regulations it is important for the parents to remove all kinds of technical devices from the room and allow them to develop conversations with their family members and even friends. The break provided to them will not only help in providing better support to their body but will also provide them with the much needed rest. It is important for even the teachers to make the students understand that there will only need to use the screens in undertaking online teaching besides which we should avoid it. In this way it will be possible to reduce the screen time of students.
2. Exercise: Another important step that can be undertaken to provide students with the encouragement to reduce the screen time is urging them to exercise daily. when they are not sitting on their computers or undertaking online classes the students should be encouraged to either undertake exercising in their home or even go outside to play. in this way it will allow the body to be provided with little physical activity and remove any harmful effects of screen time.
3. Take Breaks: It has been often found that when students sit down to online classes they refuse to even stand up for a minute or take a break. This situation causes a lot of health problems for them and is harmful in the long run. It is because of this reason that teachers should encourage students to take short breaks of 5 to 10 minutes and ask them to either move around us or stand up. That will allow their body to game motion and make it easier for them to concentrate in the class again. The breaks provided to the student will act as energy boosters.