Dynamics of Indicators of Mental Performance of Modern Schoolchildren while Doing Homework

Abstract

Introduction: Being a mandatory component of the educational process, homework remains its least regulated component. At the same time, recent scientific research findings give evidence of study overload and daily routine disruption in schoolchildren due to, inter alia, a significant amount of homework. The purpose of this work is to assess the functional state of the organism of schoolchildren in the process of doing homework for further optimization of this type of educational activity. Materials and methods: The study was based on testing of mental performance of schoolchildren in grades 1–8, which is an integral indicator of the functional state of the body and is crucial for educational activities. The technique of proofreading tests was used to assess the main parameters of mental performance: the number of characters viewed, the number of mistakes made, and their ratio. The tests were conducted before and after the children completed their homework. Results and discussion: A decline in mental performance was observed in the majority of the examined: the number of viewed characters decreased while the number of errors significantly increased after doing homework. First and second-year primary school children made 9.62 errors against 13.07; fifth graders – 3.49 against 7.85 errors (p < 0.001); and eighth graders – 5.86 against 7.39 (p < 0.05). A significant proportion of schoolchildren (28.6 to 72.7 %) had adverse shifts in mental performance characteristic of severe fatigue. The results show accumulated fatigue by the start of independent work with already deteriorated performance related to previous intensive studies at school; after insufficient rest against the background of a decline in physiological functions of the body, which is consistent with previous findings. Conclusion: It is essential to optimize organization of homework based on updated principles of mental health given its current features.