Lesson Plan 1

Kids & Computing Don't Crash Your Body With Your Computer

Time: 60 minutes

Purpose

• To assist students to understand the importance of healthy computing habits in preventing repetition injuries.
• To show students how to set up their workstation ergonomically.

Objectives
By the end of the session, students will be able to:

• Describe the relationship between computer use and repetition injuries.
• Understand the reasons for adjusting the computer workstation to the individual using the computer.
• Adjust the chair, desk, monitor, keyboard and mouse to their individual requirements.
• Understand the purpose of taking breaks, moving and varying activity during periods of computer use.  

Resources

• Workstation, cheer, computer, keyboard and mouse
• Poster - How Do You Sit at the Computer?
• Checklist for safer computing
• Overheads 1 & 2

 Plan

 

Methods:

• Lecturette

1.  Lecturette (paraphrase the following):
A variety of physical activity each day is essential for good health.  However, the kinds of activity we do on the computer are not sufficient to keep us fit, flexible and in good shape. Many adults and children sit at a computer for hours each day, as part of their job, to do homework and for recreation and enjoyment .  By doing this, it is difficult to get enough physical activity throughout the day to keep our bodies healthy. 

When we sit in front of the computer for long periods of time, usually just moving our hands, fingers and thumbs on the keyboard and mouse, we are actually making our hands work very hard.  But while the work we do without hands is hard work, it involves very little variety and not enough movement to provide good blood circulation.

Sometimes the way we sit at the computer causes further stress on our bodies.  The computer that we sit at maybe positioned in such a way that we have to strain our neck and shoulders to view the monitor.  Or the chair we sit in may be too low or too high for us, so that we hold our arms in an awkward position to reach the keyboard and mouse.  If we are short, our feet may not touch the floor.  If we are tall, our knees may be scrunched up under the desk.

Taken together, the stress on our bodies which results from lack of physical exercise, poor posture and repetitious hand movements can cause discomfort and pain.  Over time, the muscles, tendons, ligaments and soft tissue in our fingers, hands, arms, shoulders, and neck become increasingly injured and painful.  These injuries are called Repetition Strain Injuries (RSI) or Overuse Injuries.

Fortunately, repetition injuries can be prevented.  The two main things we can learn to do to help prevent RSI are:

• Caring for our bodies by being physically active in a variety of ways.
• Adjusting the computer workstation to our own particular physical needs.

 

Methods:

• Lecturette

1.  Lecturette (paraphrase following):
Safer computer is about developing habits that protect us from injury.  Safer computing means (put up Overhead 1):

Overhead 1

• Actively using your body:
  • resting your hands for up to a minute every 7  to 10 minutes during computer use.  These are called micropauses.
  • getting up from the computer every 20 to 30 minutes and doing something else for a break
  • limiting the total amount of time you spend in front of a computer each day
• Mixing and varying activities throughout the day:
  • participating in aerobic activity - walking or riding instead of driving; playing sport; pursuing an active hobby like dancing
• doing different types of activity, sometimes vigorous or active exercise, sometimes less strenuous or passive activity
• making time for study, work, recreation, play and rest.
• doing even small amounts of exercise and activity make a difference to our overall fitness
• Knowing how to use the computer efficiently:
  • learn to touch type to increase your accuracy and reduce your error rate
  • use keyboard shortcuts, to reduce mousing
  • receive training in the computer programs you use most, e.g. Word or Excel.  Lack of knowledge of the program you use can be very frustrating as well as inefficient.  This can cause a lot of stress.
• Adjusting your computer workstation to your individual needs:
  • learn to adjust your computer workstation to prevent postural stres

 

The next thing we going to look at is how to adjust a computer workstation to the individual using it. 

 

Methods:

• Lecturette
• Demonstration
• Participation

1.  Lecturette (paraphrase following):
Each person in this room has different body proportions, even people who are the same height.  If we took measurements of everyone's arm, for instance, shoulder to wrist, it is quite likely with would get as many different measurements as there are people in the room.  Because everybody is different, it is very important to adjust the computer workstation to the needs of the person using the computer.  And there is no such thing as a one size fits all computer workstation.  Adjusting your chair, desk, monitor, keyboard or mouse makes good posture easier and reduces stress on any one part of the body.  By doing this we reduce the risk of getting a repetition injury. 

2.  Demonstration:
Requirements: sufficient copies for each student of How Do You Sit at the Computer? & Safer Computing Checklist.

Ask a student to volunteer (or nominate a student if necessary), to demonstrate how to adjust the computer workstation.  Using the guide How to Be Comfortable at Your Workstation, show the students how to correctly adjust the various components of the workstation.  When the student volunteer is correctly seated, use the checklist to reiterate the main points.

The workstation should be adjusted so that:
The chair height relative to the desk allows:

• the shoulders to be relaxed and the elbows to be at about a 90° angle when the hands are on the home row of keys (a-l )
• the feet to be flat on the floor or supported by a foot rest, so that the thighs are parallel to the floor
• adequate clearance between the desk and thighs

The monitor should be adjusted so that:

• the top of the screen is set at about eye level
• the screen is set at comfortable viewing distance, approximately arms length

The keyboard and mouse are positioned so that:

• they are on the same level, side-by-side
• wrists are straight when resting on the home row keys

The student should be seated so that:

• their back is straight and the backrest of the chair supports the lumber curve
• their head is directly over their shoulders
• they are able to view the screen by looking straight ahead 
• their shoulders and arms are loose and relaxed
• the elbows remain close to the side of the body

 3.  Participation
Organise the class into pairs and provide each student with a copyof How Do You Sit at the Computer? & Checklist for Safer Computing:

• Ask students to take turns with their partner to adjust their computer workstation in accordance with the How To Be Comfortable at Your Workstation poster.
• While one student adjusts their workstation, the other student may help their partner, using the poster as a guide.  When the first student feels they have adjusted their workstation correctly, the second student fills out the Checklist for Safer Computing.
• Tell the students that at the end each student will be reporting back to the class about how their partner managed in this task. 
• Each student has 5 - 8 minutes for this task.
• Remind students to complete their adjustments and swap places at 5 minutes.  At 8 minutes ensure all students have swapped over.  At 15 minutes get all students to finalise their adjustments.
• During the session move around the room to assist students with any difficulties they experience.

At the end of this session:

• Ask each student to briefly report on how their partner managed in making adjustments to their computer workstation and how they overcame any problems or difficulties.

 

Healthy computing habits are essential for safer computing.  The two main points to keep in mind are (put up Overhead 2):

Overhead 2

 

Even when you are under a lot of pressure to meet homework deadlines, or you are really enjoying an Internet chat session, don't ignore the need to maintain good posture, take time out to stand and stretch and to go and make yourself a hot drink.
Overhead 1

 

Overhead 2

 

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