Lighting as an Important Factor of Students’ Work Environment

Abstract

Good work conditions for students at the university are important for education quality and that is the reason why we should pay adequate attention to the factors of work environment in those particular places where students spend most of their learning time. Monitoring of the current state of illumination within school facilities can be performed by two principally different approaches. The first one deals with the exact measurements of illumination and their evaluation in regard to laws, acts, regulations and norms. The second approach is based on subjective perception of lighting in particular work place that can be confirmed via qualitative research methods. In this contribution we combine both approaches. Authors evaluate the actual lighting state in a computer classroom by means of exact measurement of sunlight and compound lighting. The article also offers subjective reactions of students regarding possible improvements of views through the window as one of some factors that influence the state of well-being of students and it also serves as prevention against eye strain, especially when working on computer. The measurement outcomes have confirmed that the overall amount of daylight illumination is insufficient, what leads to the deployment of compound lighting, especially in winter months.