COMPARATIVE HYGIENIC CHARACTERISTICS OF EDUCATIONAL WORKLOAD STRUCTURE AND DAILY MENTAL PERFORMANCE IN STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT-PROFILE TECHNICUMS

The educational burden of students is determined not only by the total duration of study but also by the structure of daily activities and the proportion of theoretical, practical, independent, and extracurricular work. The present study provides a comparative analysis of these characteristics among students of technical, medical, and pedagogical technicums. The analysis was based on data from 240 first- and second-year students aged 16–18 years, with 80 students in each professional profile. Timing observations were used to characterize the daily educational regimen, while the Kraepelin arithmetic test and Anfimov proof-reading test were used to assess changes in mental performance during the academic day. The technical profile was characterized by the greatest total daily educational burden and the largest reduction in mental performance by the end of the day. Medical-profile students occupied an intermediate position, whereas pedagogical-profile students demonstrated the smallest reduction in performance. The findings indicate that assessment of educational workload should include both quantitative duration and functional consequences, and that the organization of educational activities should take into account the specific characteristics of each professional profile.