Abstract

This study aims to empirically discover the effects of different light levels on college students' cognitive performance. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, most universities, schools, and other educational institutions have halted classes and activities in response. They have been forced to shift from face-to-face to online learning and significantly impact students' daily lives, particularly those who began their first year of college entirely online. Many students spend much of their time in their bedroom, which now has their classroom, where they join virtual classes, study, and do coursework. Our moods and cognitive capacities, such as learning and productivity, are strongly influenced by lighting. The researchers used data from a sample of 100 respondents obtained from a digital survey questionnaire containing a modified lighting ergonomics tool from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). Sixty-nine percent (69%) of participants ages 18 to 24 years old, ranging from Year 1 to 4, prefer studying at night. Regression analysis was used to determine if there are effects of light used by the students on their preferred time to study. The day and night sections were separated, but both results rejected the alternative hypothesis. The Pearson Correlation has determined the linear relationships between factors. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed no significant differences in the light levels used during daytime and nighttime. The researchers recommend exploring and considering other factors and including employees in work-from-home set-ups.