In mid-October, two researchers from Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca visited AUTH Living Environment Simulation to carry out their research project, the "MADW Project - Multitasking in the Academic Digital World”, aiming to explore the relationship between distributive attention, understanding specialized texts in a VR environment, and self- perceived stress levels of Master students managing multiple concurrent tasks in their courses.
For fulfilling their research purposes, the two visiting researchers commenced their study in mid-October, with a pre-experimental phase, assessing participants’ ADHD levels, perceived stress, academic burnout, and divided attention. Then, the experimental phase unfolded - students navigating tasks with one, two, and three stimuli while wearing smartwatches to monitor stress levels. The students who belonged in the intervention group underwent a well-structured training, a session dedicated to breathing exercises, problem-solving, and memorization exercises. As a final step, all students returned to the AUTH Living Environment Simulation to repeat the multitasking experimental step and then complete again the assessment battery previously administered in the pre-experimental phase.
AUTH Living Environment Simulation consists of a room that resembles a real house kitchen and living room. The room is equipped with home appliances and furniture so as to better resemble an older adult’s home. There are also monitoring devices installed (e.g. 3D depth sensor camera, fish eye camera). ThessAHALL Living Lab aims mainly to foster initiatives encouraging regional development and healthcare systems sustainability by the provision of novel technologies and innovation. It is actively engaged with the end-users and relevant community stakeholders, actively pursuing co-creation and co-design of technological solutions to improve health and social conditions and facilitate independent living. In this context, the AUTH Living Environment Simulation was an ideal setting for the external researchers of the "MADW” project to recruit the desired participants and run their experiment, with the ultimate goal of exploring the relationship between distributive attention, comprehension of specific specialized texts in a VR setting, and self-perceived stress levels.
During their three-week exploration, the researchers not only engaged with the targeted group of participants, but also gathered valuable insights and data, providing a nuanced understanding of the challenges encountered by Master students as they navigate the complexities of multitasking in the academic digital landscape.