Abstract:

It is a digital and technological era with rapid change and development speed. The covid-19 pandemic brought all daily-, work- and education-related tasks into a digital environment faster than anyone expected. Without a doubt, it is for staying. It brings up to date the topicality of digital learning material typographical parameters and their appropriability for the digital environment. According to the data from previous research, there is unambiguity in recommendations and parameters used in digital materials. Recommendations currently in use are mostly directly transferred from printed materials or are without proof of suitability for the digital environment or usability according to the tasks. There has been an increase in complaints about screen use comfort and experience of different symptoms among digital users, and objective changes have been found in all population groups by vision care professionals during the last 2 years. It is proven with patient data record research. These changes are due to the increase in digital near workload daily. So, it is driven to the conclusion that new recommendations for digital learning material formatting parameters are needed. Over several previous years, the authors have been working towards developing new appropriate recommendations for the digital environment and automatised technical solutions for their delivery to all the users based on vision science principles and users’ needs. Several level recommendations for different population groups have been developed based on theoretical and users’ preferences research. As well as the prototype of the tool for recommendation use on the automated process of digital education material formatting has been developed. Methodology: Surveys, patient data record review, and experiment with an eye-tracking tool. Results: The latest experimental testing of already developed recommendations with an eye movement tracker device shows a difference in recommended formatting parameters, depending on the task or reading approach. Conclusion: the importance of appropriate recommendations is not only for the digital material users’ comfort and public health but also for improving digital educational materials and distance education quality in general. Research and development are still in progress, but the article contains the latest information and findings.

Keywords:

Digital material, e-study, formatting recommendations, education e-materials.