Methodology and Experimental Protocol for Fatigue Analysis in Suggestopedia Teachers.

backgroundAmong all professions, teaching is significantly affected by psycho-social risks with approximately 33.33% of educators reporting work-related fatigue. Suggestopedia, an effective pedagogical approach developed in Bulgaria, claims to induce positive psychological and cognitive benefits in both teachers and students. In order to gather scientific evidence, given the above statement, we designed a methodology to detect fatigue in Suggestopedia teachers based on neurocognitive analysis and psychological assessment.

methodsAn increase in the EEG theta and alpha band powers is considered among the most reliable markers of fatigue. The proposed methodology introduces a robust framework for fatigue analysis. Initially, the changes in EEG band powers using the resting state EEG activity before and after teaching are measured. Subsequently, validated psychological questionnaires are used to gain subjective feedback on fatigue. The study participants include a control group (traditional teachers) and the test group (suggestopedia teachers) to assess whether suggestopedia practice mitigates fatigue among teachers. OBSERVATIONS: In a pilot study, the EEG data was analyzed by evaluating the interrelations between EEG bands and the alpha-beta ratio. The results of the proposed study are expected to provide comprehensive analysis for the fatigue levels of teachers. In future research, our goal is to position the described methodology as a robust approach for evaluating cognitive and emotional states.