A flexible seating classroom is one in which traditional seating charts are replaced with seating arrangements that allow the students to sit where they choose.[1] One of its principal objectives is to reduce the number/duration of sedentary periods of time, which research has identified as a danger to health. A number of articles have recently reported that students' learning is benefited by physical movement rather than traditional seating.[2][3][4][5][6][7] The Albemarle County Public School system in Virginia and many others have adopted this approach with reported success. Also, taken into consideration in Europe: more in detail, a Flexible seating classrooms could improve an inclusive education.
Health impacts
editStudies have found that extended sitting affects the development of the musculoskeletal system, leading to health disorders such as cardiovascular problems,[8] poor posture, back pain and neck pain.[9]
Researchers[7][2] report that students perform better, are more attentive, focused, and are less disruptive in the classroom when they are allowed to move naturally. One reason is that flexible seating offers more choices and differentiation for students learning. This can increase motivation and achievement levels in the classroom. Others even have discovered Flexible seating can benefit students' physical and mental health. Students took around 2000 extra steps a day compared to in traditional desk. As well as exhibited less atypicality, social stress, anxiety, and depression. They appeared to have a better locus of control and a lower sense of inadequacy.[5][10]
According to Dieter Breithecker at Germany's Federal Institute for Posture and Mobilization Support, brain activity slows down when the body becomes stationary, for example when sitting in a traditional classroom.[11] Breithecker recommended flexible seating arrangements to remedy these dangers.
Flexible seating classroom designs include:
- stools
- couches
- beanbag chairs
- chairs
- beds
- mats
- inflatable balls
- standing
- laying on the floor
- pillows
- benches
- hanging chairs
References
edit- ^ "Why the 21st Century Classroom May Remind You of Starbucks - EdSurge News". EdSurge. 1 October 2015.
- ^ a b Alzahrani, Amani (14 June 2021). "Applying Flexible Seating in the Classroom to Enhance Learning". Taboo. 20 (2). ProQuest 2545665715.
- ^ Gao, Nan; Rahaman, Mohammad Saiedur; Shao, Wei; Ji, Kaixin; Salim, Flora D. (6 September 2022). "Individual and Group-wise Classroom Seating Experience: Effects on Student Engagement in Different Courses". Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies. 6 (3): 1–23. arXiv:2112.12342. doi:10.1145/3550335.
- ^ Garcia, Jeanette M.; Huang, Terry T.; Trowbridge, Matthew; Weltman, Arthur; Sirard, John R. (December 2016). "Comparison of the Effects of Stable and Dynamic Furniture on Physical Activity and Learning in Children". The Journal of Primary Prevention. 37 (6): 555–560. doi:10.1007/s10935-016-0451-6. PMID 27785657.
- ^ a b Littman, A (October 2016). "Flexible Seating for 3rd Graders". TCA Regional News Chicago.[verification needed]
- ^ Smith, Alistair (2005). Move it: Physical Movement and Learning. Crown House Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-904424-74-1.[page needed]
- ^ a b Stapp, Alicia C. (2019). "Reconceptualizing the Learning Space through Flexible Seating: A Qualitative Analysis of Select Third-Grade Students' and Teacher Perceptions". Research in the Schools. 26 (2): 32–44. ProQuest 2885925755.
- ^ McManus, Ali M.; Ainslie, Philip N.; Green, Daniel J.; Simair, Ryan G.; Smith, Kurt; Lewis, Nia (November 2015). "Impact of prolonged sitting on vascular function in young girls". Experimental Physiology. 100 (11): 1379–1387. doi:10.1113/EP085355. PMID 26370881.
- ^ Mohamed Thariq, M.G.; Munasinghe, H.P.; Abeysekara, J.D. (January 2010). "Designing chairs with mounted desktop for university students: Ergonomics and comfort". International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 40 (1): 8–18. doi:10.1016/j.ergon.2009.10.003.
- ^ Bluteau, Jonathan; Aubenas, Solène; Dufour, France (27 May 2022). "Influence of Flexible Classroom Seating on the Wellbeing and Mental Health of Upper Elementary School Students: A Gender Analysis". Frontiers in Psychology. 13. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.821227. PMC 9186794. PMID 35693533.
- ^ Breithecker, Dieter (December 2006). Beware of the Sitting Trap in Learning and Schooling (Report). ERIC ED497673.
Further reading
edit- Todino, Michele Domenico; Aiello, Paola; Sibilio, Maurizio (2016). "Flexible Classrooms for Inclusive Education". ICERI2016 Proceedings. Vol. 1. pp. 1674–1678. doi:10.21125/iceri.2016.1372. ISBN 978-84-617-5895-1.