Teaching and learning styles are evolving in the classroom. Both are less rigid but the demand for more adaptable educational furniture is rising. Why? New technologies and growing emphasis on collaborative work in the classroom is increasing the demand for durable, flexible furnishings. Educational furniture for active learning environments helps keep students engaged and energized.
In Modern day classrooms the best learning environments are those with laptops, tablets, and furniture that promote collaborative exercises and active learning. The conventional teaching style of teacher lecturing students at the front of the class while students listen and take notes is not the best learning atmosphere.
In fact, the traditional seating of lined up row-by-columns layout reduces students’ ability to stay engaged and comprehend learning material because students are positioned to look at the backs of the heads in front of them.
Since this teaching style is ineffective, active learning environments are replacing traditional learning environments. Students learn better when flexibility and mobility in furniture are present.
In active learning environments, teachers are able to shift seamlessly between lectures; group work and presentations without making a huge disruption to classroom learning. Furniture in active learning environments has easy teardown and storage capabilities that allow classroom space to be more adaptive throughout the day.
In the traditional learning environment of row-by-column seating, large disruptions always occur because heavy chairs in a static layout take extensive time to rearrange and it’s a noisy process.
Effective learning environments need to not only keep students focused on the front of the classroom lectures but also allow students to work amongst their peers.
Traditional chairs and desk design only stifle collaborative learning because the furniture items are very restrictive in nature. Active learning collaborative furniture increases comfort, improves visuals, and continuously supports increased student interaction.
This is why classrooms need to be arranged in a way that encourages students to participate in the collaborative process.
The following are collaboration friendly features to consider adding to your classroom environment:
- Flat seat pans. This type of furnishing allows students to shift from side-to-side, sit sideways, or sit backwards in chairs.
- Desk designs of arc shapes, diamond shapes and wing shapes are very mobile and easily fit together during classroom collaboration activities. The desks improve both eye contact and engagement between students.
- Vibrant colored furniture such as bright reds, apple greens, bright pinks and cerulean blue improve visual appeal of classrooms and teachers are able to attract and retain student’s attention better.
Let Edwards & Hill Office Furniture create engaging, flexible and multi-modal spaces for your classroom environment today.
Read Edwards & Hill’s article How Ergonomic School Furniture Benefits Student Learning for more school furniture and interior design ideas.
No matter what you envision, Edwards & Hill is here to provide you quality furniture, great pricing and exceptional customer service. We can assemble your furniture; assist you with furniture project management and coordination services. We can also help you with interior design, space planning and more!
Edwards & Hill Office Furniture is a leading office planner and supplier for commercial companies, government agencies and individual consumers nationwide. We sell and install office furniture, as well as design and plan office layouts. We even help you relocate and handle planning, marketing, public relations, and film and video production.
Since 1998, when Managing Partner Tony Hill and Partner Hans Edwards founded Edwards & Hill Communications, we have provided clients with creative solutions to complex problems and know how to tailor our products and services to your specific needs.
To give one shining example of what you can expect when you retain the services of Edwards & Hill, we developed the office floor plan and supplied all custom office furniture, computers, audio/visual equipment, customer cueing system and electric lateral filing systems for the new Visitor Control Center (VCC) at Ft. George G. Meade Army Base in Maryland. These needs were specific and complex, and we met them to the great satisfaction of our customer. We also installed 74 rooms every 24 hours and completed the installation of 2000 guest rooms and suites at the Gaylord National Hotel on time. We brought it all together from start to finish and we can do the same for you.
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