Waikato University's Study on the Impact of Bodyfurn® Furniture on The Classroom Learning Environment

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

Seated in their previous chairs, many students displayed hunched-up shoulders because the chairs were too low for the table or desk, and taller students in the classes where desks were used had their legs jammed against the underside of the desk.

Students were observed to be sitting comfortably when seated in correctly-sized Bodyfurn furniture. Bodyfurn desks and chairs were found to be easy to move in and out of.

Although Bodyfurn furniture took up a similar amount of space as previous furniture, 61% of students felt there was more space in their classroom after Bodyfurn had been installed.

85% of intermediate and 95% of primary students said it was ‘good’ or ’OK’ to be sitting at desks that were at different heights.

CONCENTRATION AND OFF TASK BEHAVIOUR

A higher proportion of students said they lost concentration more easily prior to Bodyfurn than with Bodyfurn.

Video analysis showed reduced instances of off-task behaviour when students used Bodyfurn furniture:

  • Average off-task time per student in year 5 room reduced by 51%
  • Average off-task time per student in year 5 & 6 room reduced by 75%
  • Average off-task time per student in year 7 room reduced by 83%

CHAIR COMFORT

The desire to ‘wriggle’ or move about in the chair was significantly reduced once students sat in Bodyfurn chairs (observations confirmed in questionnaire). When asked to say how comfortable they felt in their Bodyfurn chair:

  • 73% said they were more comfortable
  • 100% liked the way the back of the chair moved
  • 96% liked the way the seat of the chair moved
  • 88% of primary students said they would not like to sit in their previous chair
  • Students were aware that their previous desks had not been the correct size for them

 Video analysis in primary classrooms showed the time spent shifting chairs to get comfortable was halved.

ROCKING BACK ON CHAIRS

Video analysis showed where rocking back was previously common, rocking back ceased with Bodyfurn.

In one room students spent a total of 38% of video time rocking back on chairs – this reduced to zero with Bodyfurn.

Students said they felt safer on Bodyfurnchairs

DESK COMFORT

  • 84% of primary and 76% of Intermediate students said that there was more room for their legs under the Bodyfurn Coe desk
  • 68% of primary students and 69% of Intermediate students reported their Bodyfurn Coe desk to be ‘just right’
  • 69% of primary and 54% of Intermediate students said that they would not like to use the desk or table that they had before
  • The Bodyfurn desk was considered to be significantly easier to move than any previous desk

Note: The Coe desk has since been replaced by the Alpha desk, which provides an enlarged surface and increased leg room.

STORAGE AWAY FROM THE DESK

Compared to under-desk storage, frequency and time spent accessing learning materials was reduced in classrooms where the tote tray cabinets were used as intended.

Video analysis of student focus groups accessing learning materials showed time taken using tote units could be up to a third what it was with under desk storage.

 

The chairs are really good. The children do not swing – the rocking has stopped. They do lean back but the chair moves. Because they are not doing it they are not interfering with other people behind them. Because it has stopped happening I have noticed that it happened in the first place! In the one or two groups who backed on to each other, kids would get annoyed with the kid behind them – rocking back or bumping them, and that has just stopped, that’s good, that’s a huge positive.
Disclaimer: The statements in this document are extracted or deduced from the Draft Report by the University of Waikato on the Impact of Bodyfurn® Furniture on Classroom Learning Environments (2008) and highlight some key findings only. It is acknowledged that classroom learning environments are affected by a wide variety of influences that are constantly changing and that, although the above statements are consistent with other independent research (ACNielsen 2006), Furnware’s own observations and anecdotal feedback from users, for the sake of brevity these findings are not fully representative of the full 153 page report.