Image courtesy of Furnware
Flexible seating trends to surge over next 5 years By Heather Barker Vermeer Industry Reporter
Inflexible seating design can inhibit discussion, pedagogy, and performance. Thus, it will come as no surprise to most teachers that flexible seating is now one of the key trends driving market demand for school furniture over the next five years, according to global market research by Mordor Intelligence, published in January of this year. The research suggests strong demand for flexible seating configurations in classrooms is connected to growing concerns around children's posture, and flags school sector interest in eco-friendly furniture, design innovations resulting in new flexible products, and multifunctional chairs and tables, as influencing this growing trend. In the Asia Pacific region specifically, the report adds that demand for flexible seating and furniture is also due to increasing private school enrolments and the expansion of extra-curriculars in the Asia Pacific region particularly.
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Clearly, there are big benefits to flexible seating for schools. The first is student agency: learners feel empowered by having a degree of choice and control over their environment and flexible seating enables autonomy as students choose how they sit. Certain pieces enable them to rock, wobble, bounce, and these movements help them to self-regulate during class, aiding blood flow, metabolism and even core strength. Aesthetic appeal makes the classroom more attractive to children, staff, volunteers and parents. Flexible seating options are also varied enough that coordinating colours across your floorspace can add impact, create a calming environment, soothe or liven things up. Of course, flexible seating still needs to be durable, which is where quality suppliers are an essential resource, so we spoke with three experienced suppliers this issue to find out what flexible seating trends are gaining popularity here in New Zealand. Here’s what they told us:
“Ingenious” students use seating to their creative advantage Furnware representative Helen Jones informed us there is “a definite shift towards recognising ergonomic performance” and that “the most creative use of seating I see is from students!” She said: I am always amazed at the ingenious ways students position seating to meet their individual learning needs, especially in junior schools. For this reason, students must be provided with a variety of seating options that they can move themselves. Floor cushions and small ottomans are ideal, and younger students love booth-style seating that allows them to create a quiet nook for reading or collaborative work. This is particularly important in large ILEs as it allows students to create a more intimate micro-environment within the larger, busy space. “Not only does this create a dynamic environment for all types of learning, but it also gives the students greater agency. The key is to consider pedagogy and how activities will be delivered; not only do flexible seating
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options empower students, but they allow teachers to mix up the delivery and break down the student-teacher classroom hierarchy to boost engagement. “For more traditional learning at individual desks or tables, a well-performing ergonomic student chair at the correct size for each age group is the best option. For more collaborative learning, couches, ottomans, or stools positioned around collaborative tables might be more effective. Too often, we see schools investing in great student chairs and then opting for hard rigid stools for art rooms and labs. Another common misconception is that student stools should have backs. On the contrary, a well-designed student stool will position the user's body at the correct angle to engage core muscles, encourage correct posture, and effectively keep students more actively engaged. Stools should be selected at the right height for respective tables and it is the distance between the seating surface and tabletop that is critical, not the height from the floor (assuming the stool has a correctly positioned footrest for students’ age and size.” Term 3, 2022 | schoolnews.co.nz
