Resources

AlEisa,E.,Buragadda,S.,&RaoMelam,G.(2013,April15).EffectofTherapyBallSeatingonLearningand
SittingDiscomfortsamongSaudiFemaleStudents.
BioMedResearchInternational
,
2013
.
doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/153165
Theaimofthestudywastoevaluatetheeffectoftherapyballseatingasanalternativefortypicalchair
seatinginaclassroom.Researchersevaluatedtheeffectofballseatingonthestudent'ssittingdiscomfort
andacademicperformanceusingaquestionnaireandproblembasedlearningscales.Thestudyexplains
thatthehumanbrainmaintainsanoptimalstateofarousalandattentiononlywiththehelpofsensory
stimuli,andarousalcanbeeitherlowassociatedwithlethargyanddrowsinessorhighleadingto
hyperactivityanddistractibility.Sensorymodulationisrequiredforoptimalattentionand
learning.Researchersfoundthatthedesignoftheclassshouldbeflexible,creative,andproblemsolving
andtoviewfurnitureasbothatoolandanenvironment.

Bonus,M.,&Riordan,L.(1998,May).IncreasingStudentOnTaskBehaviorthroughtheUseofSpecific
SeatingArrangements.
USDepartmentofEducation
.
Offtaskbehavioriscausedthroughmanyreasons,thisstudy'sanalysisrevealedthatstudents'low
ontaskbehaviorwasduetothetypeofseatingarrangement,proximityofstudents'seatstotheteacher,
abilitylevelsofthestudents,andtypeoflessonactivity.Theeffectsandprogresswasmonitored
throughanecdotalnotesandbehaviorchecklists.

BrekkeSisk,N.(2015).Standingroomonlyinclassroomofthefuture.
MayoClinic
,27.Retrievedfrom
http://www.mayo.edu/pmts/mc4400mc4499/mc44090906.pdf
BrekkeSiskwasapartofastudytoradicallyinfluenceclassroomsduetochildhoodobesitybut
discoveredunexpectedpositiveresultsonstudentsattentionandlearning.

Bright,R.(n.d.).KidsWhoCan'tSitStillLettingthemfidgetmaykeepstudentsfocusedonlearning.In
NationalEducationAssociation
.Retrievedfrom
http://www.nea.org/tools/47003.htm
BrightwithNEAexploresthepublicitybehindasixthgradeMinnesotaclassroomandtheiralternative
classroomthatincludesstandingdesks.Informationispresentedonthehealthbenefitsofstandingdesks
sincestudentsmoreburncalories.

Dawn,R.(2015,October).Whyschoolsareaddingstandingdeskstotheclassroom.In
TodayShow:Parents
.
Retrievedfrom
http://www.today.com/parents/whyschoolsareaddingstandingdesksclassroomt51856
Todayshowreporterexplorethecostofconvertinganentireschooltostandingdeskswhichisaround
$150,000,whetheritwasworthitintheeyesofadministratorsandeducators,andbenefitsdiscovered
thusfar.Thearticleemphasizesthatonetimecostlikeanyotherfurnitureanditsdurability.

Duoos,B.A.,&Goding,A.T.(2014).Effectofsittingonanexerciseballoncognitivefunction.
Research
QuarterlyforExerciseandSport,85
,A135A136.Retrievedfrom
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1621830208?accountid=10777
Thestudyfocusedoncollegestudentssittingonanexerciseballduringa65minutelectureandits
results.Thestudyrecognizesthatexerciseenlargesandincreasesplasticityofthebrainallowingfor
increasedbrainactivityandimprovedmemory.Whilethepositiveeffectsofanactivelifestyleonthe
brainarerecognized,theimmediateinfluenceoflowintensitylongendurance(LILE)exerciseon
memoryislessclear.LILEexercisesuchassittingonstabilityballsimprovesontaskbehaviorsand
comprehensionratesinkindergartenclassroomsbutwarrantsfurtherstudyforcollegeagestudents.

Ediger,M.(2009).Sevencriteriaforaneffectiveclassroomenvironment
.StudentJournal,43
(4),13701372.
Retrievedfrom
http://search.proquest.com/docview/236595079?accountid=10777
Thereareaplethoraofvariableswhichaffectstudentsintheclassroom.Thesemightinvolvethe
obvioussuchasuncomfortabletemperatureaswellassmallgroupworkascomparedtoindividual
activities,quietenvironmenttobusinesssurroundings,zerotolerancedisciplinecomparedto
student/teacherplanningofclassroomrules,learnercenteredversusteacherdirectedlearning,and
traditionalseatingarrangementscomparedtoflexibleroomarrangements.Thearticledescribesthe
issuesrelatedtothesevencriteria.Inconnectionwithseatingarrangementstheauthorsuggeststhata
communityoflearnersemphasizescooperationindevelopinganenvironmentconducivetooptimal
achievementinacademic,social,andpsychomotorskills.Thatclassroomenvironmentimproveswhen
criteriaismettofosterpositivehumanrelationships.

Fernandes,A.C.,Huang,J.,&Rinaldo,V.(2011,April).DoesWhereaStudentSitsReallyMatter?The
ImpactofSeatingLocationsonStudentClassroomLearning[Electronicversion].
InternationalJournal
ofAppliedEducationalStudies
,
10
(1).
Thispaperexaminestheimpactofseatinglocationsonstudentclassroomlearningincludingstudent
learningmotivation,studentstudentandteacherstudentrelationships,andstudentclassroom
participation.Thepaperexaminescommonbeliefthatwherestudentsdecidetositwithinaclassroom
reflectsupontheirmotivation,engagement,andwillingnesstolearn.Duetothelargeamountoftime
studentsandteachersspendintheclassroomoverallcomfortleveloftheenvironmentisafactorthat
impactsstudentachievementandsuccess.

Harvey,E.,&Kenyon,M.C.(2013).Classroomseatingconsiderationsfor21stcenturystudentsandfaculty
[Electronicversion].
Journaloflearningspaces
,
2
(1).
HarveyandKenyonexploreseatingoptionsinhighereducationsuchasmodernmobilechairstablet
armchairsfixedtieredseatingwithtabletarmsrectangletableswithstandardchairsandtrapezoid
tableswithchairsoncasters.Overallevencollegestudentsratedsignificantlyhighestthemodernmobile
chairsandtrapezoidtableswithchairsoncasters,whiletraditionaltabletarmchairsandfixedtiered
seatingwithtabletarmsscoredlowest.Resultsindicatetheneedforcampusestoconsiderthepurposes
st
androlesofseatingstyleswithinthe21
centuryclassrooms.

Jackson,R.(2011,April).Teachers,parentsfavorexerciseballsinclassrooms[Electronicversion].
TheNews
Harold
.
Thisnewsarticleexploresoneschooldistrict'schoiceonalternativeseatingdisplayingbotheducators
thoughtsandparentopinions.Thearticlediscussesthatitisnotacureallinthatstabilityballsworkfor
somestudentsbutnotallandexploresanoccupationaltherapist'sopinion.

Merritt,J.M.(2014,January).Alternativeseatingforyoungchildren:Effectsonlearning.
American
InternationalJournalofContemporaryResearch
,
4
(1),1218.
Thisarticlesuggeststhattheuseofalternativeseatingmayprovidestudentswithsensorystimulation
andtheopportunitytomovejustenoughtoassistchildreninlearningmoreeffectively.Participantsin
thestudyreportedasignificantdeclineinthenumberoftimesinstructionwasinterruptedduetoofftask
behavior.Multisensoryteachinglinkslisteningandspeakingwithreadingandwritingthrough
deploymentofvisual,auditory,kinesthetic,andtactilesensorymodalitieswhichhastraditionallybeena
stapleofremedialandpreventiveinterventionforstudentswithlearningdisabilities.

Mosley,C.,&Kritsonis,A.(2015,May).Alternativeseatingforimprovedlearning.In
UniversityofPuget
Sound
.Retrievedfrom
http://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1113&context=ms_occ_therapy
Mosley&Kritsonisexplorealternativeseatingthroughtheeyesofoccupationaltherapistsforinclusion
ofstudentswithspecialneedsanditshealthbenefits.

Neill,S.,&Etheridge,R.(2008,January).Flexiblelearningspaces:Theintegrationofpedagogy,physical
design,andinstructionaltechnology[Electronicversion].
MarketingEducationReview
,
18
(1),4753.
Innovationdemandsaspacethatenablesexplorationbybothteacherandstudentandthisspaceshould
allowformultiplemodesofinstructionandlearningThispaperdescribesaprojecttoredesignan
existingclassroomintoaflexiblelearningspace.Basedondatagatheredfromstudentsandfaculty,the
resultsindicatedthattherenovatedclassroomincreasesstudentengagement,collaboration,flexibility,
andlearning.

Ngware,M.W.,Ciera,J.,Musyoka,P.K.,&Oketch,M.(2013).Theinfluenceofclassroomseatingpositionon
studentlearninggainsinprimaryschoolsinkenya.
CreativeEducation,4
(11),705712.Retrievedfrom
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1468675305?accountid=10777
ThearticleexplainsastudydoneinKenya.Theimplicationtoeducationisthatstudent'sseating
positioncanbemanipulatedinawaythatitoptimizeslearninggainsforslowlearners.Inan
overcrowdedclassroom,seatpositioniscriticalasitdeterminesaccesstothelearningresourcesand
opportunitiesinsidetheclassroom.Thelinksbetweenseatingpositionandlearnerachievementhave
implicationsforeducationpolicyandclassroompractices.

Parlier,G.(2013,December29).AlternativeClassroomSeatingHelpsSeventhGradersFocus[Electronic
version].
TheLedger
.
Thisnewsarticleexaminesamiddleschoolclassroomthatreplacedtraditionalseatswithyogaballsand
howithelpedthemfocusforlongerperiodsoftime.Studentsstatedthatitisgoodforpostureandfor
yourbackandyoucan'tslouch.ThearticlealsocommentsonvariousK12classroomsthathave
adoptedyogaballswithcreatesuccess.

SaintAmand,A.(2015,February13).4Reasonsyoushouldconsiderthisalternativeofficedesign.In
Fast
Company
.Retrievedfrom
http://www.fastcompany.com/3041833/4reasonsyoushouldconsiderthisalternativeofficedesign
ThisarticleisareflectionofaCEOofaglobalcompanyandhisdecisiontoimplementalternative
seatingandworkspacesratherthanprivateofficesorcubiclesintheirnewoffices.

Schilling,D.L.,&Schwartz,I.S.(2004).Alternativeseatingforyoungchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder:
Effectsonclassroombehavior.
JournalofAutismandDevelopmentalDisorders,34
(4),42332.
doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:JADD.0000037418.48587.f4
Resultsfromthestudyexaminingtherapyballsusedwithstudentsontheautismspectrumshowed
substantialimprovementsinengagementandinseatbehaviorwhenparticipantswereseatedontherapy
balls.Findingsalsoindicatedthattheteachers'preferredthetherapyballs.Thisstudysuggeststherapy
ballsasclassroomseatingmayfacilitateengagementandinseatbehaviorandcreatemoreopportunities
toprovideeffectiveinstruction.

Schimke,A.(2013,May13).Studentsstand,balance,andbouncetolearn.In
Chalkbeat
.
Thisarticleexploresmultiplefacetsofalternativeseatingincludingstudentopinion,lackofresearchon
thetopic,connectiontohealth,anditscohesivenesswithgoodteachingpractices.

Schroeder,C.D.(2015,October23).Freeseatingaidsengagement,focus.In
McPhersonSentinel
.Retrieved
from
http://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/article/20151023/NEWS/151029596
Authorfollowsclassroomteacher,Zeislersdecisiontousealternativeseatingdescribingitasan
experimentoractionresearchprojectthatstudentsarealsoinvestedin.Zieslerreportsmore
opportunitiesforauthenticlearningopportunitiesanddiscussions.

Smith,L.(2014,December).Forgettheneatrowsofdesks,MichiganCenterstudentsstayontaskinalternative
seating.
MLive
.Retrievedfrom
http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2014/12/forget_the_neat_rows_of_desks.html
Smithexploresafourthgradeclassroomwithalternativeseatingbygettingstudentfeedback,asking
questionsaboutusualproblems,andfindingouthowitgotfunded.