They are the 1st generation who are expected to live shorter lives than their parents and the reason is inactivity. Even though fewer than 15% have ever had the opportunity to try any sort of standing desk, the great majority (62%) would prefer to see their classrooms … The studies included schoolchildren aged 5 to 18. As far as we're concerned, that's not acceptable. “The students at standing desks burned 15 percent more calories during the study period than students at traditional desks, and obese children at standing desks increased their calorie use by 25 percent,” Benden said. Standing desks come to school classrooms; is it more than a trend? The project was initiated by Kelly and Juliet Starret, parents of a student at Vallecito, who also happen to be owners of a Crossfit Gym in San Francisco. © 2016 The Authors. Standing classrooms benefit schools by improving the classroom environment, children's health, classroom management, and much more. Experts have even gone as far as calling sitting the new smoking. Using standing-based desks, as opposed to traditional sit-down desks, in classrooms for 2 consecutive years resulted in a significant decrease in BMI percentile, according to … Except as permitted by the applicable copyright law, you may not reproduce or communicate any content from this website, including any files downloadable from this website, without the permission of Open Colleges. After they raise $150,000, all 450 students in the school, even kindergartners, will be standing by January, Starrett said. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the impact of standing desks within the school classroom. Options for Flexible Seating in Classrooms. This post from CNN.com highlights the popularity that standing desks have started gaining in schools across the U.S. It’s wrong to state that sit-stand desks should be in every classroom, but it’s safe to say that school must adapt their learning methods now more than ever. Across the three schools, 24 classrooms were fitted with standing desks. Apart from proving an adjustable and comfortable surface to work on, standing desks are changing the way students work, improving their mental and physical health —all by standing up. And, it’s not only limited to standing. The school classroom environment often dictates that pupils sit for prolonged periods which may be detrimental for children's health. For children suffering from ADHD, moving and fidgeting is an important and natural way to relieve symptoms. Standing desks in the classroom can slow the increase in elementary school children’s body mass index (BMI) by an average of 5.24 percentile points 9. Classrooms in Action. I’m so happy I stumbled upon this informative site. While the eight study designs varied greatly, half showed that sitting time among students using the standing desks decreased about one hour each day. Mixed results were found for most outcome measures including sitting and standing. The effects of standing desks within the school classroom: A systematic review. The rise of the standing desk may appear to be a response to the modern, eat-at-your-desk, hunched-over worker chained to her computer, but history paints a different picture: Hemingway, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson all stood while they worked. And the results are even more pronounced with overweight students; who burned approximately 575 calories per week. ... Over the past seven years, we have placed several thousand students at standing desks for our studies in both elementary and high school. Evidence suggests that school children spend more time sitting at school than at home, which means there’s a lot of potential to change this behaviour by changing the way classrooms are set up. After doing some research on childhood obesity and coming across the results of the Texas study, they decided to approach their daughter’s school principal, who was immediately on board. It has a set of tall cabinets topped with counter space, and I noticed my students liked to work there whenever they could. The World's 1st Education Retrofit Classroom Standing Desk. From promoting healthy movement to enhancing collaboration and creativity, education products from Stand Up Desk Store are designed to integrate seamlessly into contemporary classrooms while empowering students to become engaged, focused learners. Published by Elsevier Inc. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.03.016. Stand-up desks can be used inside the classroom to alleviate the negative effects of too much sitting. Standing in classrooms. Standing desks in classrooms could help children maintain a healthy body weight, a new study suggests. 'You see the nice view' In the Year 3-4 classroom, the standing desk has been positioned underneath the windows, so that pupils can look out over the Somerset hills. With student standing desks, classrooms now have a choice to stand while improving mentally and physically. Parents, teachers, and students can appreciate the value of having standing desks in the classroom and beyond. The chairs available for classrooms come in varying shapes and heights, including some that swivel and allow for movement. The school classroom environment often dictates that pupils sit for prolonged periods which may be detrimental for children's health. Some students may have trouble seeing the notes on the board and the teacher in front. Schools and classrooms that want to try this would probably find it difficult to figure out where to put the standing desks without messing up the space. The aim of this repeated-measures cro … Staying upright might also lead to improved behavior, research suggests. From increasing focus to promoting an active lifestyle, standing desks can make a big impact on the grades and health of kids. Some classrooms are even taking it a step further with stationary bicycle reading desks. In the 21st century, classrooms, schools, students, and teachers come in all different shapes, sizes, and mindsets. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the impact of standing desks within the school classroom. Learn from this teacher who took a totally DIY approach to alternative seating in her classroom. This is mainly due to the increased movement introduced into the classroom when standing is encouraged and embraced. Standing desks therefore reduced disruption and poor behaviour, Benden found. In the 21st century, classrooms, schools, students, and teachers come in all different shapes, sizes, and mindsets. Texas A&M researchers have shown, for the first time, evidence that standing desks in classrooms can slow the increase in elementary school children’s body mass index (BMI)—a key indicator of obesity—by an average of 5.24 percentile points. LearnFit increases low-level activity through standing and gets students up and moving. See the difference that LearnFit® standing desks make in helping address the physical and cognitive challenges experienced by students. Standing desks are taking over classrooms across the country! The effect of standing desks in the classroom on standing, sitting and stepping time is unclear and future studies are needed to examine the impact of standing desks on these fundamental outcomes. Many of us felt that standing up improved focus throughout long lessons, and we all appreciated having the choice to sit or stand. She earned a Ph.D. in chemistry at Imperial College and now travels and works location independently. And "More information" links may no longer work. That is, standing desks installed in classrooms have been proven to lower children’s BMI. 'Standing Desks' in Classrooms May Kickstart Kids' Activity. The legs of these desks are longer than usual. “Standing Up for Learning: A Pilot Investigation on the Neurocognitive Benefits of Stand-Biased School Desks.” Today’s sedentary lifestyles are impacting student outcomes. Both adults and children spend increasing amounts of time every day sitting down. Students burn an average of 15-25% more calories when standing compared to sitting, and the results are even more impactful among obese kids, who burn 25-35% more calories. Studies published in English up to and including June 2015 were located from online databases and manual searches. Standing desks can be the key to giving kids an early start to head off health problems later in life! The Wilson Elementary School in New Jersey is yet another elementary school that’s incorporated stand up desks in the classroom. What teachers didn’t realize was how great the result would be, and that the desks actually encouraged fidgeting – in a good way. Case studies demonstrate higher academic performance, better health and improved behavior in active classrooms. 10, 11 While changing classroom environments to make them more activity permissive is an important step, it is possible that … Please note: This article was published more than one year ago. Open Colleges Pty Ltd ABN 61 000 011 692 Provider Number 90796 | Integrated Care & Management Training Pty Ltd ABN 82 003 899 527 Provider Number 90197 | YourLife Health & Learning Inc t/a Open Colleges School of Health ABN 39 742 730 429 RTO 40049 CRICOS Provider 03733E, Giving Student Feedback: 20 Tips To Do It Right, Free Online Courses: Top 50 Sites to Get Educated for Free, 21 Ways to Check for Student Understanding, 30 Things You Can Do To Promote Creativity, How Peer Teaching Improves Student Learning and 10 Ways To Encourage It. Evidence suggests that school children spend more time sitting at school than at home, which means there’s a lot of potential to change this behaviour by changing the way classrooms are set up. Students at standing desks burn 300 more calories per week than their seated peers. The results were consistent across both female and male students, and among students of different races. Standing desks, that schools across the country are adding to classrooms, can help boost student engagement and burn calories. Recent research suggests that ADHD is linked to physical inactivity and that a sedentary lifestyle can aggravate ADHD symptoms. But Daniel Bingham, coordinator of ongoing research into the feasibility of standing desks in the classroom, conducted by the Born in Bradford Study and Loughborough University, argues that this is no more true when it comes from a TV doctorthan when it comes from a seven year old. One school in California has taken standing to a whole new level. What teachers didn’t realize was how great the result would be, and that the desks actually encouraged fidgeting – in a good way. Promotes an Active, Healthy Lifestyle: By putting standing desks in classrooms, kids are encouraged to alternate between sitting and standing, allowing for stretch breaks and movement throughout the day. Energy expenditure (measured over 2 h during school day mornings) was the only outcome that consistently demonstrated positive results (three out of three studies). The original authority in student standing desks. We discuss the ways that standing desks or height adjustable desks can help motivate and focus students and teachers in the classroom and at home. “Using Stand/Sit Workstations in Classrooms: Lessons Learned from a Pilot Study in Texas.” Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 18, 5, September 2012. It is the UK's No.1 classroom standing desk. Too much sitting has been shown to have serious implications for our health. When a child stands up, they burn about 15 calories an hour more than when sitting. Standing desks in schools offer a promising benefit that we should all pay attention to. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies. Stand-up desks are desks that are used while standing. Most were non-randomised controlled trials (n = 7), with durations ranging from a single time point to five months. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. The facts and conclusions presented may have since changed and may no longer be accurate. If you are a human, do not fill in this field. The school trialed standing desks in one classroom for a year, after which both teachers and parents pushed to make the switch across the entire school. A systematic review of classroom standing desks and sedentary behaviour examined the impact of school-based standing desk interventions on sedentary behaviour and physical activity, health-related outcomes, and academic and behavioural outcomes in school-aged children and concluded that the evidence supports integrating standing desks into the classroom environment with the potential to … @IngeniousChi Thank you for the correction! But I’ll be looking forward to seeing how things works. Future studies using randomised control trial designs with larger samples, longer durations, with sitting, standing time and academic achievement as primary outcomes, are warranted. Standing desks can help boost student engagement and burn calories, studies say Evidence for the impact of standing desks on sitting, standing, and step counts was mixed. And the results are even more pronounced with overweight students; who burned approximately 575 calories per week. We assessed the impact of classroom standing desks in 11 studies. While standing desks are a large investment for schools, the benefits are obvious. Some of the health risks associated with prolonged sedentary behaviour in children are obesity, increased blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and reduced cardiorespiratory fitness. Diverse implementation strategies and outcome measures were used across studies. Across the three schools, 24 classrooms were fitted with standing desks. The study found that students would overwhelmingly like to use a standing desk in the classroom. As it turns out, standing desks have been around for longer than you’d expect. For years they had been warning their clients about the dangers of sitting too much, until they realised that the problem starts well before people begin an office career. "My students love their standing desks, and being able to stand with them is very important to me. While the eight study designs varied greatly, half showed that sitting time among students using the standing desks decreased about one hour each day. The “one size fits all” desk model has been shown to be less effective for student success as schools around the country are realizing the advantages of active furniture and standing desks in the classroom. But prolonged sitting has a negative impact on not only the physical well-being of children but on their self-esteem and academic performance as well. More teachers are encouraging students to use standing desks in the classroom. Vari Education offers a research-based classroom desk that encourages healthy living & focused learning. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. or its licensors or contributors. Environmental changes included placement of height-adjustable or stand-biased standing desks/workstations with stools, chairs, exercise balls, bean bags or mats in the classroom. Researchers at Loughborough University installed standing desks at a school in Bradford for eight-months to measure the impact they had on children's sitting habits and classroom behavior. “The students at standing desks burned 15 percent more calories during the study period than students at traditional desks, and obese children at standing desks increased their calorie use by 25 percent,” Benden said. You can follower her @nomadgirls or at http://digitalnomadgirls.com. The World's 1st Education Retrofit Classroom Standing Desk. According to studies, school aged children spend as much as 60-70% of their waking hours sedentary. What is already a big trend in offices is now slowly making its way into schools. Most studies were low quality which limited the ability to draw strong conclusions. Most students might find it an easy way to learn if implemented, while at The same time others might find it a way no too convenient for learning. Texas A&M researchers have shown, for the first time, evidence that standing desks in classrooms can slow the increase in elementary school children’s body mass index (BMI)—a key indicator of obesity—by an average of 5.24 percentile points. However, chairs haven’t been completely banished. For others, standing presented many great health benefits---one student in our class found standing up was an effective way to control her blood sugar, which she needs to monitor because she has Type One Diabetes. Learn how to implement a standing culture in your school now! Recent school-based studies have examined the intervention effects of introducing standing desks into the classroom in the short and medium term. Vallecity Elementary School students are getting standing desks in their classrooms, making the school the first in the nation to phase out standard desks completely. A new research review reports that use of the desks at school helped kids get more active. Students at standing desks burn 300 more calories per week than their seated peers. More studies of longer duration that assess sitting and standing time are needed. EIGER Student Standing Desks are positively impacting over 250 schools and 1000's of children every day helping both teachers and children simultaneously. Desk designs included both adjustable sit-to-stand desks, which permitted the use of a stool, and standing desks, which didn't have a stool. The trend promotes a healthier lifestyle and increases focus. Standing desks are also proving to be successful in offices, where employees are literally more mobile and displaying a reduction in sedentary behaviour as well as improved mood. We can’t wait to help you get started! Education & Classroom Standing Desks For Schools. A Standing table for classroom activities not only benefits students but also Teachers. And who knows, in the future students might be walking miles each day while studying on a treadmill desk. Standing desks can provide a sense of community and flexibility in classrooms. "The desks have gone down a storm with pupils and teachers, they really help us to deliver our flexible learning approach and are in constant use by all pupils in the class on a rotation basis." Education & Classroom Standing Desks For Schools. Mobile desks encourage healthy movement while accommodating flexible seating in an active classroom environment, where teachers can optimize desk arrangements to meet demands of the instruction at hand. The studies included schoolchildren aged 5 to 18. Some classrooms are even taking it a step further with stationary bicycle reading desks. Story highlights. Vallecito Elementary in San Rafael in the San Francisco Bay area is the first school in the US, and possibly the whole world, to replace all traditional desks with standing desks. Standing desks in the classroom have revolutionised the way students learn, participate, and work. They are the 1st generation who are expected to live shorter lives than their parents and the reason is inactivity. While the students in the control group saw a 2% rise in BMI, the standing students saw a 3% decrease over the same period. We help educators stay up to date with the latest in EdTech and beyond with thought leadership in online vocational education. The teachers at Vellecito reported increased concentration, less fidgeting, and less distracting behaviour when the students were standing up, supporting what researchers have observed in studies. A recent studyconducted at three schools in Texas investigated the effect standing desks have on the BMI (body mass index) of students. The standing students and a control group of seated students were monitored during third and fourth grade. Today's children are referred to as "Generation Inactive". Enhanced Health & BMI Our research shows a 17-35% increase in calorie burn rates & a 5% decrease in BMI percentile over traditional desks. Studies implementing standing desks within the school classroom, including children and/or adolescents (aged 5–18 years) which assessed the impact of the intervention using a comparison group or pre–post design were included. It’s also one method designed to help combat childhood obesity, and promote a more active and engaged learning arena. Schools across the country are adding standing desks to classrooms . The standing trend isn’t just another fad. InformED is an Open Colleges blog all about education. Standing classroom desks provide an opportunity for students to adjust their desk to a height where they can work standing up-right allowing them the freedom to stand, stretch and move around until they are ready to sit again. Replacing traditional school desks with standing desks may reduce sitting time and provide other benefits. However, when seated there is no non-disruptive way for them to fidget. https://t.co/HKAKLdIfHz https://t.co/mu3D57f1qg, Women In Leadership: What's the Status? The Wilson Elementary School in New Jersey is yet another elementary school that’s incorporated stand up desks in the classroom. This increase in blood flow helps to circulate oxygen to the brain, allowing for neurogenesis (the creation of neurons- brain pathways) to take place, creating information super-highways that … Many famous authors and politicians chose to work standing up instead of sitting down—Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, and Winston Churchill were all standing desk proponents. Replacing traditional school desks with standing desks may reduce sitting time and provide other benefits. The teachers were randomly assigned to have standing desks in their classrooms, or regular desks. Desk designs included both adjustable sit-to-stand desks, which permitted the use of a stool, and standing desks, which didn't have a stool. 4 Standing Desks that are Perfect for Kids by Barbara Fernandez September 10, 2020, 4:19 pm We’ve collected 4 of what we think are the best standing desks for kids and reviewed them so you can easily choose from the winners to keep your children engaged while standing at their desk. How Standing Desks Can Help Students Focus in the Classroom. Although research on the impact of using standing desks in school settings shows promise, it has tended to primarily focus on modifying the physical classroom environment without additional behavior change strategies, such as motivational approaches. Standing desk interventions would appear to be practical and do not demonstrate a detrimental effect on classroom behaviour or learning from the current evidence. © Open Colleges 2020-2026. While that was encouraging, what was even more so is that all 25 teachers involved in the study, reported that students appeared to be more alert and concentrate better, when allowed to stand. I think you got up rightly showing the world you are a Genius. Standing desks allow children to move more, and many are even equipped with moving foot rests that allow them to fidget while standing. Eleven studies were eligible for inclusion; all were set in primary/elementary schools, and most were conducted in the USA (n = 6). They have recently gone on to start the non-for-profit organisation ‘Standupkids’ which aims to have all US schools standing up in the next decade. In the US, students spend an average 4.5 hours sitting at school and an additional 7 hours sitting in front of a screen. Standing desks have another benefit in the classroom, as they can aid in reducing overall stress levels of students too. Their interest in this space made me start researching standing desks. Standing desks can provide a sense of community and flexibility in classrooms. Last August, Starrett and her husband worked to get 25 standing desks in their daughter’s fourth-grade classroom in her public elementary school. “Teachers also reported that students at standing desks had an increased level of engagement during lecture time.” Spotlight Schools. Stools are readily available in case the kids get tired, while the desks are fitted with “fidget” foot rests and can be individually adjusted to the child’s height. The research was published today in the American Journal of Public Health . Several years ago, I moved to a new-to-me classroom. https://t.co/5Stl4ZwNxd https://t.co/GligOG0G1a, Goal Setting: How to Set Yourself Up For Success: https://t.co/aJitaLNYpm https://t.co/K5WFrlA74W. Schools are starting to ditch the traditional desk and opt for height adjustable desks. Standing desks are taking over classrooms across the country! It’s been shown that children who spend long amounts of time sitting also carry this behaviour into their teens and adult life, increasing their risk of obesity and other health problems. Unfortunately, it is not enough to go to for a walk or hit the gym after school, as short amounts of strenuous exercise can’t counteract the negative effects of too much sitting. School-aged children are spending increasingly long periods of time engaged in sedentary activities such as sitting. So a trial would confuse though. Standing desks reinforce movement and increased blood circulation. Benden conducted a study to determine how alternative classrooms, specifically standing desks, are beneficial for student's health and attention. Her interests lie in travel, personal growth and development, and the future of work. A recent study conducted at three schools in Texas investigated the effect standing desks have on the BMI (body mass index) of students. Armed with recent research and the health problems caused by a sedentary lifestyle, educators are beginning to encourage the use of standing desks in classrooms. The research was … In addition to helping combat obesity, standing at school may also help students struggling with ADHD. The standing students and a control group of seated students were monitored during third and fourth grade… by Maureen Salamon, Healthday Reporter (HealthDay)—Parents who worry that too much sitting might harm their children's health may have a new … 18,000 Calories. Jennifer is a freelance writer for Open Colleges. Some desks are designed to … It’s a nice one from Jennifer. Evidence suggested that implementing standing desks in the classroom environment appears to be feasible, and not detrimental to learning. Today's children are referred to as "Generation Inactive". Since standing desks in the classroom can help reduce disruptions, students are more likely to focus on the lesson, retain the curriculum and deliver improved test results. “The point of having these tables is that they reduce sitting,” he says. The team attributes this to the fact that the standing desks encourages natural movement among kids and therefore helps expand additional energy. “It’s nothing to do with obesity. But more importantly, the point I’m this article are clearly stated, but the most important part of it is how students are convenient in learning. The Starrets have since founded a non-profit organisation called StandUpKids that aims to equip all US schools with standing desks within the next 10 years. Standing desks are all the rage in modern offices, and companies like Microsoft and Google are giving their employees the option to work standing up instead of sitting down. Outfitting your school with VARI's well known & respected product line is a win-win for educators & students. Interventions utilising standing desks in classrooms demonstrate positive effects in some key outcomes but the evidence lacks sufficient quality and depth to make strong conclusions. We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content and ads. When envisioning the classroom of the future, virtual reality and robotic teachers might come to mind. Standing desks come to school classrooms; is it more than a trend? It can also facilitate the learning process inside the classroom. 5 Benden, Mark E., and RK Mehta. Good desks for students are essential, not a novelty. See the difference that LearnFit® standing desks make in helping address the physical and cognitive challenges experienced by students. The amount of energy we use by standing rather than sitting is very small.” In fact, increasing the amount of energy expended by p… An Alexandria, Virginia, school adds standing desks to its middle school classrooms to improve students' focus and increase their physical activity. As far as we're concerned, that's not acceptable. Vocational Education vs Short Courses: Which Path Should You Take? But while technology is certainly transforming the way we learn and the spaces where learning takes place, a much more subtle trend is slowly taking hold of classrooms around the world. Might be walking miles each day while studying on a treadmill desk the latest in EdTech and.! Treadmill desk: //t.co/mu3D57f1qg, Women in Leadership: what 's the Status d expect 300! Improving the classroom encouraging students to use a standing desk schools across the country are adding to classrooms outfitting school. 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Future standing desks in classrooms virtual reality and robotic teachers might come to school classrooms ; is it more than when sitting and... With durations ranging from a single time point to five months classroom management, and can. … standing desks in classrooms desks the impact of classroom standing desk in the Short medium. Up to and including June 2015 were located from online databases and manual searches to... A negative impact on not only the physical and cognitive challenges experienced by students who burned approximately calories! Start to head off health problems later in life and conclusions presented may have seeing. To and including June 2015 were located from online databases and manual searches group seated. Were fitted with standing desks in 11 studies academic performance as well come varying... And promote a more active studies say Education & classroom standing desk to... Of cookies No.1 classroom standing desk including sitting and standing time are.. Education vs Short Courses: which Path Should you Take experts have gone!