Friday, 26 December 2014
Monday, 22 December 2014
Wednesday, 17 December 2014
How Ergonomic Furniture Can Make You Work Better
Ergonomic furniture is enjoying massive popularity for the
last ten years. The increasing availability of the Internet across the globe
somehow made this possible, as more and more industries get wired to facilitate
communication. This means longer hours sitting down and getting online.
Problems that resulted from this included pain in the back, arms and wrists for
long hours of sitting down, typing and clicking a mouse. Ergonomic furniture
became the answer to minimising neck and eye strain and other pain in the body
one gets from sitting and staring at the computer monitor for long hours. How
exactly does ergonomic furniture do this?
Consider that a common source of work-related neck pain is
often a computer monitor that is placed at an incorrect height. An ergonomic
computer desk will have an elevated platform for a desktop monitor so it is
elevated to eye level. If you're using a laptop, there are also relatively
cheap shelf-like products that can lift the laptop to a proper height. Then you
won't have to bend your neck to look downward. Doing this for hours and can
terribly strain your neck.
Joint and muscle pain in the wrist and forearm often comes
from holding them in locked positions over a mouse or keyboard. For this,
ergonomic gel pads can be placed just in front of the keyboard and mouse for
the wrist to rest on while you're typing away or clicking the mouse. The pads
allow your wrist to relax, reducing the tension that can come up through the
forearm to the elbow when you have to type or click for long hours.
An ergonomic office chair includes tilt-control in its
design. The tilt-control feature allows the user to adjust how much the chair
tilts, while he/she is sitting on it. In an ordinary chair, we shift our body
weight and the chair tilts in one direction or the other. With a heavier
person, the chair will tilt too much under his/her weight. Tilt-control in an
ergonomic chair makes it possible for the user to adjust the range so the chair
will not shift beyond a certain point. Hence, an ergonomic chair is one that is
comfortable and flexible while remaining safe to use.
Ergonomic furniture also comes in the form of an office
chair that can be adjusted to various back/seat angles and heights to avoid
physical pain such as back and neck pain. You have to be conscious not to stay
in one position for too long, hence the need to adjust the chair's angle and
height to whatever task you're currently doing. Stretching or rising up will
loosen your muscles and avoid pain.
The Importance of Classroom Furniture
It is becoming increasingly obvious that classroom furniture
is very important. Both you and your students need to be comfortable at all
times. More and more of our classroom furniture is being ergonomically designed
to minimize the squirming that is prevalent when furniture doesn't fit
properly. Along with this, it is important that furniture is 100 percent
functional as well. The right classroom furniture is essential to an overall
good experience, day after day. Here are some comments about the most
frequently purchased classroom furniture.
Teachers Desk
As a teacher you know how important it is to have a desk
that you are comfortable using. This is your work station, and you must make
sure that it meets your every need. From grading papers to setting up your
computer, this is where you will do most of your work. Make sure your teacher's
desk is comfortable, big enough to suit all your needs, and has enough storage
for any and all of your items.
Filing Cabinets
Even though filing cabinets may sound a bit "old
school" these are still a very important part of any classroom. If you are
having major issues with disorganization there is a good chance that you are
not taking full advantage of a filing cabinet. Just one of these cabinets can
go a long way in keeping your paper in order, and cutting back on the mess that
you have on your desk. Purchase a filing cabinet to go next to your desk - this
is one of the best pieces of classroom furniture that you will ever come
across.
Desks for Young
Students
When considering classroom furniture you need to think long
and hard about the desks for your students. Along with this, your purchase
should be based largely on the age group. Younger students need a different
type desk than older students. Along with the right size, make sure your desks
have areas where students can store materials. This way they do not lose their
supplies, and can have a work station of their own.
Desks for Older
Students
Older students have lockers, so they do not need a desk with
storage. That being said, you must still consider what you are buying. These
desks will have a smaller surface. The best ones have a groove at the top of
the desk for holding a pen or pencil. In many cases, the desk and chair are
attached.
Shelving
When buying classroom furniture you may overlook the
importance of shelving. You may be able to get away with not having shelves,
but you don't want to do without. This is a great place to store everything
from books to learning tools to classroom materials and much more. Along with
this, you may even allow your students to use the shelves if you have enough
room.
Friday, 5 December 2014
Choosing Quality Classroom Furniture
The
Importance of Choosing Quality Classroom Furniture
Educational furniture should be considered an investment in
the future of an institution so choosing high quality classroom furniture is
top priority. Quality furniture plays a vital role in education and can even
improve learning among students. It plays a key part in education and is
necessary for students, faculty and staff members alike. School furniture
includes desks, chairs, tables and shelves among many other pieces and the
ingredients that make each piece quality depend on its particular functions.
Student and Faculty
Desks
Both the students and faculty of a school use their desks as
a primary piece of furniture in the learning process. Throughout the year desks
take consistent and repetitive use so it is important to choose high quality
materials and the best functionality possible for this particular piece. Use
sturdy built designs with solid wood or reinforced particle board for the tops
and steel in the framing for a desk that will stand up to year after year of
abuse.
The desk’s top should be coated for protection of the woods
to keep the furniture pieces free of graffiti, scratches and scuffs. Good
looking furniture creates a positive environment and promotes better attitudes
towards learning. In addition to lament coatings on the wood surfaces, desks
for younger children grade school ages should have an added layer of safety
with covered screw and rounded corners.
High Quality
Classroom Seating
Students spend on average 6 or more hours each school day
seated at desks while teachers often spend countless hours of overtime in
addition to daily learning hours. Uncomfortable seating can actually lead to
spinal and back problems in growing children and irritate a faculty members’
joint. Studies have shown that high school age students complaining of back
problems show medical signs of the negative effects on spines through x-ray,
victims of years in poor seating.
Uncomfortable seating can also make students restless which
can affect their abilities to concentrate and absorb vital information. Student
chairs should be contoured to meet the natural curves in the back and have
bottom seating designed for hours of sitting. Teacher and faculty chairs should
also be contoured but with an added layer of comfort in padded seating. Each
faculty chair should have padded bottoms, backing and if possible arms as well.
Computer chairs should also add comfortable seating as more schools transform
during the technology age.
The Importance of Good Classroom Furniture
Classroom furniture is important not only for comfort and
aesthetics but for the function it serves within the classroom environment.
While deciding on what is needed in a classroom is a personal choice, it is
essential to consider how the furniture complements the subject being taught
and the comfort of the students.
The Basics
Most classroom furniture will be used by hundreds of
students over many years. Quality furniture is needed to meet the demands of
time. The type of furniture for a particular classroom is driven by the age of
the students and the teacher's presentation of a lesson. The size of the
classroom and the number of students it accommodates are also essential
factors.
Student
Consideration of the students who will use the classroom
shouldl drive the choice of furniture. Age is one factor. Kindergartners
require smaller and different types of furniture compared with high school
seniors. It is also important to take into account any disabilities students
may have. For example, if the teacher has a student who uses a wheel chair, she
needs to have a table to accommodate that student rather than the traditional
desk with built-in chair. Whether furniture can be arranged to allow for
personal space should be taken into account as well.
Types
There are many types of classroom furniture, even though
desks and chairs may be the only items that come immediately to mind. In
addition to different type of seating and table configurations, there are
shelves, "cubbies", and other organizational furniture to consider.
Durability an important factor when investigating any classroom furniture.
Considerations
The number of students within a classroom must be taken into
account in terms of comfort and safety . Furniture must allow students to move
comfortably without creating congestion in any one area. If cooperative
learning is a goal of the teacher, the classroom furniture needs to be easily
and safely movable. According to Cooperative Learning Classroom, student tables
and chairs should not be connected and should be able to be used for individual
work and then brought together for group work.
Benefits
There are social benefits to be gained from a good choice of
classroom furniture. With movable tables and chairs, students gain a better
understanding of teamwork and social skills. Also, furniture designed for
specific learning environments is conducive to better learning. If classroom
furniture fits the student and subject, students can better focus on learning.
Monday, 1 December 2014
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