Ergonomics Applied to the Computer Classroom
By: John Kessell

When people think of ergonomics, super-adjustable, articulating keyboard trays and multi-segmented monitor arms come to mind. Or funny-shaped staplers, split-apart keyboards and amorphous mice from high-brow tech stores appear in the mind's eye. These are ergonomic products for the office computer workspace, not the classroom. Office space ergonomics is all about the comfort of an individual doing repetitive little movements day to day. In contrast, classroom ergonomics is about constantly changing groups doing different things hour by hour.

The goals of ergonomically designed furniture are just as different. The mission of ergonomic office furniture is to avoid harm to the individual who performs repetitive tasks over extended periods of time, while ergonomic classroom furniture must accommodate groups of various-sized individuals who are expected to focus their attention at different places during a class period.

When computers first entered the classroom, ergonomics were not often considered. This was probably because the duration of computer use was relatively short, and the frame of reference for ergonomics was the all-day-long office model. Many times, simple folding tables were purchased from a home improvement store because that's all that was left in the budget after purchasing the computers. CPUs were used as monitor stands, or they were placed on the desktop to get them off of the floor. These proved to be basic mistakes that worked against even the most talented teachers.

It didn't help that the ergonomically backward approach to computer classroom design was proudly photographed and publicized as the example for others to follow. How many photos of computer labs have you seen with the monitors piled high on the desktops? Students portrayed in these photos seemed to look up in awe, happily enjoying the latest and greatest computer technology dominating their learning space. They crowded around a display and posed for the camera, often pointing to something on the screen. It gave the impression that the school was technology forward and the students who attended had every advantage. While the intensions were admirable, it's too bad the ergonomics portrayed were missing the mark.

Human Factors Are Human Factors
Anyone seeking a complete set of human factors guidelines for ergonomics, applied to computer use in the workplace, can easily find answers the OSHA Web site. Studies were conducted to arrive at these ergonomic standards so that OSHA could recommend effective ways of reducing the consequences of sitting in unhealthy positions for extended periods of time and performing repetitive motions without harming the body. Although these guidelines do apply to computer use in the classroom, the means of achieving healthy posture is necessarily different from the office.

The difference is driven by the kinds of activities taking place in an office workspace vs. a computer classroom. Individual office spaces usually support individual, independent activity with a separate space for interacting with others. Classrooms require interaction with different people and multiple focal points for demonstration, all in one large space.

Additionally, the classroom must accommodate a variety of people in terms of height, weight, and physical challenges. Students change classes every hour or two. This is very different from an office workspace, which is personalized for a specific user, incorporating highly adjustable seating, articulating keyboard trays, foot rests, variable height work surfaces, and moveable monitor supports. For the office worker, these ergonomic supports are aimed at achieving the optimum physical arrangement for one person who will use the space for hours on end, day after day. For the student in a computer classroom, this arsenal of implements is not appropriate. In fact, these adjustable gadgets become distractions that may soon become broken, lost, or stolen.

Ergonomics and Classroom Furniture
Computer classroom furniture incorporates blended considerations for human factors and user posture. For adult users, middle school age and older, the keyboard height is standardized at 28 inches above the floor. Laptop tables and desks should be at this height. For computers, if a keyboard tray is used, it should present the keyboard on a surface about 28 inches from the floor; therefore, the desktop should be about 30 inches high to compensate.

The idea of having an articulating keyboard tray for each station to provide ergonomic adjustment for keyboard height is questionable for the general student population. This is an appropriate solution to meet ADA requirements for wheelchair users, however. For general use, simple, adjustable-height seating is the most practical way of fine-tuning the user to the classroom work space so that eye-to-monitor distance and elbow-to-keyboard height offer the most comfort.

Storage for CPUs is provided so they are off the desktop and the floor, easily accessible to the user. When CPUs are stacked next to the display, they become visual barriers. When a display is set on top of a CPU, the display is too high for comfort. The user must look up, causing neck strain. This problem is compounded if the user wears bi-focals. A better solution is for the CPU to be stored on a shelf within the desk, or suspended from a tabletop. The CPU is protected against inadvertent damage by housecleaning, and it's out of the way, but easily accessible by the user.

Wire management is not only an IT issue, it is a human factors issue. Clutter affects the atmosphere of the learning space. Reducing clutter reduces stress. Reducing visual noise allows attention to be more easily directed and focused.

Paradigm Shift from Instruction to Learning Impacts the Floor Plan
Classrooms are no longer "just classrooms." They are multi-focus arenas that enable information exchange and development. "Theaters of learning" may be a more fitting description. The lecture-intensive "instruction paradigm" for education now includes the "learning paradigm," creating the need for environments that encourage learning, collaboration, and socialization. Teachers who incorporate the learning paradigm not only lecture to disseminate information, but they also use small groups to apply and extend the basic knowledge in the course. The lesson plan isn't merely about how much was "covered" in a class, but how much students "uncover" as they search, question, process, and learn.

Today's computer classroom is about group activities, not just note-taking. Traditionally, it has been a presentation space and the virtual space of the computer display. Now, with open collaboration models conducted online, the computer classroom is becoming a more socially networked space, evolving to include flexible re-arrangement into smaller work groups. The focus of the learning activity may involve interaction and sharing, and it might change to emphasize individual privacy for testing or independent study.

Furniture mobility and wireless network access is becoming more common. These features impact ergonomics because the physical arrangement enables comfort in support of the activities taking place in the space.

When considering your computer classroom ergonomics issues, consider this short list of questions:

Is it more important for the teacher to see the screen to check student progress than it is for the students to see the teacher?
The room arrangement may face the students to the walls with their backs to the teacher, who is free to roam the room and look over shoulders to offer lots of individual help.

Will small group interaction be important?
Consider a floor plan of small groups that face inward. Keep computer screens semi-recessed so people can have eye-to-eye contact as well as eye-to-screen lines of sight. This may mean setting up two or more projector screens for group presentations, as half of the class may be facing one direction or another.

Would a conference table setup be more in context with the subject matter?
Many business and communications courses prepare students for a real world that now includes distance learning, video teleconferencing, and telepresence. The conference room is becoming a virtual environment for communicating with various publics, cultures, partners, and clients.

Are laptops and mobile learning devices being used?
Do you have a means of plugging in these devices to ward off low batteries? Have you considered a mobile WiFi system that could roll into any classroom? Look for furniture with locking casters that allow for flexible room arrangement. Consider power and data docking connectors as furniture built-ins so mobile devices may be charged or synced.

Desks or couches?
How much can you, or should you, stray from "the norm?" Sometimes creativity and brainstorming are facilitated by informal, non-institutional, energy-charged spaces. Does an approach "outside the box" have a place in your classroom?

Proper ergonomics for the classroom are driven by your teaching methods. Don't settle for a folding table, a straight chair, and a mile-high stack of technology in front of each student. Consider that the computer or laptop might be minimized as an object and be more effective to the process of learning.

Ergonomic computer classroom furniture gives you the options you need for arrangement, physical adaptability, security, and connectivity for the group. Make choices that reinforce your teaching method, group dynamics, and activities. You will be rewarded by improved student performance at every level.

John Kessell is vice president of marketing for CBT Supply, Inc. and webmaster of www.SMARTdesks.com.

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Classroom Ergonomics: A Brief Overview
By Bob Roskos

If you've ever had questions about how to evaluate the ergonomic aspects of classroom furniture, here are a few tips that should be helpful.

When it comes to ergonomically supportive seating, adjustable-height chairs provide a furniture alternative that works for students with a wide range of body sizes. In addition, a well-designed chair seat should be wide and deep enough to comfortably support the thighs. It should also have rounded corners, smooth edges, and a waterfall seat front to prevent unnecessary "edge pressure."

If it is not possible to provide adjustable-height seating in every classroom, chairs with a variety of fixed seat heights will help to accommodate the height range of your student population. For taller and larger students, chairs with a more generously proportioned shell and a larger, wider back offer enhanced support and longer-lasting comfort.

In order for a chair to be effectively supportive, its back must be carefully designed. Ideally, chair backs should be slightly reclined, tall and wide enough to provide support, and have a transversely (side-to-side) concave shape. Chairs with a one-piece seat and back should have a gentle lumbar contour. For chairs with a two-piece seat and back, the contours of these components should comfortably encourage good seating posture.

Quality classroom desks will have similar ergonomic features. For instance, desks with adjustable-height work surfaces allow both smaller and larger students - and those in between - to study comfortably, whether they're writing in notebooks or working on computers. What's more, desks should offer adequate leg and thigh clearance, allowing students to easily access their seats.

Work surfaces should be spacious enough to hold frequently used materials; this is especially significant where laptops and textbooks are often used in tandem. The availability of a contoured "bowfront" design is also helpful, since it permits students to get closer to the work surface without sacrificing comfort. It's also important that work surfaces be finished with smooth, rounded edges.

On a more general note, all classroom furniture should have excellent structural strength, durability and stability. This will enable the furniture's more specific ergonomic features to provide long-lasting service.

These tips offer a broad outline of what to look for in ergonomically supportive chairs and desks. However, since requirements for individual applications may vary - particularly when evaluating furniture needs for diverse on-campus settings, such as traditional classrooms, tech labs, lecture halls and libraries - you may want to consult with an experienced furniture professional.

Bob Roskos is the corporate copywriter for Virco, www.virco.com .