Standing Desks Help Students Be More Attentive
Standing Desks Help Students Be More Attentive, according to a new study.
According to researchers from the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health observed over 300 children in second through fourth grade for a year. They gave the kids standing desks that had stools nearby so they could stand or sit as they wanted. They measured the kids’ engagement in class by looking at their on-task behaviors, such as answering questions and participating in discussions, and off-task behaviors like talking out of turn.
Researchers found that the students’ on-task behaviors were 12% greater than the kids who were seated. They also found that the standing desks reduced disruptive behavior and increased their attention by breaking the monotony of doing the work sitting down.
Researcher Mark Benden, an associate professor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health, who is an ergonomic engineer by trade, had seen in earlier studies that standing desks could help reduce obesity and also increase their engagement in class. Even low levels of physical activity, such as standing, can have a positive effect on cognitive ability. He says that the new study shows that schools can address the issues of academic performance and childhood obesity by providing standing desks in the classroom.
The study was published in the International Journal of Health Promotion and Education.
Category: News
