An experimental evaluation on the effect of dynamic chairs on students' behaviour, movement, and academic achievement in mathematics

Abstract

Traditional classroom chairs are often rigid and inflexible, resulting in uncomfortable static sitting. Conversely, dynamic chairs are designed to promote healthy movement and comfort, which is hypothesised to improve student engagement, reduce disruptive behaviour, and, in turn, improve academic achievement. Currently, there is a lack of research into the effects of dynamic chairs on students’ behaviour and outcomes compared to regular classroom chairs. This thesis comprises a series of studies that investigate the effect of BodyfurnFlex chairs, a new type of dynamic chair, on the behaviour, movement, achievement, and perceptions of students compared with traditional classroom chairs. In Study 1, I used a multiple baseline ABAB reversal design to investigate the effect that BodyfurnFlex chairs had on students’ behaviour and movement in comparison to regular classroom chairs. Additionally, a survey was used to assess students' perceptions of the chairs, while classroom environmental conditions were monitored as potential confounding variables. The results showed that BodyfurnFlex chairs significantly increased students’ on-task behaviour and reduced disruptive behaviours, including chair tipping and out-of-seat behaviour. Meanwhile, both in-chair and overall movement in the classroom increased when students were seated in BodyfurnFlex chairs. The majority of participants preferred BodyfurnFlex chairs, finding them more comfortable and believing they made it easier to complete their schoolwork. The environmental conditions in the classroom remained within the recommended levels throughout data collection, indicating they were not confounding variables in this study. In Study 2, I conducted a detailed analysis of the movement and environmental data collected in Study 1. This included analysing different aspects of the in-chair movement data, including displacement, acceleration, and rotation. Additionally, I examined whether BodyfurnFlex chairs could influence noise levels in classrooms and explored possible connections between movement, environmental, noise, and behavioural variables. The results showed that both in-chair displacement and acceleration significantly increased when students sat in BodyfurnFlex chairs. However, while displacement was not associated with students’ behaviour, acceleration was, suggesting that student behaviour is not related to how much students move but rather how consistently they move. Noise levels in the classroom had a significant negative correlation with on-task behaviour and decreased when students sat in BodyfurnFlex chairs. All environmental variables (CO2, temperature, and humidity) showed small, non-significant correlations with all other variables, indicating that they were not confounding factors. In Study 3, I investigated the effect of BodyfurnFlex chairs on students' academic achievement across multiple mathematics assessments using a pre-post intervention between-groups design. Additionally, focus group discussions were conducted to gain greater insight into teachers' and students’ perceptions of the chairs. The results showed no significant difference in test grades between students who used the BodyfurnFlex chairs and those who used regular chairs. However, several limitations around the results, including the testing/grading system and design, are discussed. Students reported far greater satisfaction with BodyfurnFlex chairs compared to the regular chairs, stating that they were more comfortable and functional, aided their ability to do their schoolwork, and felt they had a positive effect on their test results.