Wheel-y desks? In school?! There is no doubt that the remodeled classrooms at Air Academy High School are fun, but are they really improving the quality of learning?

There are three classrooms at Air Academy High School that have been remodeled so far. They are equipped with several different types of seating made by Steelcase; the large majority of which are called Node desks. These desks are fitted with four wheels on the bottom with a base that can hold backpacks and other things that would usually take up space in the aisles (aisles which don’t exist with the roll-y desks since they can be moved to wherever the students want them). They also have cup holders that rotate out from underneath the desk surface which are big enough to hold a plastic water bottle but not quite big enough to hold a Nalgene. On the desk surface, they have a phone/tablet holder. The desktop itself is actually on a swivel so that it can move into different positions and get out of the way so that it is easy to get in and out of the desks. These colored desks are in several different colors such as green, orange, purple, and blue to make it easy to do things in groups. They are great for maneuverability and easy access, but they are also easy to get distracted in. They are really, really fun to spin in.

Another type of seating that the classrooms have are called Hokki Stools. They are small, short stools that are for “active” seating and to encourage students to stay engaged during class. The idea is that since students have to actively balance themselves on the stools, they will not be as likely to zone out and stop paying attention during class. One downfall of the stools is that they don’t include tables, so they are not good to use if they need to be writing. Also, they are not the most comfortable to sit in, so students would most likely have to switch seats after about 20 minutes of the class so that they don’t leave class with a sore bottom.

The remodeled classrooms also include high desks and chairs. The high desks are at the perfect height so that they could be sat at or stood at. The ones that are in Ms. Scott’s classroom are in the back of the classroom, where it makes it easier to see the board and, according to student Emma Lilly, “they make it easier to stay focused” since they don’t move and are very exposed and visible to the teacher. Personally, they are my favorite to sit in, and I think they are the most comfortable type of seating other than the little sofas.

The sofas are called Campfire Lounges. They come in several colors like orange, purple, green, and blue. They are very comfortable and roomy. Ms. Scott (one of the teachers with a remodeled room) has a rule that no one is allowed to lay down on them so that they stay engaged and don’t fall asleep. These have separate little desks that look like T.V. dinner trays. During the class time that we have to read, they are cozy to sit in and get enchanted in a good book. Also, when there is work that needs to be done, it is nice to have the little desks to put our devices or notebooks on to do work.

These new arrangements are very cool for the students, but do they do what they are intended to do? English teacher Ms. Scott says that she didn’t only want the new seating to improve the focus of the students, but also to make us more comfortable. She sees the traditional desks as “tiny jails” that don’t give students a good experience in school. The normal desks are very restricting and don’t help the very rigid feeling that school can often have. Ms. Scott believes that one way to improve the learning environment for the students is to make it more flexible and enjoyable. The students feel the same way. I asked several Air Academy juniors what they thought about the new seating; the general consensus was that the seating was way more fun and made the classes more enjoyable, but they didn’t feel as though it really significantly improved their focus. One factor in the effectiveness of the seating is age. Ms. Scott said that she thinks that the new seating is much better for older students than for the freshmen. Generally, the freshmen aren’t able to resist the temptation of distraction as easily as older students. She told me that she believes that the new seating is improving the learning environment for students and that is what she feels is the most important part.

Overall, these desks are doing all the right things with very few downsides. This could be the future of comfortable and flexible classrooms.