An experimental evaluation on the effect of dynamic chairs on students' behaviour, movement, and academic achievement in mathematics
type: CreativeWork
description: 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 l…
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 l…
author: Martin, Isaac
keywords: student engagement, dynamic chairs, active sitting, physical learning environment, classroom behaviour, flexible furniture, academic achievement, classroom comfort, student perceptions
license: https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstreams/e1704f32-1fb0-4f7c-987d-28a1365b3c9a/download
date published: 2026-05-04
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:57:49Z
provider: University Waikato
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The University of Waikato