Education systems are undergoing a transformation.

Facing an evolving employment landscape, students of today need to be ready to take on unprecedented challenges with skills and capabilities very different to those required in the wake of the industrial era.

So how can we best prepare our younger generations for jobs that don’t yet exist, arising from technological innovation and our economic transition to a service-led economy?

How can we make sure graduates are workforce-ready with the requisite creative problem solving, communication, collaboration and technical skills that will be essential to their employability?

We can already see a lot of progress towards ‘active learning’. That is learning not by rote, but by experience – by actually doing something, rather than remembering it, or solely by absorbing theory.

Maker-centred and project based learning models are replacing linear, more traditional instructor-based lessons. But these new, innovative curricula and pedagogies can only succeed in a learning space that properly accommodates them.

Movement is essential in the classroom of the future – not just for ergonomics and student performance (studies have proven that small movements can improve concentration, retention and engagement). Movement becomes even more imperative when technology, materials and resources are distributed throughout the space. Students and teachers have to be able to move freely in order to engage with materials, learning tools, multimedia equipment, and most importantly with each other.

This is why educational seating manufacturer KI, designed the revolutionary new Ruckus seating collection. Ideal for secondary, higher and further education institutions looking to transform their learning experience, Ruckus disrupts and redefines the boundaries of learning spaces.

It looks like nothing else, it can be used like nothing else. This game-changing chair optimises student engagement, facilitates a wide range of teaching styles, and adapts to a variety of users and uses.

Ruckus is a unique approach to facilitating the essential movement required in the classroom of the future – it allows the user to rotate 360 degrees within the chair, rather than having to move the chair itself. Regardless of starting position, the user can quickly pivot and reorient themselves to where they need to direct their attention. The result of extensive research and development by KI’s in-house design team, Ruckus’ unique design has incorporated feedback from students, teachers, administrators, facilities managers and educational furniture suppliers.

The resulting collection includes task, 4-leg and stack chairs, and stools in two height options. The fibreglass reinforced polypropylene seat and backrest can be specified in KI’s 24 standard colours, while the base is available in 31 finishes including chrome.

Upholstered seat pads can be added for extra comfort. The chair’s distinctive and unique backrest offers support and comfort, whilst also functioning as integrated arms. If the user swivels 90-180 degrees in either direction, the backrest becomes a worksurface for notepads, laptops or tablet computers.

Perfectly engineered to act as a stable secondary seating surface, the backrest is also ideal for perching at standing height and even laboratory tables. It can also be safely mounted on the edge of a table for easy floor cleaning at the end of the day. The generously proportioned seat with waterfall edges on all sides enhances comfort and stability for students of all shapes and sizes.

The robust base of the stack chair can be fitted with a steel storage rack in matching or contrasting colours. Both stack and 4-leg chairs can be specified with either glides, or castors for extra flexibility and movement. Designed and manufactured by KI in the USA, it comes with a 15 year warranty and recently won ‘Best of NeoCon 2017’ Gold Award for education solutions.

To find out more about the Ruckus seating collection, or to try it for yourself - please get in touch.

Credit: Blog content provided by KI Furniture

Tags: Education, Furniture, Chairs, Classroom, Learning, Education Equipment