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21st Century Classroom
Behind the Scenes
11/1/2007
The best teaching and
learning technology can fall
short if supporting furniture,
fixtures, or mounts aren't
helping it do its job well. Plan
ahead, scan the market,
and choose the products
that will make your smart
classroom soar.
BY NOW, THE VALUE OF INTELLIGENT or "smart" classrooms is unquestionable—a winning blend of form and function in these facilities makes the educational interchange easier for teachers and students alike. Most technologists and administrators have developed solid processes and protocols for locating, evaluating, and purchasing the most appropriate technology products for the classroom. Finding the right furniture and fixtures, however, can be tricky; options can be limited, and the right vendors can be hard to track down if you're not familiar with this market. The worldwide audiovisual association InfoComm International offers an extensive database of vendors in various market categories, but even wading into all that help can be a bit overwhelming the first time out.
Having said all that, a straw poll at the Campus Technology 2007 conference this past summer in Washington, DC, indicated that—obstacles aside—a large number of higher education technologists see the choice of furniture and fixtures as one of the most important decisions in planning a 21st century classroom (see "The Plan's the Thing"). With this in mind, we've selected 14 of 2007's best furnishing products, to get you started on your quest to find the items that will truly support your intelligent classroom technology choices.
Tables & Desks
Flexibility is the name of the game when it comes to
tables and desks, and Here Mobile Tables from Bretford certainly fit this bill. All tables come
with twin-wheel casters that enable educators to move
them at will. Grommets alongside
table legs keep cords from
getting in the way. The tables
also feature clips for "ganging,"
or connecting multiple
tables together. An
optional tool, the Ganging
Gere, even allows for
easy, one-handed connections.
Tables vary in
length from 48 to 72 inches;
the Here line also offers
whiteboards (not electronic) and workspace
dividers. All Bretford products are available through
Herman Miller, maker of
the legendary Aeron chair. Priced from $916 to
$1,024, depending on size.
Recommended Reading
- Get Users on Board
- Greening IT
- It's a Zinch
- Meeting up Virtually
- Online Tutorials to the Rescue
Now's the time to use online tutorials to streamline professional development and help desk management.
- Retention Rx
