Mira Korber

The ubiquitous technology of today – from televisions and computer monitors to tablets and smartphones – places design at the forefront of the user experience, with ever-slimmer and sleeker devices driving user engagement. From 2000 to 2018, the number of Americans using the Internet increased from 52% to 89%, according to the Pew Research Center.…

Does office space have an impact on an organization and its people? A report by World Green Building Council indicates that there is a significant relationship between productivity and office design. Modest improvements to indoor air quality can boost productivity by between 8 to 11%. Another research conducted in 2016 by the same body shows that…

As the United States has transitioned into a service-based economy, more people than ever are spending a tremendous amount of time working in front of a computer. This certainly tends to be much safer and less strenuous work than in a factory, but it isn’t without its own set of risks, as various forms of…

It’s that time of year – there’s a crisp bite to the air, school buses are clogging up the roads, pharmacies are ablaze in orange and black, and supermarkets are selling mums and pumpkins. As fall nears, we head back to school and ramp up intensity at work. Post summer, sitting at a desk seems…

One of the forms of arcade video games from back in the 1970s was a table with a glass top. A large TV display could be viewed through the viewport.  The controllers for the game—Pong—were installed into the wooden top. As gamers ourselves, this experience was internalized. https://youtu.be/Pik50HSClTk Time passes. Personal computers become the rage.…

Recently, standing desks have become extremely popular. You see them advertised everywhere, and many offices are switching over to allowing their employees to have standing desks. These desks have several benefits including health benefits, and productivity benefits. Health Problems That Come With Sitting At A Desk If you sit at a desk every day, you…

Introduction: The Struggle with Sitting OftenIf you’ve got a desk job, chances are that you’ve felt some pain and aches in your joints. That’s because sitting down constantly can be rough. Your body cramps up, pressure is put on muscles, your seat is uncomfortable, and you’re straining your neck. Even though these may seem like…

The picture of the traditional classroom is burned into our memories. The familiar rows of desks, one desk behind the other, promoted uniformity. Students sat in chairs with square desks, or they had one piece wonders with chair and desk connected. It was a one-size-fits-all world. There was no choice or flexibility. Flash forward fifty…

Sharing an office with your colleagues has many perks. There’s always someone around to bounce ideas off of, help you out when you need it, and lend a listening ear. The company culture is livelier when colleagues are together which helps creativity. Unfortunately, there’s also a downside. You have less privacy when surrounded by others.…

An organization cannot operate efficiently if the employees aren’t committed to the mission. With that said, employee satisfaction is vital for a company’s success. While there are multiple ways to keep your team happy and on task, their work environment could be the most important factor. This means having an alluring office space, proper seat…

The interior design of a room influences mood. As such, when students require a room for their studies, the “mood” of a room may offer a comfortable, yet ambitious energy. This offers greater mental concentration and impetus to retain study materials for occupants of the room. Across a Crowded Room When a room has a…

When we were young, we all read about the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The significance of the roundtable was that no one was at the head, and everyone could see each other to promote conversation. Now, many high schools, colleges, and universities are beginning to use a similar…

Increasing the participation of employees in a company or organizational meeting can sometimes be tough. Although some work cultures may encourage workers to speak their minds, many employees may get the impression that their ideas and responses are not as welcome. In order to maximize employee participation during the next discussion, consider these simple tips.…

In an effort to attract millennials, many companies are looking to incorporate features to improve workplace engagement and decrease stress. It’s an ongoing challenge for many employers, with studies showing less than one out of three millennials being engaged at work. Moreover, workplaces that are designed to be visually appealing can contribute to employee trust…

Google Chrome OS long seemed like a solution looking for a problem. In a world dominated by Microsoft and Apple, it was hard to find a purpose for a lightweight platform that was mostly for basic applications like word processing and spreadsheet usage – and an OS that required internet access to function. Then K12…

A recent study is unlikely to surprise college professors: 94% of college students want to use their mobile phones in class for academic purposes. The survey found that a substantial number of students (58%) use their phones to take pictures of lecture slides, and similarly high percentages of students also use their phones to search…

We recently published a blog post about ways to avoid pain while working in front of a computer. Here’s a follow-up post with some additional ways to keep yourself healthy. It’s increasingly the norm for people to spend a tremendous amount of time in front of a computer. While office jobs tend to be a…

The so-called paperless society has long been an aim of futurists and technology innovators alike. As computers and handheld devices have proliferated in recent years, we’re closer than ever to making that vision a reality. But it turns out that there are some unintended consequences to favoring electronic devices over the printed page: namely, that…

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) about an American family’s experience in the Chinese education system has gotten a lot of attention recently. Whereas in the U.S., where teachers are frequently questioned and challenged by students and parents alike, Chinese teachers tolerate none of it: they expect strict obedience from their…

During the course of a lesson in an active learning environment, instructors may want to conduct some type of classroom poll, which can get complicated in a BYOD (“bring your own device”) environment. Fortunately, there are several options available that allow students to participate in classroom polls while using their own laptop or tablet, or…

One frequent headache for the average college student is dealing with textbooks. They’re expensive, used copies in decent condition can be hard to find, and textbook companies frequently come out with “new” editions that are minimally revised versions of the previous edition. But an initiative out of Houston-based Rice University could help change that. OpenStax…

To achieve the custom design for your specific active learning classroom, keep an open mind. When the goal is to create a space for interpersonal and hands-on education, the options are limitless. The key is that the layout must invoke something different. A new style of learning can’t very well occur in the same environment…

Sometimes the most underutilized spaces on campus are the ideal testing grounds for active learning. Even if the space seems unfit, cluttered, small, or outdated, the main goal is to provide an environment where students can easily interact. Think outside the box. Experiment with extra furniture and available rooms. The latest technology isn’t always crucial…

When preparing to implement a new active learning space, get ready for politics. Issues will most certainly arise if one department is being funded over another. Registrars in particular can make some noise because the more space given to active learning means increased difficulty for them to schedule courses with fewer available classrooms. This means…