{"id":297496,"date":"2012-01-22T17:54:53","date_gmt":"2012-01-22T17:54:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.smartdesks.com\/blog\/?p=297496"},"modified":"2021-07-02T11:09:16","modified_gmt":"2021-07-02T11:09:16","slug":"new-collaborative-learning-furniture-line-at-the-school-college-building-expo-2012","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smartdesks.com\/knowledge-center\/new-collaborative-learning-furniture-line-at-the-school-college-building-expo-2012\/","title":{"rendered":"SMARTdesks Unveils New Furniture Line at the School & College Building Expo 2012"},"content":{"rendered":"

BALTIMORE, JANUARY 22, 2012
\nSMARTdesks launches iGroup\u00ae Collaborative Learning Furniture January 24th at the School and College Building Expo 2012 at the Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. This innovative computer table system is based on triangular iGroup elements\u00ae that go together to form a myriad of interactive shapes. Calling it \u201cThe Origami of interaction,\u201d iGroup gives a creative, fun approach supporting collaborative learning in K-12 classrooms.
\nCollaborative learning refers to the mutual exchange of ideas between students and their classroom teachers. Collaborative learning reflects a conceptual shift from traditional pedagogy to joint learning experiences for both the experts and the students.
\nCollaboration tables foster stimulating interactions through their functional and aesthetic design. Through flexible desk and seating arrangements, participants at each learning station establish rapport largely through accommodating and naturally inviting table ergonomics. Computers, laptops, and mobile devices all are relevant technologies that easily integrate with \u201cold-fashioned\u201d pen and paper.
\nCollaboration furniture assures positive body language between participating members of the table. Offset seating arrangements and table curves welcome eye contact. Additionally, rolling chairs make sharing monitors and text resources at separate workstations a seamless effort. Students begin to \u201cmirror\u201d each other\u2019s body language because their workstations reflect fully engaged interactions.
\niGroup Collaboration Tables by SMARTdesks enable users to work independently or together in groups of two or more, and the workstations themselves offer mobility for flexible classroom layout. Teachers can arrange the desks singularly or in clusters that are appropriate for group and private study. The table\u2019s flexibility in configuration optimizes floor space with integrated wire management systems. iGroup supports both traditional front-facing lines of desks or virtually limitless configurations including hexagon, pinwheel, wave, triangle, and abstract.
\niGroup was born from a need to develop economical and flexible collaboration furniture. Michele McHenry, Director of Design at SMARTdesks, says \u201cThe classrooms and labs that we are constructing today extend so far beyond the traditional classroom environment that it is critical that we offer a solution that offers both a traditional seating arrangement as well as a multitude of reconfiguration options.\u201d
\nOne of the iGroup\u2019s most important principles is the freedom it gives students to learn in their own styles within the classroom. Teachers can quickly adjust the desk dynamics as they assess the needs of their students within the working space. The iGroup design promotes a continuous flow of interaction that adapts to any project at hand.
\nCollaborative learning studios designed with classroom layout in mind promote engaged environments where students can multitask with text and technological resources all while remaining immersed in their projects.
\nDerek Swanson, Personalized Learning Coordinator at the Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy, comments on his installation of SMARTdesks collaboration tables: \u201c[the tables] allow people to talk to one another and still have the technology available to them to reference if they need to in their discussions. It\u2019s worked out really well.\u201d
\nThe school employs \u201cproject-based learning\u201d methodology; students collaborate to solve real-world problems in cooperative interactions. The workspace inspires students to innovate together and develop solutions. Team-building skills cultivated in the classroom will serve students in their future employment interactions. The firm foundation collaborative learning developed from an early age is crucial to this skill.
\nAnd as Mr. Swanson asserted, \u201chaving the ability to really have the students collaborate – that\u2019s how students are learning.\u201d
\nFor more information about Smartdesks please visit https:\/\/www.smartdesks.com or call 800-770-7042. Smartdesks will be at booth # 2429 at the SCBE 2012.
\nCONTACT:
\nJohn Kessell
\n(800) 770-7042 x809
\njkessell@smartdesks.com<\/a>
\nJeffrey Korber
\n(800) 440-7042 x801
\njkorber@smartdesks.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BALTIMORE, JANUARY 22, 2012 SMARTdesks launches iGroup\u00ae Collaborative Learning Furniture January 24th at the School and College Building Expo 2012 at the Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. This innovative computer table system is based on triangular iGroup elements\u00ae that go together to form a myriad of interactive shapes. Calling it \u201cThe Origami of interaction,\u201d iGroup […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[204],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-297496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-company-news"],"yoast_head":"\nSMARTdesks Unveils New Furniture Line at the School & College Building Expo 2012 - Smartdesks Knowledge Center<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/smartdesks.com\/knowledge-center\/new-collaborative-learning-furniture-line-at-the-school-college-building-expo-2012\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"SMARTdesks Unveils New Furniture Line at the School & College Building Expo 2012 - Smartdesks Knowledge Center\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"BALTIMORE, JANUARY 22, 2012 SMARTdesks launches iGroup\u00ae Collaborative Learning Furniture January 24th at the School and College Building Expo 2012 at the Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. 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