So I investigated the Pros and Cons of using Yoga Balls in a classroom setting. From my perspective, the pros outweigh the cons. The use of yoga balls exercises the core muscles, which with repeated use can improve posture. With the core engaged, the body's blood flow increases and allows more oxygen to get to the brain, increasing alertness and concentration. Research also suggests that the younger generation work better when multitasking, so the yoga ball may help in this way as well. Another detail is the cost effectiveness of yoga balls. A yoga ball costs a quarter of what a typical school chair would.
Some fear that introducing yoga balls will be a distraction to the students, because of mischievous children bouncy and rolling the balls while they should be learning. It has the possibility of a lot of sounds and distractions, as well as possible injuries that may be caused by misuse. Another problem that is encountered in schools is the wastefulness. Why should chairs be replaced by yoga balls if the chairs are still usable?
Rosen would encourage the use of yoga balls as a technology because it is a physical technology instead of a virtual technology like computers or the internet. Also since it is so simple but useful, it would lessen any technology anxiety or OCD someone might have.
http://prezi.com/oaomcwwffplo/untitled-prezi/?kw=view-oaomcwwffplo&rc=ref-29436495
I would love to have yoga balls in my classrooms because of all the pros that you mentioned. I also agree that members of the younger generation work better while multitasking. However, I fear that the use of yoga balls may be an enabling agent; if they get used to always multitasking while working, they may permanently lose the ability to concentrate on one task at a time. That being said, I am of the mindset that if multitasking is a tool that will improve one's work, then giving the students yoga balls would empower them, not enable them.
ReplyDeleteBelow is an article that explains the difference between empowering and enabling. I encourage anyone reading this to read the article and decide if this technology, and other technologies, empowers or enables those who use the technology.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-anatomy-addiction/201207/are-you-empowering-or-enabling
The theory of integrating yoga balls into the classroom is wonderful. The only way I can see a classroom actually getting the benefits is if the teacher has full control of the classroom. If the teacher has control, the yoga balls will not become a huge distraction because the students will be kept on task and engaged. Also, the students will not be able to use this to bully other students. I can in reality see students pushing, kicking, or pulling other kids off of their yoga ball. It is shown that these events are lessened if the teacher is in control of the class, and then the children will get the benefits of the yoga balls in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the integration of yoga balls in a classroom setting is far from established, the benefits of a technology like this are simply too much to pass up. First, I'd like to compliment this group on pointing out that physical technologies do still exist! This was a great change of pace.
ReplyDeleteNext, I have to imagine that the distraction caused by a yoga ball is better than the blank stare encouraged by a banal lecture setting. I would rather children be intrigued by a ball and interacting with others than completely unfocused on anything. Like Josh has said before, not until recently, in the huge scope of education, have schools actually been gauged towards innovative learning, so we need to encompass every aspect of innovative education.
Finally, society's stigma that education and learning are supposed to be boring and tedious destroys hope and enthusiasm even in the youngest learners. I think most people believe that learning can be fun if they make it that way; however, I believe learning is always fun unless someone makes it boring. Like Wolf says of Socrates's work, we are curious beings who are entice to question everything. By nature, we enjoy learning, and the yoga ball in a classroom setting encourages our natural love for learning.
I agree with Zack that yoga balls are a great deal of fun and that learning needs to be changed within the classroom setting so that people, specifically children, can learn more and enjoy. I feel like this change in the classroom needs to be placed on the teacher, not on the chairs that the students sit on. I feel like as long as the material is presented in the same manner, sitting on a yoga ball will not get them to focus more on the material. I feel like it would actually be the opposite. I think that they would become more distracted, instead of focusing on nothing at all, they would focus on the ball. I think that your quote from Wolf definitely promotes a change in the classroom, but it shows that we need teachers that can trigger this desire to question everything, not a change in what we are sitting on.
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