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We all know what it's like to sit
in chairs during a class.
It can be uncomfortable,
maybe a bit too sedentary,
or maybe it's
so comfy students become drowsy.
What if you had to balance
on an exercise ball?
Grand Valley's professor
of Movement Science,
John Kilbourne wanted
to test the idea
that if you engage your body,
you better engage your mind.
The stability balls do have their
limits, bad posture isn't going
to be corrected permanently,
and there is a challenge not having
a back like a chair does.
I fidget a lot in class,
so to actually have the excuse
to move around and bounce around,
it makes the class a lot more
interactive and it keeps my
attention up.
Kilbourne switched
to stability balls in his classroom
and surveyed 52 students
about the change.
He published his findings,
showing students increased
their focus.
The research got a lot
of national attention,
and the idea of students sitting
on balls in class was off
and rolling.
For Around Grand Valley,
I'm Mary Eilleen Lyon.