Blogs

Setting Up Your School Computer Lab

With technology becoming ever more integrated into our daily lives, the role played by computers and tablets in the classroom is also changing. IT is no longer an isolated subject or niche interest; it is an integral element in a vast array of learning activities for every subject. This means that computer labs too are changing. Along with the stackable chairs and tables found in every standard classroom, it is now common to see charging stations, power banks, and computer desks.

Auditorium and Event Furniture

Emmanuel College - McAuley Library

Emmanuel College Warrnambool is a dynamic Catholic learning Community that is growing its reputation as an education leader, and we are proud to have worked with them over a number of years.

The McAuley Library is an exciting and welcoming space with many different collaborative and focus areas, for both staff and students. The refurbished building includes modern spaces for classes, a relaxed area for students wishing to study or have a game of chess, and functional spaces for small group work.

Spotlight On Classroom Chairs

The majority of educators would agree that one of the most important factors shaping a student’s education students’ outcomes relate to the relationship between student and educator. Even a teacher with limited resources is likely to elicit a positive response from their students if they have the requisite skill, knowledge, teach

ing style, and enthusiasm. Similarly, a student’s interest and willingness to engage will give a reasonably good indication of how she will progress in a given class.

But other variables also contribute to creating an optimal learning environment. In this blog, we present our range of EN stackable chairs and classroom IT chairs, weighing the relative merits of each, and discuss how they can be used to create your ideal classroom setting.

The Benefits of Stacking Chairs...

Versatile Hospitality Furniture Solutions

At Office Line, we have been providing Australian schools, kindergartens, and universities with high quality furnishings for classrooms and offices since 1988. As experts in the education sector, we work with our clients to formulate the best use of their space, creating complete fit outs for classrooms, laboratories, and performance spaces.

What some of our clients don’t realise is that our range also includes a variety of versatile, high-quality pieces designed to suit the needs of the catering and hospitality industries. Like our classroom furniture, these chairs, tables, and stools are built for comfort and feature a simple, elegant design approach that ensures your customers feel at home in your café or restaurant. 

Hospitality Seating

One of our most popular seating options is the Cypris Chair. The Cypris Chair features a reinforced polypropylene shell, comes in seven different colours, and is available with and without armrests. Easily stackable and UV resistant, the Cypris Chair is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Simple, stylish, and highly durable, each Cypris Chair comes with a five-year warranty for peace of mind.

A minimalist companion piece to the Cypris Chair, our Industrial Stool was designed in France by Xavier Pauchard Tolix in 1934. Nearly a century later, it remains a popular seating choice for many commercial settings around the world. The Industrial Stool features a lightweight steel frame, is available in 10 colours and three different sizes, and can be stacked for ease of storage. 

For an even more versatile option, our Swiftset Folding Chair is ideal for use in school classrooms, halls, churches, and cafés. The Swiftset Chair is an incredible space saver, easily folding away for storage on a custom-made trolley, which can hold up to 48 individual chairs. Despite its super lightweight design, the Swiftset Chair is deceptively strong and durable, able to support up to 450kg.

Finally, the Regis Chair offers high grade steel tubing for maximum strength and durability and a moulded foam seat and backrest for improved comfort. It can be stacked 10 high when not in use and is an excellent option for events where guests will remain seated for long periods.

Hospitality and Catering Tables

Officeline also offers a number of tables for the hospitality and catering industries, like the weather resistant Flip Café Table. Ideal for seating one or two patrons, Flip Café Tables are also built for horizontal nesting, meaning they can be pushed together to accommodate multiple diners. These tables feature a folding top for ease of storage.

For large events, you can’t go past our MKII Trestle Tables and Round Banquet Tables. Exceptionally strong and foldable for compact storage, these tables feature heavy-duty steel frames and ABS plastic tops with a honeycomb core.

Why Choose Office Line?

A family-owned and operated business, Office Line has been supplying Australian industries with high-quality furniture and fittings for over 30 years. We scour the world to bring our customers only the most innovative products selected on the basis of their strength, durability, design, and ergonomic performance. Our uncompromising commitment to providing a personal, professional service to our customers has made us the supplier of choice for industry professionals around Australia.

Get in Touch Today

Our customer service professionals are available to talk with you today. For more information about our range of hospitality furnishings you can email us at info@officeline.com.au or call 1800 333 116 to speak to one of our team members. 

Five Classroom Layout for Student Engagement

Classroom Layouts That Promote Student Engagement

Numerous studies have shown that the learning environment has a significant impact on student outcomes. Some of the most important factors include the size of the class, the emotional connectedness of the students, skill level, teaching style, and the input level of the teacher. The classroom layout is another important element, and one over which the teacher can exercise a high degree of control. Teaching preferences, class size, and other factors have resulted in various configurations. In this guide, you will find five configurations and the benefits of each.

Grouped Seating

Popular with teachers whose students do a lot of group work, this style of classroom layout breaks your students into groups or “pods” of six. To form a pod, place two rows of three single desks (like the Eduflex Single Desk T Leg with Tray beside each other (six altogether) to create an oblong surface shape with chairs arranged along the longer sides, so the six students face each other. Space the pods about a metre apart so students are not easily distracted by the groups around them. To apply the same learning style to smaller groups of three, the Eduflex Collaborative Zone is perfectly designed to maximise space and facilitate collaborative learning.

Benefits of Grouped Seating

• Promotes collaboration and teamwork
• Encourages peer-to-peer learning
• Creates a more inclusive learning environment

Grouped U Seating

This option gives the students a little more personal space and allows the educator to stand or sit at the centre of the U shapes to give each group close attention. For this arrangement, you could use six single- or three double-desks, such as the Eduflex Double Desk, with one double desk acting as the end piece and the other two placed perpendicular to it on either side, leaving one end open and a space at the centre.

Benefits of Grouped U Seating

• Allow teachers to create groups and promote critical discussions. 
• Facilitate personalised feedback for students
• Perfect for teachers that want to be close to the students

Concentric U Seating

This method is less suited to small group work but is highly conducive to group discussions, allowing all students to have a good view of the board and teacher at the front of the class as well as being able to easily see and communicate with all of their classmates. Here you could use any combination of single- or double-desks or a specialised set, such as the Spectator Collection Bench Setting, a modular easting and desk system that can be arranged to form any number of shapes.

Benefits of Concentric U Seating

• Keep most of the students engaged in the class
• Allow teachers to keep an eye on all students easily
• Promote class discussion between classmates and teachers

Simple Rows

This style of seating hardly needs elaboration; rows of desks arranged lengthways across the classroom, parallel to one another, with chairs positioned behind each row to face the front of the class (i.e., the whiteboard). This layout can be good for tests or board work, but it makes it difficult for students to see or interact with one another (although for teachers who are having a hard time controlling their class, this setup might at times be desirable).

Benefits of Simple Rows Seating

• Good for tests and board work
• Easy to manage
• Provides a clear view of the board for all students

Flexible Seating

While not a new concept in education, flexible seating is still a divisive one. It allows students to move between seats as they feel, from being seated at a pod configuration to a beanbag on the floor to a lounge arrangement and back. Some educators argue that this style of seating is more in line with the way our world works now and encourages students to be flexible and adaptable. For others, it lacks structure and quickly becomes unmanageable. As always, it will depend on the teaching ideology of the school, the individual teacher, and the student body.

Benefits of Flexible Seating

• Promotes student engagement
• Encourages creativity and innovation
• Allows students to learn in a way that best suits their individual needs
• Creates a more relaxed and comfortable learning environment

Ultimately, the best classroom layout for your students will depend on a variety of factors, including the size of your class, the subject matter you are teaching, and the learning styles of your students. By experimenting with different layouts and observing the results, you can find the one that works best for your classroom.

Get In Touch Today

OfficeLine has been supplying schools, kindergartens, and colleges with quality school furniture and fittings since 1988. To discuss what kinds of furniture are right for your learning space, speak to one of our experts today by calling 1800 333 116 or email us at info@officeline.com.au.