Developing Focused Minds, and Active Bodies in Elementary Schools
In 2016, the Copernicus team heard a CBC radio story that caught their attention – schools in Nova Scotia were using little, yellow stationary bikes in their classrooms, to help with fidgeting, focus and behavioural issues. Always on the lookout for innovative classroom solutions, the Copernicus Product Development team was intrigued! An idea like this aligned with the company’s Vision of developing meaningful products, for inclusive classrooms, that balance pedagogies of tech, play and wellness.
The team learnt that the bikes were being used to encourage self-regulation in classrooms, with great success. They also learnt that the yellow bikes came with many issues – resistance brake pads wearing out, pedals falling off and other functionality oversights that ignored the realities of classrooms and student use. Copernicus decided to pursue the development of a stationary bike that would be better suited for classrooms, with the Vision of helping teachers encourage focused minds and active bodies, key elements of student Health and Wellbeing.
While the Copernicus Brand has been trusted for 35 years in the design and manufacturing of school furniture and solutions, a stationary bike would be a departure from the team’s expertise. The team decided to partner with Toronto-based industrial design firm, Swave Studios, who had expertise with the ergonomics and engineering of bikes. Doing so allowed the Copernicus design team to focus on the features and functions really necessary in Elementary classrooms.
Elementary classroom environments host numerous users, all with different needs and abilities. The Copernicus team, with input from their Teacher Advisory Team, called the Idea Lab, uncovered multiple points of consideration to ensure inclusion for a range of users. The main colour selection (lime green), was gender neutral and aligned with teaching practices around the Zones of Regulation, with green indicating an excitement and readiness to learn. Teacher Advisors also pointed out that a tool like the bike, while it might be necessary for some students, can be enjoyed by all in the classroom and does not single any one student out with a specialty item. Classrooms can also be tough on products! So, the Copernicus team ensured testing well above standards, executing more then 7 million testing cycles on the Cruiser before approving the design for mass production.
The Copernicus Self-Regulation Classroom Cruiser overcomes multiple functionality concerns that teachers had with the original yellow bike. The most obvious design improvement is a covered fly wheel, which protects curious little fingers in a classroom environment and also creates a quieter solution, reducing distractions in the class. During classroom observation sessions, Copernicus’ designers observed students creating their own desk surfaces on their laps, or pulling a desk up to the bike, so the team designed an optional desk surface that could be mounted flat or tilted on an angle to hold a tablet. The team also built in features such as an odometer and timer, to allow activities that tie into geography and math, such as mapping how far the class rides in a given period of time.
Launched in the spring of 2020, the Classroom Cruiser can now be found across North America in classrooms, libraries, gross motor and special needs spaces, physical and occupational therapy spaces and gyms.
Copernicus Educational Products is a leading North American designer and manufacturer of innovative classroom furniture and tech-based solutions. Their products are developed and tested with teachers in real classroom environments, to ensure that they have real purpose in the real world.
As a certified B Corp™, Copernicus is a part of a community of like-minded businesses that want to use business as a force for good. Their aim is to redefine what a successful business is by being directed and shaped through a social and environmental conscience.
