• by Lauren Berger , September 22, 2006

Elton Hills Elementary School teacher Phil Rynearson never had to tell his fourth- and fifth-grade students to quiet down and take their seats. After all, they didn't have that option. In his experimental classroom of the future in Rochester, Minn., rickety wooden desks and uncomfortable chairs were nowhere to be found.

Designed by Dr. James Levine, an endocrinologist with the Mayo Clinic, the newfangled classroom was filled with adjustable podiums, floor mats, and exercise balls, all of which were meant to promote physical activity. By altering the traditionally restrictive setup, Dr. Levine hopes to change the way students learn while simultaneously combating childhood obesity.

In addition to the classroom's structural changes, each student temporarily received a video iPod and iBook G4 laptop, courtesy of Apple. In the new tech-friendly environment, students downloaded individual lessons in the form of podcasts, took spelling tests on their iPods, and composed their own music using iLife Garage Band software.

Over a three-week period, Dr. Levine and his team monitored students' daily movement through the use of Posture and Activity Detectors (PADs) attached to students' thighs. Although no scientific conclusions have been reached at this stage, those involved with the project are optimistic.

"This was more a concept demonstration of how an ongoing research project might be continued," says Mayo clinic spokesman Robert Nellis. "It raised some questions and opened a lot of avenues."