Is the Fidget Cube Effective in the Classroom?

Is the Fidget Cube Effective in the Classroom?

The fidget cube is a vinyl desk toy that’s said to help people focus and feel less anxious. It’s designed by Matthew and Mark McLachlan, brothers and co-founders of the US design studio Antsy Labs. It has fidget tools on all sides: a toggle switch, gears, a rolling ball, a joystick, a spinning disk, a worry stone, and five buttons that you can click or spin. It may also help with ADHD focus, according to its creators.

The toy has gotten a lot of buzz, and is so popular that it’s sold out at the Antsy Labs website. The company claims to be working on making more, but it’s not clear when they’ll be ready. Meanwhile, other companies have jumped on the bandwagon and are producing similar products. Some are even selling accessories for the cube, like a rubber-looking holder (or perhaps a keychain) called the Prism that wraps around the fidget cube.

Despite the hype, the research on fidget toys is mixed. Some studies have shown that they can improve academic performance and attention, but others have not. More research is needed to determine whether these kinds of devices are effective in the classroom, especially with designs that take into account real-life classroom settings and have low risk of bias.

A recent study found that students who had access to a fidget cube during independent seatwork showed increased academically engaged behavior and decreased off-task behavior. This was in contrast to a control group of students who did not have access to a fidget cube. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Students were provided with a fidget cube, which they could manipulate during independent seatwork while completing math CBM worksheets. Observers recorded academically engaged behavior and off-task behaviors using a coding sheet for 15-min sessions. The participants were instructed to keep two fingers on the fidget cube at all times, to only use it while they were working, and not to throw it, share it, or be disruptive with it.

Unfortunately, it seems that the fidget cube has not been as successful as hoped. The original Kickstarter campaign raised more than $15,000 in September, but the company has yet to deliver all the cubes ordered by backers. This has led to a lot of complaints, and the Better Business Bureau has given the company an “F” rating. In addition, the company has ignored requests to respond to consumer complaints. As a result, many of the backers have created a Facebook page asking for their money back. The company has a new competitor, Stress Cube, which is trying to win over irate backers by offering better customer service.

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