action research
TRANSCRIPT
The effect of seating arrangement on classroom behavior, question asking, and teacher-student interaction.
Front Table
Teacher’s DeskHour: __
Teacher’s Desk
Front TableHour
0
2
4
6
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Group Row Group Row Group Row Group Row Group Row Front Middle Back Front Middle Back
Preference Productivity Understanding Collaboration Relaxed Location Preference
Row
Location Prefernce
Group
Nu
mb
er o
f S
tud
en
ts
Preference
1st Hour Seating Arrangment PreferenceSurvey 1 Results
0
5
10
15
20
25
Group Row Group Row Group Row Group Row Group Row Front Middle Back Front Middle Back
Preference Productivity Understanding Collaboration Relaxed Location Preference
Row
Location Prefernce
Group
Nu
mb
er o
f S
tud
en
ts
Preference
2nd Hour Seating Arrangement PreferenceSurvey 1 Results
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Group Row Group Row Group Row Group Row Group Row Front Middle Back Front Middle Back
Preference Productivity Understanding Collaboration Relaxed Location Preference
Row
Location Prefernce
Group
Nu
mb
er o
f S
tud
en
ts
Preference
3rd Hour Seating Arrangement PreferenceSurvey 1 Results
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Group Row Group Row Group Row Group Row Group Row Front Middle Back Front Middle Back
Preference Productivity Understanding Collaboration Relaxed Location Preference
Row
Location Prefernce
Group
Nu
mb
er o
f S
tud
en
ts
Preference
6th Hour Seating Arrangement PreferenceSurvey 1 Results
How has the new seating arrangement affected your learning this week? Please name one way it has either helped or hindered you.
1st Hour 2nd Hour
3rd Hour 6th Hour
Helped
No effect
Hindered
Helped
No effect
Hindered
Helped
No effect
Hindered
Helped
No effect
Hindered
QuotesI think it has helped me get work done and do better on
quizzes and pay attention.
I like the new seating arrangement. I feel I'm doing better. I am not being interrupted by other people, Parker, and the
seats are good.
Ever since I've been sitting here it has drained the living soul from me. I hate it and does not help.
It has helped me because I am the only person in my row and there are no distractions. It has hindered me because I kind
of like doing group work & it's hard in rows.
It hasn't really affected my learning. It was pretty much the same. It's hindered me because I sat way in the back.
37%
63%
Where are you most likely
to ask questions?
Row Group
28%
72%
Where do you have more
interaction with your teacher?
Row Group
28%
72%
Where are you most likely to
participate in class?
Row Group
ConclusionsDuring direct instruction it is important for students to face the direction of the
instructor/instruction to ensure understanding.
During individual work time students should get the subliminal message that socializing is not accepted through an individualized seating arrangement.
Students recognize what seating arrangements work for them, but self-seating should be limited to specific tasks.
Students are more likely to collaborate, ask questions, and interact with the teacher one-on-one in group seating.
Seating arrangement should match the focus of the lesson!