ERIC Number: EJ963634
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Jul
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0047-231X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Is There a "Back" of the Room when the Teacher Is in the Middle?
Kregenow, Julia Miller; Rogers, Michael; Price, Matthew F.
Journal of College Science Teaching, v40 n6 p45-51 Jul 2011
We studied student seating habits in both a traditional lecture hall with the instructor in the front and in a SCALE-UP (Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Programs) studio-style classroom with the instructor in the middle. Like several previous authors, we find that students with higher course grades tend to sit in the front of a lecture hall and those with lower course grades toward the back. However, no clear pattern of either high or low grades appears in a SCALE-UP classroom. We compare our results with previous studies, both those using assigned seating and those allowing free-seat selection, as we did. Seat selection at the beginning of the semester did not correlate with any demographic or grade factors, but rather students appeared to choose their seats arbitrarily or because of social factors (e.g., near friends). Student seat location remains remarkably consistent throughout the semester, indicating that students form a bond with their initial seat. The observed mixing of A students throughout the room suggests that the SCALE-UP room has effectively eliminated the "front of the room" phenomenon seen in lecture halls. However, the small number of D and F students prohibits determining whether the SCALE-UP room has equally eliminated the "back of the room" phenomenon. (Contains 1 table and 6 figures.)
Descriptors: College Students, Grades (Scholastic), Measures (Individuals), Lecture Method, Comparative Analysis, Academic Achievement, Teaching Methods, Furniture, Classroom Design, Space Utilization, Classrooms, Student Attitudes, Higher Education, College Science, Science Education, Science Instruction
National Science Teachers Association. 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Tel: 800-722-6782; Fax: 703-243-3924; e-mail: membership@nsta.org; Web site: http://www.nsta.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A