Desk arrangement effects on pupil classroom behavior.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate experimentally the effects of desk arrangement on observed pupil behavior. The desk arrangements studied were rows, clusters, and circles. Using a time-sampling observation method, we observed three experimental classrooms of fifthand sixth-grade students during discussion sessions in each of the desk arrangements. Three other classrooms of fifthand sixth-grade students served as controls. In each classroom, male and female students of high and low ability and high and low classroom interaction were observed. Results confirmed hypotheses that students seated in circles engage in significantly more on-task behavior than those in rows and that students seated in clusters engage in more on-task behavior than those in rows but less than those in circles. Observed pupil behavior varied significantly across student types, as was expected.