What’s the Best Classroom Arrangement for Student Learning? The Answer Might Surprise You.

There are many ways to organize your classroom — groups, rows, one giant horseshoe — You name it; it’s probably been done. If you’ve been teaching for a long time, you’ve likely seen different arrangements come in and out of style. Maybe you’ve even had your classroom setup impact your observation ratings.

My personal experience has been that administrators and supervisors constantly push grouped desks and other setups that foster cooperative learning, usually citing vague studies that “show this is best for our students.” So I decided to dive into the research to see what’s out there for myself.

What did I find? After reading through several studies from the past two decades, the answer is clear (and also pretty obvious to those of us who have ever stood in front of a classroom): The optimal seating arrangement depends on the task at hand and your students.

It’s time to dig into the research to see for yourself. Read on to learn more about what the studies are saying and whether or not you should take their advice.

Coming Up:

• Types of Classroom Arrangements
• Rows vs. Groups
• Traditional vs. Alternative Seating
• Optimal Classroom Arrangements by Task
• Tips & Tricks for Arranging Your Classroom
• Guidelines