Classroom Ecology: Relations between Seating Location, Performance, and Attendance
Abstract
Data from 70 classes and 1,829 students over a period of 15 years were analyzed. Grade and attendance differences were analyzed for five different seating configurations: by row, by column, the front of the room versus the back of the room, the center of the room versus the perimeter of the room, and the middle of the room versus the sides of the room. Results utilizing numeric percentage grades and attendance percentages indicated students sitting in the more central parts of the class had higher percentage grades and attended classes more frequently than those students sitting in the less central parts of the class. Women attended class more frequently than men, yet there were no sex differences on grades.
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Social distancing measures may have altered factors such as seating arrangements or indoor climate that in turn can influence student performance.
“Social distancing measures may have altered factors such as seating arrangements or indoor climate that in turn can influence student performance (41 –43).”
From Learning loss due to school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021) · cites this paper as [42]
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- Authors
- Marshall, P. D., & Losonczy-Marshall, M.
- Affiliations
- Salisbury University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Marshall, P. Douglas
- Venue
- Psychological Reports
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2010-10
- Volume
- 107
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 567-577
- ISSN
- 0033-2941 (ISSN-L)
- 1558-691X
- OpenAlex
- W2140154532
- Cited by
- 24
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 6.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Reports (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Environments and Student Outcomes
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Outcomes and Influences
- Social Sciences › Education › Innovations in Educational Methods
- Keywords
- classroom seating, student performance, student grades, class attendance, seating arrangement, classroom ecology, gender differences
- MeSH terms
- Absenteeism, Accounting, Achievement, Adolescent, Female, Humans, Male, Sex Factors, Psychological Distance, Social Environment, Students, Young Adult
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