| According to the Center for Research on | | | | Fourth, and very popular, the horseshoe |
| Learning and Teaching (CRLT) at the | | | | arrangement. This arrangement allows all |
| University of Michigan, there are seven | | | | students to see the teacher and the |
| distinct and possible seating | | | | other students easily without turning |
| arrangements to consider when arranging | | | | more than a quarter turn. The instructor |
| a room. When deciding which seating | | | | can actually stand closer to all |
| arrangement is best for your purposes, | | | | students-something that traditional rows |
| it is important to consider two points. | | | | sacrifices for students in the back. The |
| First, the instructor should be easily | | | | drawback is that it won't work for large |
| visible to the students at all times. | | | | classrooms and doesn't maximize room |
| Eliminate any need for students to turn | | | | space to the fullest. |
| away from their desktops in order to | | | | Fifth, is the circular table |
| visually follow a teacher or professor. | | | | arrangement. Computers around the edge |
| While that seems like a no-brainer, | | | | of the room facing the walls, with round |
| teachers often forget this during the | | | | tables in the middle of the room. This |
| course of teaching and even when class | | | | separates the group work done in the |
| participation is strong, students often | | | | "group" environment from the independent |
| find themselves having to twist around | | | | work done at the computer. Some prefer |
| in their seats to pay attention to what | | | | this arrangement, as it keeps students |
| another student is saying, or to follow | | | | engaged during lecture time. |
| a teacher that is moving about the room. | | | | Sixth, peninsulas. These are rows of |
| Second, keep in mind what the purpose of | | | | workspaces facing one another and |
| the class is. A computer class should | | | | jutting from the wall opposite the |
| obviously be situated differently than | | | | instructor's station. It allows students |
| an art class, etc. | | | | to see the instructor fairly clearly and |
| As for the seven seating arrangements, | | | | also allows for more computer desks to |
| the first is traditional rows. This | | | | be added in a single classroom. |
| arrangement is still used in many | | | | Seventh, are L-shaped clusters. This |
| situations as it gives instructors the | | | | arrangement allows for the benefit of |
| opportunity to walk around easily and | | | | clusters, but provides for better visual |
| check on student progress, but in most | | | | connection to the front of the classroom |
| cases, it visually impairs the students. | | | | for all students. |
| Second, clusters. These arrangement | | | | Regardless of which arrangement you go |
| works well for small groups, but like | | | | with, it's also important to maximize |
| tables in a banquet hall, there will | | | | the use of desks. Different types of |
| always be the need for one or more | | | | desks-other than traditional computer |
| students to have to turn completely in | | | | desks-are now very popular. For example, |
| his/her chair to follow an instructor or | | | | we found well-designed desks such as the |
| listen to a speaker. | | | | Downview Desk which allows for a |
| Third, specifically for computer desks, | | | | computer screen to be mounted under the |
| tables around the edge of the room | | | | desktop as to prevent obstruction of the |
| facing the walls is one type of | | | | student's view of the teacher. We also |
| arrangement. Again, students must turn | | | | found multi-user tables to be |
| to hear a speaker, but if most of the | | | | comfortable and space-saving. Check out |
| class work is done independently, this | | | | all of these options before deciding |
| can create a nice space-saving | | | | which arrangement is best for your |
| environment with few distractions. | | | | classroom. |