The article “The Role of seating Position in group Interaction: A Review, with Applications for Group Trainers” by Jerald Greenberg mentions the importance of seating positions. It talks about studies that have found that people who sit in central seating positions were able to maintain better eye contact with other members around them. The study also found that tasks requiring interpersonal communication were associated with the use of close seating arrangements and tasks requiring independent activities were associated with distant seating arrangements. This article provides studies and research to help justify my inquiry that seating plans are fundamental in effective learning practices. My inquiry looks at the importance of seating plans within a classroom environment. Through various observations, I have noticed the effects of poor seating arrangements. This article talks about proximity in seating but to go beyond that I have observed that an effective seating plan is one that keeps all factors in mind. An effective seating plan from my observations is one that allows space for mobility around a classroom, seats students together of various levels of competency, and pairs the shy students with those students that are more talkative. I have also noticed that various environments require differed approaches and that no two classrooms are alike!

Greenberg, Jerald. “The role of seating position in group interaction: A review, with applications for group trainers.” Group & Organization Management 1.3 (1976): 310-327.

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