An Underutilized Tool: The Physical Classroom Environment Impacts Student Collaborative Work

Abstract

Objectives: 1. To examine what physical classroom elements high school students perceive would promote collaboration, 2. To examine the influence these physical classroom elements have on collaboration. Methods: This research was conducted in two studies: study I, a structured photographic Q-sort (N = 46), study II, a quasi-experiment (N = 24). Study I: students examined 30 photos and determined which physical elements they preferred for the promotion of collaboration. Study II: based on the results from study I, a collaborative classroom was created. Researchers analyzed the differences in aspects of collaborative work in a collaborative design versus a traditional design. Results: Students identified which physical elements they preferred for collaboration. Type of room influenced how students perceived their collaboration via group dynamics, personal experience, and impact of the physical environment. Conclusions: Physical classroom design influences student collaborative work. Further research should be conducted to examine these results long term.