Gender Differences In Student Attitude for Seating Layout In College Classrooms

This study examined whether gender influenced college students\u27 attitudes regarding classroom seating layout. Seating layouts included: a) rows of tablet-arm chairs, b) U-shaped, c) clusters, and d) rows of tables with individual chairs. The sample consisted of 912 college students. Factor analysis yielded two dimensions: Feeling at Ease and Social Interaction. Results of a 2x4 ANOVA revealed that females had greater feeling at ease in rows of tablet-arm chairs and in clusters, while males felt more at ease in u-shaped and rows of tables with individual chairs. Regardless of layout, males were less likely to interact with classmates than females. Topics for future research are included