Classroom Ecology: Relations between Seating Location, Performance, and Attendance

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.