Birds of a feather flock together: the importance of seating location with active learning in the professional classroom.

ASK ANY PROFESSOR to describe a “first-row student,” and you will likely hear a description of an engaged learner who pays attention during class, takes notes, and asks questions. A research study (3) from the 1980s has indicated that undergraduate students sitting in the front and center of the classroom score higher than other students. However, it is unclear whether this same trend would be seen among professional students. The rigorous admissions process for Schools of Dentistry, Graduate Studies, and Medicine selects only the highest-achieving students, possibly eliminating trends seen with classroom seating locations. On the other hand, the recent incorporation of active learning in the professional classroom may make students more dependent on their classmates for success in courses. In the School of Dentistry at the University of Louisville, the Dental Physiology course is a basic science course for 120 first-year Doctor of Dental Medicine students. The course is taught using a systems-based approach with 11 different physiological systems. In a recent study (2), students were taught five of the physiological systems using traditional didactic lectures and six of the physiological systems using an engaging lecture format. In engaging lectures, also referred to as broken or interactive lectures, students are given short periods of lecture followed by “breaks” that may consist of minute papers, problem sets, brainstorming sessions, or open discussion. During these activities, students are encouraged to work in small groups to foster a collaborative learning environment. Students in a collaborative learning environment are dependent on classmates in their immediate vicinity; thus, any trends of classroom seating on achievement could have important effects. Students in the Dental Physiology course voluntarily choose their seating locations in a classroom designated for all firstyear dental school courses. The tables in the classroom are arranged in groups of four with stadium seating, as shown in Fig. 1. While there is no assigned seating, almost all students (indicated by circles in Fig. 1) choose to retain their seating locations throughout the semester. Students are assessed in the Dental Physiology course through daily quizzes, four unit exams, and a final comprehensive exam. Despite the rigor of the course, only two to three students typically fail the class each year. However, given the extremely high costs of graduate Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: C. J. Miller, School of Medicine, Univ. of Louisville, HSC A-1115, 500 S. Preston St., Louisville, KY 40292 (e-mail: [email protected]).