GRAND RAPIDS, MI, July 22, 2014 - A study has found that learning outcomes in college students are positively correlated with an active learning environment. 

The study, conducted by Steelcase Education and performed using more than 120 subjects across 4 campuses, suggests that active learning environments and flexibile seating arrangements improve student engagement in a statistically significant way. Steelcase Education developed its own Active Learning Post-Occupancy Evaluation© (AL-POE) to evaluate the students' engagement levels.

By all counts, the active learning environments were a success: 72 percent of students felt more motivated to attend class, and 84 percent said they felt more engaged in classroom activities. 

“For many years, inflexible classroom layouts with rows of stationary desks have not only hindered mobility, but also engagement", says Dr. Lennie Scott Webber, Director of Education Environments Globally at Steelcase Education. "With this study, Steelcase Education is putting forward solid evidence around the role of intentional classroom design to demonstrate the impact on student academic achievement – and create a potential template for institutions to follow."