Proponents of new best practices in classroom design to support effective 21st century learning agree that flexible furnishings and collaborative technology are critical to student success. Research* has shown that 73% of the variation in student performance can be attributed to design factors that:

• Provide for physical comfort – such as temperature, lighting and comfortable seating
• Provide visual stimulation – in a vibrant way that balances color and complexity
• Enable individuality – allowing for personalization and the flexibility to adapt to support a variety of activities and teaching approaches

Mobility, choice of seating and providing breakout zones have been found to be of particular importance. Recommendations include offering:

• Selective seating – couches, floor pillows, bean bag chairs, and traditional chair/desk combos
• Mobility – bookshelves and other wheeled furnishings that can be easily rearranged
• Collaborative configurations – combine desks or use larger tables in place of individual workspaces
• Huddle spaces – offer convenient group seating plus technology to facilitate small group collaboration and content sharing