Seating position and student learning approach relationship in a business subject on a life science degree

Abstract

[EN] In higher education, where students are able to choose the seating position from where they are attending their lectures, the seating choice becomes an interesting, and curious, matter of research. Up to date, most of the published works have related the position in class to the academic performance, measured mainly through grades. The interest of this contribution relies in the use of the student approach to learning of each student ¿classified as Deep Approach or Surface Approach, measured using the Biggs¿ R-SPQ-2F questionnaire- as possible explanatory variable for their most frequent seating position. A correlation analysis allows to state if there is any relationship between these elements. A sample of students from first year of the Degree in Biotechnology at Universitat Politècnica de València was gathered to assess this relationship. Their most frequent position in class was determined by a series of pictures that were taken throughout the course and the student approach to learning was assessed at the beginning of the term with the R-SPQ-2F questionnaire. Results can provide instructors with some guidelines to address their attention and intention in-class activities to the groups that they target.