A Comment on the Study of Classroom Ecology A Lament for the Good Old Days

Current research on classroom ecology fails to match the quality or interest of a little-known 60-year old study. Griffith (1921) studied approximately 20,000 grades achieved by students alphabetically assigned to seats in various lecture classes. Griffith's study is recounted and used to develop the following criticisms of recent classroom ecology research: (a) by dichotomizing front versus back of a classroom, recent studies preclude finding the curvilinear effects observed by Griffith, (b) recent studies do not consider the microecological features, such as aisles, empty seats, or local density, identified by Griffith as important, and 4c) recent studies do not focus on theoretical issues such as those discussed by, Griffith concerning how seating position might translate into higher grades and greater participation.