Date of Award

12-2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Department

Education

First Reader/Committee Chair

Schnorr, Donna

Abstract

This descriptive study examines students’ perspectives of their engagement when seated in flexible seating with choice. The researcher analyzed interview and survey data to answer the following research questions: 1.) What are students’ perceptions of flexible seating with choice? 2.) What are students’ perceptions on their level of engagement with flexible seating with choice?

The purpose of this study was achieved by interviewing and surveying first grade students who have experienced flexible seating in their Title 1 school within Southern California. Using the data from the interviews, this study identified common themes around the perception of flexible seating

among randomly selected students interviewed. Under the themes of comfort, freedom of choice, focus, movement, and feelings towards flexible seating were discussed. Using the data from the surveys, this study found that 75% of student participants perceived their level of engagement to be considered true engagement or full engagement according to Schlechty’s (2011) levels of engagement, while 18.8% perceived their level to be considered strategic compliance and 6.3% perceived theirs to be retreatism.

This study provides insight into how students perceive their engagement with flexible seating. The results of this study, display that flexible seating has a positive relation to engagement and an important factor of this is student choice.

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