The Use of Furniture in a Student-Centred Primary School Learning Environment

Classroom furniture has evolved over time from fixed desks facing the front to maintain order and control a range of flexible types encourage student-centred pedagogies. This article reports research that applied socio-material approach explore how is used in learning environment. Data were gathered observations, reflections, student focus group interviews teacher one school New Zealand. In this context it was found students for different purposes. Individual preferences differences evident including unconventional use furniture. The influenced by teachers, students, environment, design curriculum, mediated pedagogy on developing autonomy environmental competence. demonstrated competence, awareness ways available can be curriculum activities social conditions affect comfort, collaboration concentration levels. classrooms where move around space, competence should deliberately embedded teaching programme implicitly explicitly. context, teachers controlled environment had restricted their notion student-centredness contemporary classroom environments requires further investigation.