A Quiet Study Space Promotes Learning

Smartphones and other devices are often blamed for impairing students’ focus and learning in the classroom. Yet, those are not the only distractions that can make studying more challenging than it already is. Noise and other distracting sounds are all too common in the classroom and other spaces where students spend their time with their books and assignments. That is why well-designed study spaces are essential for supporting students’ learning and creating a motivating environment for studying.

Both young and old learners need help keeping up motivation or start studying in the first place if their study area is too noisy and chaotic. Especially students with special needs, such as neurodivergent individuals, can find learning in a noisy classroom difficult. A larger soundproof meeting booth, such as the Framery Q, can be placed in the classroom, where it becomes a private and quiet study space for small groups or one-to-one tutoring.

A dedicated study space needs privacy and quiet

An effective study space is a requirement for learning and staying focused on schoolwork. Here’s how students can optimize their study spaces to facilitate learning and avoid getting distracted:

Stay organized and remove excess clutter. Each study session should begin by arranging all necessary study materials, which is much easier when there is enough space. All excessive clutter, such as unnecessary study supplies and books, should be cleaned away from taking up space.
Take care of good lighting. The study space should be lit with natural light, a desk lamp or other adjustable light source. Study sessions in good lighting, for example near a window in natural light, help reduce eye strain.
Ensure good ergonomics. A well-designed study space is ergonomic, whether learning involves books and pencils or computer work. Ensure that there is enough room on the desk and that the chair can be adjusted for students of different sizes, both big and small.
Establish a space dedicated to studying. Getting into the flow of studying is easier when a dedicated study space is not used for anything else. That is why there are better places for getting into the flow of studying than the dining room table. If learning takes place in a shared space, it should be a study area where other distractions are kept to a minimum.
Remove distractions. Most people think of themselves as good multitaskers, although focusing on many things at once is shown to be a real productivity killer. If all else fails, putting phones and other smart devices in airplane mode or turning off notifications reduces distractions.

Finally, a good study space lacks distracting environmental factors, such as alarms, notifications, or loud conversations. Although some enjoy working or pulling off a study session in a busy coffee shop, it is not necessarily the most productive study space.

With Framery’s industry-leading soundproofing, you can establish an effective study space even outside of the classroom, for example, in school hallways.

The soundproof Framery pods and booths have found success in different educational spaces, from elementary schools to universities. Read more about the innovatively student-designed Framery pods at Ohio State University or how soundproof pods have transformed Baylor University.

How to set up a peaceful study session

Both in-class and online learning require the right environment that motivates students to learn and is free of distractions that can reduce productivity and break students’ focus. However, what makes for a great study space for one can be too stimulating for others. For example, why does one student get sucked into their studies in a busy coffee shop while others are bothered even by tiny distractions?

First, the type of distractions one is exposed to matters. For example, audible conversations are more distracting than white noise or the low drone of traffic in the background. In addition to the type of sound, the noise level matters a lot. In fact, there is such a thing as too little background noise, and finding the sweet spot helps to stay focused.

A study by the University of Arizona found that the optimal noise level in an office setting is 50 decibels. So, it is not just loud sounds that can harm focus and well-being. Too little background noise can have undesired consequences as well. Steady, low-level background sounds can help mask distractions in the environment.

In complete silence, even the slightest sounds are more pronounced, making students lose focus. Meanwhile, loud environments, such as a classroom or lecture hall full of students, can be overwhelming and full of distracting stimuli, including noise exceeding the optimal 50 decibel level.

A study space with industry-leading soundproofing

A Turku University of Applied Sciences study found that the Framery O beat other best-selling office pods on the market with a speech level reduction of 30.3 dB. This makes Framery O, just like other Framery pods, an optimal study space despite external sounds that could otherwise be distracting.
The soundproofed Framery One and Framery O make excellent study pods where students can escape the noisy classroom or work in peace amidst busy school corridors. The pods can be designed and placed to fit different areas of the school building, from classrooms to open shared areas and hallways.

January 18, 2024