"Students Score Lower When Taking Exams in Rooms with High Ceilings"

"Expanded Environment Disadvantageous to Students"

A study has found that students' test scores tend to be lower when taking exams in spaces with high ceilings.

In a report recently published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, Dr. Isabella Bauer from the University of South Australia and Assistant Professor Jaclyn Broadbent from Deakin University analyzed the relationship between classroom ceiling height and exam performance among 15,400 undergraduate students across three university campuses in Australia from 2011 to 2019.

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The study revealed a significant correlation between ceiling height and test scores. Students who took exams in rooms with high ceilings scored lower than expected.

The research team explained, "We confirmed that test performance is related to the scale of the architectural environment," adding, "As room size increases, it can affect brain activity related to concentration, potentially having a negative impact on cognitive performance."

However, the team noted that the effect might be due to the scale itself or related to indoor environmental factors such as temperature changes or increased population density, emphasizing the need for further research.

The researchers stated, "The key point is that expanded environments appear to be disadvantageous for students," and highlighted the importance of understanding how the environment affects cognitive performance. They suggested that to accurately assess students' abilities, exams should not be conducted in rooms with high ceilings, opposing the practice of holding tests in large rooms with high ceilings.