Does sitting in the front row of a classroom really makes you a better student?

If you ask the following question: Where do the best students sit inside a classroom? 9 out of 10 are likely to respond “in the front”.  When you ask them why? The likely response is “to pay more attention” with only a few saying: “to be noticed by the Prof.”.

But what makes people pay more attention in a classroom if they sit in the front? And does it really make them pay more attention or do they sit in the front just to satisfy an ego and be more noticeable by the teacher?

Researcher Sam Ramadan, a leading expert on Stereo 3D Vision and 3D Photography technologies and considered to be one of the world’s top 3D photographers has the answers. 

Based on a widely conducted research lead by Sam at Mission3D (written Mission3-D™) between 2005 and 2008 on the effectiveness and usefulness of Stereo 3D Photography, Mr. Ramadan discovered that most of us are barely aware of the full functions and benefits of our own human vision. 

In a nutshell, the answers to the above pressing questions lie in the way our brain perceives imagery, explains Ramadan, and in this particular case, on the effect of depth perception on our own state of awareness and attentiveness.

Mr. Ramadan states that one of the main functions of Stereoscopic vision, the ability for the human right eye to view a right-eye angle image and for the left eye to view a left-eye angle image then for the brain to mix the two left and right images to see a stereo image, is to provide valuable depth perception information that is often necessary for our own survival and protection.

Basically, the average distance between the two eyes of a human being is about 6.5 cm, so when we look at close objects we perceive heightened depth perception because of the larger angle of view, and when we view objects at further distances, depth perception is reduced, with most of us unable to perceive depth beyond 50 meters.

It turns out that our eyes act as a human-radar of sorts as Mr. Ramadan discovered a direct correlation between our state of awareness and attentiveness and the amount of depth we perceive in our brain.  The closest the objects, the more depth we perceive, and the more attentive we become.  The reason this is, explains Ramadan, is because subconsciously this human-vision radar is necessary for our protection. 

This radar function is important in order to protect us from dangers, and by definitions, we view that far-a-way objects typically pose less danger than close-range objects.  So when we view close objects there is a need to pay close attention to those objects in order to better understand if they pose any danger or not, ultimately making us more aware and attentive.

Mr. Ramadan goes further to explain that an “Experience” by definition must be a three-dimensional visual experience, and that looking at two-dimensional objects and imageries such as reading a normal (2D) book lowers our attention span and actually more likely to put-us to sleep, as our brain translates what we are looking at as non-threatening and actually relaxing.

When producing 3D images and 3D print advertising Mission3D devised a 1-to-8 depth-perception scale to rate the depth perception effectiveness of the resulting 3D ads, with 8 pointing to the greatest possible depth perception, which provides for the highest awareness level, and 1 being the lowest depth perception, meaning the lowest awareness level. 

The highest depth perception score is typically achieved when we view live three-dimensional images at a distance of 20-40 cm, typically achieved when we are holding 3D objects in our own hands.  In a classroom, sitting 2-4 meters away from the teacher provides a depth score of 5-6 with the score becoming lower as students sit further back in the classroom, and with such reduction in depth perception comes a naturally reduced attentiveness.

When students are more attentive (sitting close), they remember more of what is discussed and are able to learn more inside the classroom.  Therefore, the answer is YES when you sit in the front of the classroom you will be in a natural higher attentive state caused by your Stereo-induced heightened depth perception and you are likely to benefit most form what the teacher has to share in the classroom and thus giving you an advantage to become a better student with all other things considered equal outside the classroom and giving equal intelligence levels.  Another added benefit of sitting in front is that the teacher will also see you in a heightened state of awareness and therefore remember you more than those who sit further away in the back. 

It turns out that Stereo 3D visuals are 8 times more memorable than regular 2D visuals and Mr. Ramadan thinks that his findings will revolutionize learning and improve learning retention through the use of Stereoscopic 3D Visual aids.  Now this is technology that should be used as part of the journey to change in bettering education.

To learn more about Mission3D you can visit http://www.Mission3-DGroup.com, to review other related articles visit http://www.3-DiMedia.com and download the T3 3-DiMedia PDF.