Plants-in-buildings.com

With exam results once again coming under intense scrutiny, a new study suggests that students could improve their chances of success with a little help from an unlikely source, plants.

The research, undertaken by Amanda Read, a student at The Royal
Agricultural College, Cirencester, as part of her BSc in Horticulture and supported by Rentokil Tropical Plants, has provided some staggering results.

Read's study monitored the attendance and behaviour of a group of 34 students over the course of an academic year during a weekly series of lectures. The location of the lectures alternated each week between a room with plants, and a room without plants.

The audience was video recorded and observed for behavioural signs of inattention including daydreaming, talking, fidgeting and yawning.

Each incident was recorded and the total number of incidents per lecture calculated.

Results showed that in the room where plants were present students inattentiveness was reduced by 70%. In terms of attendance, the percentage of students returning to the lecture following a break was 97.8%. In the room without plants this figure was 86.4%

Commenting on her findings, Amanda Read said: "Being a plant lover, I had expected to find some students preferred the room with plants. I imagined this would manifest itself predominantly in the form of positive comments from the users of the room, but not much more than that.

"I really did not expect such a significant difference in respect of
student behaviour."

Ian Thompson, Managing Director, Rentokil Tropical Plants UK added: "It is essential for the Horticulture market to understand the customer.

"It is equally important for decision makers in educational facilities and offices to understand that the value of plants extends far beyond the merely aesthetic appeal.

He continued: "Amanda will be carrying out further research comparing the students' exam results and exam questions selected with the room scenario in which the topic was taught"