One thing that I have noticed is that there is a fine line that we straddle when we establish collaborative space in a classroom. Finding the balancing point between a static learning environment, where students are intimidated to speak, and a space that students feel TOO comfortable in. One way to get a feeling for what students relate to in a classroom is to pay attention to where they congregate to work and how they interact with each other and their environment. Since I teach computer based courses it is a challenge to see how students can interact when they are hidden by computers. With labs that are laid out to be cost effective we as instructors need to make them learning effective. Watching students outside of class where and how they sit and interact can give guidance to how to make the classroom more effective. This also can give a hint as to how to avoid pitfalls when a student group has appropriated a classroom space where they feel they are in control to avoid classroom management issues.