Study Pods Support Learning and Collaboration

Educational settings often require a distraction-free environment for good learning outcomes. Furthermore, improving students’ ability to focus helps teachers maintain a peaceful learning environment. Unfortunately, focusing on demanding schoolwork is often easier said than done in noisy classrooms.

Key highlights

Excessive noise in educational settings hinders learning and concentration. This is especially true for tasks that require great cognitive effort, such as reading, writing, and comprehension.
Study pods are distraction-free spaces that improve student concentration and academic performance, especially in noisy environments.
From elementary schools to universities, study pods support individual study, group work, and teacher-student collaboration.

What is a study pod?

Study pods, also known as learning pods, are small booths used in educational settings to support students’ learning and facilitate group work.

Depending on their size, study pods and booths fit one to six students and can be placed freely around the classroom. These enclosed, private spaces are also used outside of the classroom, such as in hallways, lobbies, and university libraries.

For a study pod to help students learn and focus, it must meet the following requirements:

Soundproofing: A study pod needs to be well-insulated to block external noise or stop sound from escaping.
Portability: When a pod can be placed freely around the classroom and other educational spaces, students can use it for different activities, from private phone calls to group meetings.
Lighting and ventilation: Study sessions or meetings with a group of students can last a long time once the students get into the flow of learning. Therefore, the pod should enable both short and long study sessions.
Ergonomic design: Each study pod should be equipped with adjustable seating and ample desk space to support diverse student needs during extended study sessions.

Framery has worked together with different educational institutions worldwide, such as the Hanze University in the Netherlands. Our booths make for excellent study pods for students, both big and small.

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Adapting learning spaces to modern student needs

With the rise of digital learning tools, hybrid education, and large class sizes, students of all ages face more distractions than ever before. Therefore, maintaining focus in a traditional classroom setting can be challenging due to noise, visual stimuli, and frequent interruptions.

Many students, particularly neurodivergent individuals and those with sensory sensitivities or learning difficulties, can struggle in open-plan classrooms. However, auditory distractions can reduce reading comprehension and cognitive performance in everyone.

Soundproof study pods offer a structured, quiet retreat where students can fully engage in assignments, prepare for exams, or collaborate on projects. Different-sized study pods and booths help to create an inclusive learning environment that caters to students with different needs and learning styles.

Learning pods for every stage of education

Study pods can be adapted to different learning environments and needs, from elementary schools to universities. They have even found their place in libraries and other spaces outside of the classroom. Each level of education has unique challenges, and study pods can support students at every stage:

Elementary schools: Younger students often struggle with self-regulation, which makes focusing in noisy classrooms more difficult than it already is. A study pod is a calm, enclosed space where individual students and small groups can read, work on assignments, or receive one-on-one guidance from teachers.
High schools: High school students often work on group projects and are expected to take more responsibility for planning their studies independently. Study pods function as dedicated brainstorming areas that are disconnected from external distractions.
Universities: Open-campus designs often lack quiet study spaces for deep focus. Study pods can be placed in libraries, hallways, and other high-traffic areas to ensure students always have private room for individual and group work.

Integrating study pods allows schools and universities to create more productive and engaging learning environments that promote distraction-free learning. For example, Baylor University in Waco, Texas, has successfully integrated study pods into its Moody Memorial Library.

The library’s nine Framery pods have revolutionized how students approach their studies. Students use pods for uninterrupted, isolated work, allowing them to concentrate free from the typical distractions in common areas.

In one year, the pods had 4,240 unique users, 16,479 bookings and 24,144 hours of productive usage. The student feedback speaks for itself: “Instead of lounging at the library working and then drifting off into other things, people use their reserved time in the pod for uninterrupted isolated work.”

The impact of noise and distractions in the classroom

A major challenge for students of all ages is the size and overcrowding of classrooms, and the increasing noise that follows. And the younger the students, the greater the toll of external stimuli on their ability to learn and focus.

Just a moment of reading inside a study pod can help reduce the stress experienced by students in a noisy and lively classroom environment.

One way study pods help students focus and learn is by limiting distractions that can take them out of the task at hand. Studies have found that disruptions in concentration can harm students’ ability to learn (Vander Ghinst et al. 2019).

Unfortunately, in classrooms and open offices alike, visual and auditory distractions compete with the attention of both students and adults. Reading, writing, and comprehension are cognitively demanding tasks, which is why distracting speech and loud noises can have such harmful effects (Hongisto 2005).

Moreover, high noise levels impede students’ learning ability by affecting their attention strategies, sense of personal control, and even blood pressure (K20 Center – The University of Oklahoma).

Framery pods for educational settings

The Framery One™ soundproof pod is perfect for solitary focused studying and keeps out external distractions, with plenty of space to breathe and work comfortably. The industry-leading soundproofing keeps out speech and other sounds that hinder focus and productivity.

The Framery Four™ fits up to four people, making it perfect for personal tutoring or small-scale group work. For larger groups, the Framery Six™ has well enough room for up to six people.

The compact Framery pods fit in entrance halls, university libraries, and other open spaces. Their versatility makes Framery pods and booths great multipurpose study rooms around the school. The minimalistic and modular design allows them to blend into any environment imaginable. Framery pods can also be fully customized to fit into their surroundings.

FAQ about study pods

What are the benefits of study pods?

The classroom can be transformed into a more peaceful and motivating learning environment by incorporating study pods of different sizes. The pods enable students to engage in different tasks alone, with a teacher, or in a group. And it is not just the students who have found the study pods helpful. Teachers report feeling more satisfied when the classroom is peaceful and supports students’ focus.

How do study rooms contribute to student well-being?

By reducing noise and distractions, different-sized study rooms, pods, and booths help lower stress levels, improve concentration, and create a more comfortable learning environment. They also provide a retreat for students who may feel overwhelmed in busy classroom settings.

Are study pods only suitable for the classroom?

While pods and booths are excellent for the classroom, they are also used as study rooms in libraries, coworking spaces, and other open areas in educational settings. Their soundproofing ensures that they block surrounding noise while improving privacy.

April 23, 2025