Open Pod Classrooms - Do they really work?

Open Pod Classrooms

Does open pod learning really work efficiently? From the research that I have found, this particular type of learning environment has been used in the past and most information I have come across details that it hasn't worked that well. This is because children would often be distracted and get lost in what they are learning. After speaking to a teacher that currently works in a primary school that uses the open pod learning style, she has shared multiple experiences where children find it hard to concentrate on their tasks. From a teachers perspective, it can be difficult to manage your group if they are doing quite tasks that require no discussion and the other group is doing noisy open discussion. So my question is, why are schools using this open learning style today? Children's learning isn't an experiment, their lives depend on all these early stages of knowledge and making good habits in school. As a pre-service teacher I think that this could work if all groups were conducting classes the same way. This could enhance learning and ideas shared across groups would be the same to reduce confusion and children becoming lost in their learning. It could also generate a more creative approach as learning could be through their social groups as well as from their teacher. I believe that structure and direction is what children need in all ages through primary school to prepare them for secondary school.