The Essex study ran for 5 months during the academic year 2007/8 during which period classrooms were repeatedly modified acoustically. Many objective and subjective measures were obtained and initial findings have been described as ‘very powerful’! Multiple perspectives are always important when considering the impact of the acoustic environment on a system as complicated as […]
Education
Poor room acoustics impairs sport teachers´ hearing
Dutch sports teachers (PE teachers) sued their employers for suffering serious hearing impairment because of working in a poor acoustic environment. The schools that employed the PE teachers compensate the teachers financially. The Dutch Royal Society of Physical Exercise Teachers (KVLO) http://www.kvlo.nl/ supports the teachers in this matter. On September 10th (2008) an article occurred […]
VOICE DISORDERS AMONG TEACHERS AS AN OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
Voice is a basic tool for teachers. Chronic voice disorders, very common among teaching staff, cause long term sick leaves or leaving the job for good (for other profession or for disability pension). In Poland, chronic voice disorders as a group of diseases are formally recognized as occupational disease. In 2007, officially confirmed voice disorders […]
Swedish Television publish checklist for quieter school canteens
In a Swedish TV program noisy school canteens were on the agenda. A resent study on noise levels in school canteens were referred to. It was mentioned that half of the pupils in the Swedish comprehensive schools feel bad due to school canteen noise levels. Children may get stomach pain; head ache or feel more […]
Modern conditions for modern teaching and good classroom acoustics reduce working stress! Presentations at ICA 2007 in Madrid.
Markus Oberdörster and Gerhart Tiesler The acoustic environment of classrooms has a significant impact on new modern teaching scenarios. Today, in many countries, education and teaching is becoming more student centred and differentiated. Classrooms that might have worked well for decades might have to be acoustically “updated”. Markus Oberdörster from Ecophon Germany, together with Gerhart […]
Designing for Pupils with Special Educational Needs
BB77 is meant to be guidance for school design edited by the British government. It addresses the inclusive aspects of school facilities, meaning their capacity to accommodate pupils with special needs. The draft is a 293 page document, applying to all schools whether “special” or not. Facts and figures – pupils are regarded as having […]
Noise reduction by reducing reverberation time in day-care centres
Noise reduction in day-care centres by reducing reverberation time: Analyses and case studies is a study conducted on behalf of the Canadian IRSST. The aim of the study is to: – examine the effects of acoustic materials and their impact on noise reduction and reverberation time. – give concrete examples of noise reduction obtained through […]
Comprehensive piece of literature on acoustics for educational premises now available in German
“Don’t limit your senses – sound and the learning environment” is now available in an upgraded German version, entitled “Mit allen Sinnen lernen : akustische Ergonomie in. Bildungsstätten”. ISBN 91-974193-4-6 and ISBN 978-91-974193-4-5 “Don’t limit your senses” has been recognised over the years as one of the few comprehensive sources of information on acoustics in […]
Increasing awareness of noise levels in educational premises at Euronoise in Tampere
The classroom acoustics session at Euronoise consisted of 9 lectures on the 31st of May. Classroom acoustics was confirmed as a vivid area at the crossroad of room acoustics and occupational health. Highlights from the session – Stress indicators, such as heart activity are powerful to describe the incidence of poor room acoustics on teachers. […]
Teaching styles put new requirements on classrooms
Classrooms should be designed for modern teaching styles. In a study supported by the Oticon foundation published 2002, a research team from New Zealand looks at the acoustic implications of new teaching styles, where interaction between children is encouraged besides more traditional teaching. More and more learning is done in small groups and a high […]
