A Pilot Study on the Relationship between Primary-School Teachers’ Well-Being and the Acoustics of their Classrooms

Karjalainen, Suvi; Brännström, Jonas; Christensson, Jonas; Sahlén, Birgitta; Åhlander, Viveka Lyberg

doi:10.3390/ijerph17062083

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…These aspects contribute to an increase of noise regardless of the classroom activity. As explained in following sections, background noise has a direct effect in students (Persson-Waye, Fredriksson, Hussain-Alkhateeb, Gustafsson & van Kamp, 2019) and teachers (Karjalainen, Brännström, Christensson, Sahlén & Lyberg-Åhlander, 2020).…”

Section: Background Noise and The Noises Of Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Background noise has negative effect on teachers' well-being (Karjalainen et al, 2020), but they are less affected by noise inside the classroom, where they can control it, than by outdoors background noise (Nusseck, Richter, Spahn & Echternach, 2018). In addition, not all teachers respond to an increase in decibels in the work environment in the same way.…”

Section: Effects On Teachersmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How classroom acoustics influence students and teachers: A systematic literature review

Recalde

Martín

Márquez

2021

J. Technol. Sci. Educ.

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Acoustics in schools have been studied during years, but nowadays there are more possibilities than ever before to introduce improvements. This study presents a systematic literature review determining what acoustic parameters are present in classrooms and how they affect both teachers and students. Following the analysis, we put forward a two-block classification: the physical parameters of the sound or noise in the classroom and the consequences of the acoustics on the people in the classroom. Advances in the design of learning spaces and the use of technologies ranging from devices and green material to advanced automation systems make it possible to direct acoustic solutions toward smarter learning spaces. This review also highlights the acoustic parameters to consider in smart classrooms (noise, reverberation, speech transmission and speech clarity) and the main effects of acoustics on teachers and students. Some conclusions and recommendations are drawn, but more research is needed in terms of school improvement considering acoustics influence and smart classrooms possibilities.

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Section: Background Noise and The Noises Of Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Effects On Teachersmentioning

confidence: 99%

How classroom acoustics influence students and teachers: A systematic literature review

Recalde

Martín

Márquez

2021

J. Technol. Sci. Educ.

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“…Noise, particularly in educational settings with poor acoustics, has been reported to negatively affect the learning process [16-20], comfort perception [21], and health [22][23][24]. It has been identified as the most annoying indoor environmental factor in educational spaces in the global north, surpassing others like temperature, air quality, and daylight [24,25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the Impact of Design Parameters on the Acoustic Environment Perceived by Primary Students

Ipinza-Olatte,

Piderit-Moreno,

Trebilcock-Kelly

2024

Preprint

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The acoustic environment in learning spaces significantly influences learning effectiveness and occupant well-being. Recent studies have shown that a series of architectural factors within physical learning environments can impact students' educational experiences. This research delves into the relationship between architectural characteristics and the perceived acoustic environment among 467 primary students in 19 learning spaces across 9 schools in Chile. The survey comprises a student questionnaire, a checklist evaluating space characteristics, and acoustic measurements of indoor noise levels during occupied conditions. Examined topics include Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) comfort perception, noise annoyance, hearing ability, and acoustic preference. Architectural characteristics considered encompass flexible and acoustic space design parameters. The results indicated that noise discomfort was a common issue, especially in traditional learning spaces without acoustic treatment. The type of learning space (traditional or flexible settings) has a greater impact on acoustic perception particularly concerning noise discomfort and acoustic preference. However, poorly acoustic spaces lacking absorbing materials or exhibiting lower spatial density (m2 per student) contribute to increased indoor noise levels affecting noise annoyance caused by children's talking inside. The study emphasizes the importance of considering both architectural design and acoustic conditioning for optimizing the acoustic experience in educational spaces.

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“…[16][17][18] The investigation into teachers' perception of both indoor and outdoor noise has been explored extensively. 19,20 Conventional studies in the field have predominantly focused on negative sounds, disregarding the potential positive health effects that sound can have. Despite the diverse range of benefits that pleasant sounds offer, our understanding of them remains limited.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Methodological approaches and main factors considered in school soundscape studies: A scoping review

Kurukose Cal,

Kang,

Aletta

2023

Building Acoustics

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School acoustics is pivotal for children’s well-being given their substantial time commitment to education within these environments, with potential positive or negative impacts. Soundscape has gained relevance in various settings, including indoor environments, and explores both positive and negative responses of individuals to sounds within a context. This scoping review aims to investigate the application of the soundscape approach within the school environment, with a primary focus on evaluating perceptions of the acoustic environment. It aims to identify key factors considered in the studies, such as age groups, sound sources, and methodologies. A Scopus search was conducted, covering the period from January 2000 to September 2023. The search was limited to peer-reviewed articles published in English. The inclusion criteria required studies to investigate schools and assess the perceptions. After screening, 11 studies met the inclusion criteria from 49 articles. The most targeted age cohort was primary school-aged children. Yet, the need to consider secondary school children’s perceptions persists. The dominant sounds investigated were categorized as “negative” sounds, referring to auditory stimuli that are commonly perceived as unpleasant. These negative sounds were primarily traffic-induced noise. The prevailing method used was questionnaires. To advance school soundscape research, exploring secondary school-aged children’s views would provide valuable insights. By enhancing knowledge in this field, researchers can improve school acoustics for student well-being. Notably, a limitation of this review is that soundscape studies have centered around urban environments so far. Consequently, there have been only a limited number of studies examining indoor environments, and even less for schools.

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A Pilot Study on the Relationship between Primary-School Teachers’ Well-Being and the Acoustics of their Classrooms

Cited by 12 publications

References 34 publications

How classroom acoustics influence students and teachers: A systematic literature review

How classroom acoustics influence students and teachers: A systematic literature review

Evaluation of the Impact of Design Parameters on the Acoustic Environment Perceived by Primary Students

Methodological approaches and main factors considered in school soundscape studies: A scoping review

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