Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Classroom acoustic'

America was the leader in quantity and quality of high school diplomas. Today, it is ranked thirty six in the world. Some of the main factors that affect education in America are witnessing us on a daily basis. These factors affect our visual, thermal and auditory comfort levels. As environmentalists we strive to find solutions to these problems. Unfortunately, some designers aim their designs to merely aesthetics. Leaving out the environmental factor of thermal comfort to be dictated by mechanically engineers and not paying attention to how occupants interact with sound within the built environment. Today I will discuss how to design for the ears, and how sound has a major role in education promoting Children's health and wellbeing. Education reach its way to our minds through listening in adequate environment. Optimum design appreciates and is tailored to experiencing all five senses. Goal of this research: Design proper noise levels for classrooms to provide students with an optimal learning environment is imperative. Reverberation times need to be carefully sized and calculated, particularly in the primary grades when the young student's ears are not fully developed. Conduct background noise and reverberation time measurements in classrooms to assess the problem and recommend solutions. Acoustic performance design is vital. Good Sound = Happy Sound.

Barn förväntas kunna leka, vila och lära sig på skolgården, men ljudnivåerna är ofta höga. Det ger upphov till frågan om ljudmiljön på skolgårdar ligger på lämpliga nivåer för dessa tre aktiviteter och hur den kan anpassas. Syftet med examensarbetet är att identifiera vad en lämplig ljudmiljö på skolgårdens olika platser är och att identifiera vilka åtgärder och designverktyg som kan användas för att förbättra ljudmiljön. Undersökning av hur och i vilken utsträckning en ljudmiljö kan modifieras för att göra den lämplig för utomhusundervisning utförs också. Examensarbetet avgränsas till grundskolor för barn mellan sex och sexton år och hur skolgården kan anpassas till barn i den åldern. Relevanta studier om hur ljud och ljudmiljö påverkar barns hälsa, inlärnings- och prestationsförmåga undersöktes för att identifiera kriterier för de tre funktionerna: (1) lek, (2) rekreation och (3) pedagogisk verksamhet. Genom att studera både forskning om den akustiska effekten av olika designverktyg och forskning om miljöer för barn identifieras akustiska designverktyg som kan användas för skolgårdar. Slutligen analyserades möjligheten att anpassa olika områden på skolgården för de tre funktionerna genom att modellera i CATT-Acoustic och genom att undersöka ljudmiljön på två befintliga innerstadsskolor som ett ljudlandskap. I CATT-Acoustic användes parametrarna efterklangstid, T20, ljudförstärkning, G, och Speech Transmission Index, STI. Resultatet var att en lämplig ljudmiljö anpassad till (1) lek kan ha en låg taltydlighet (STI mellan 0,46 och 0,66),  en begränsad efterklangstid (T20 under 1,2 s) och är öppen med en ljuddämpande markyta, (2) rekreation har en kort efterklangstid T20 under 0,5 s), en begränsad ekvivalent ljudnivå Leq under 50 dBA) och absorberande eller ojämna ytor i sin omgivning och (3) undervisning bör integreras inom skolgården och bestå av platser där undervisning och annan verksamhet kan äga rum. Där föreslås T20 vara 0,5 s,  Leq  under 50 dBA och absorberande ytor som ger bra förutsättningar för röstkommunikation och lärande. Minst en plats föreslås vara en mötesplats som uppfyller kriterierna för undervisning som förstärker tal genom att ha en reflekterande yta placerad bakom talarens position och vara avskärmad av en absorberande vägg. Undersökningen visade att designen av skolgården och platsen för verksamheten i förhållande till skolgårdsväggarna kan förbättra ljudmiljön. Genom mjuka markmaterial (gräs, sand och grus), indelning av skolgården i flera zoner med exempelvis växtbeklädda barriärer och avskärmning från ljud utanför skolgården, kan ljudmiljön förbättras. Bullriga aktiviteter kan placeras längre bort från reflekterande ytor och ett rekreationsområde kan skapas genom absorberande ytor och diffusa skärmar. Undervisningen kan ske på många olika platser där minst en kan vara nära en reflekterande vägg som förstärker talet.
Children are expected to be able to play, rest and have lessons in schoolyards. This made me interested in investigating if the sound environment in schoolyards is at suitable levels for these three activities. The purpose of my master’s thesis was to identify what a suitable sound environment in the different areas of a schoolyard is, and to identify measures and design tools that can be used to improve the sound environment. I also investigate in what extent a sound environment can be modified to make it suitable for outdoor education. The thesis focuses on schools with six- to sixteen-year-old pupils and how children this age are affected by the sound environment. Relevant studies on how sound and the sound environment affect children’s health, learning and performance skills were examined to identify criteria for the three functions: (1) play, (2) recreation and (3) educational activities. By studying research about design tools and their acoustic effect on the one hand and studies about environments for children on the other hand I identified acoustic design tools which could be used in schoolyards. At last I analysed the possibility to adjust different areas for the three functions. I analysed the sound environment on two inner city schools as a “soundscape” and modelled sound distribution in an open space similar to inner-city schoolyards in CATT-Acoustic and used the parameters reverberance time (RT), gain (G) and Speech Transmission Index (STI). As result of this master’s thesis an appropriate sound environment in an area for (1) play has a lower speech understanding (STI between 0.46 and 0.66), has a limited reverberation time (RT under 1,2 s) and open with a sound-damping ground surface (2) recreation has a short reverbaration time (RT under 0.5 s), limited equivalent noise level (Leq under 50 dBA) and a lot of absorbent or diffuse surfaces in its surroundings (3) teaching should be integrated in the schoolyard as places where teaching and other activities can take place. There you should find 0.5 s RT, under 50 dBA Leq and absorbent surfaces that provide good conditions for voice communication and learning. At least one place is proposed to be a meeting place that meets the criteria for teaching and amplifies speech by having a reflective surface placed behind the speaker position and shielded by some absorbent wall. It is found that the design of the schoolyard and the location of the activities in relation to the schoolyard walls can improve the sound environment. The sound environment can be improved through especially soft ground materials (grass, sand and gravel), subdivision of the schoolyard into smaller areas, while using sound absorbing noise barriers which can be combined with planting and protect from noise from outside the schoolyard. Noisy activities can be placed further away from reflective areas and an area for recreation can be created through absorbent surfaces and diffuse screens. Teaching can take place in many different places where at least one of the places can be close to one reflective wall that amplifies the speech.

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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Researchs in the area of environmental comfort conducted in schools reported that, considering the thermophysical variables, the acoustic variable is more important than the other variables, especially in relation to thermal, luminous and indoor air quality variables, since this is the variable that is directly tied to speech intelligibility, with impacts on the performance of teachers and students. However, the sound pressure level of speech, the reverberation of the room and the background noise are factors that can affect the speech intelligibility in classrooms. Thus, from the guidelines of Brazilian and international standards, we evaluated the acoustic conditions of 119 classrooms of municipal schools in the city of Joao Pessoa, Brazil. Through the construction of a beta regression model, it was verified how much the acoustic parameters of these rooms can affect the speech intelligibility of teachers. It was found that the level from external sources to classrooms, background noise, reverberation time and the speech intelligibility index is not within the reference values established in those standards. The mathematical modeling showed a high consistency, with a value of 0,9956 for the pseudo R2 and the variable "Reverberation Time" (p-value = 2 . 10-16) was the most representative, odds ratio= 0,228126, demonstrating that this variable affects the quality of intelligibility at around 77,18%.
Estudos na área de conforto ambiental realizados em estabelecimentos de ensino registraram que, considerando as variáveis termofísicas, a variável acústica possui uma importância superior às outras variáveis, nomeadamente em relação às variáveis térmica, luminínica e da qualidade do ar interior, uma vez que esta é a variável que está diretamente vinculada à inteligibilidade da fala com repercussões no desempenho de professores e alunos. Contudo, o nível de pressão sonora da fala, a reverberação da sala e o ruído de fundo são fatores que podem interferir na inteligibilidade da fala em salas de aula. Assim, a partir das diretrizes de normas brasileiras e internacionais, foram avaliadas as condições acústicas de 119 salas de aulas das Escolas Municipais, na cidade de João Pessoa, no Brasil. Através da construção de um modelo de regressão beta, verificou-se em que medida os parâmetros acústicos destas salas interferem na inteligibilidade da fala dos professores. Constatou-se que o nível de ruído advindo de fontes externas às salas de aula, ruído de fundo, tempo de reverberação e o Índice de Inteligibilidade da fala não se encontram dentro dos valores de referência estabelecidos nas normas aplicáveis. A modelagem matemática apresentou uma elevada consistência, com um valor de 0,9956 para o pseudo R2 e a variável Tempo de Reverberação (p-value = 2 . 10-16) foi a mais representativa; odds ratio= 0,228126, demonstrando que esta variável afeta a qualidade da inteligibilidade no em torno de 77,18%.

In this research, the concept of auralization is explored taking into account a hybrid numerical approach to establish good options for calculating sound wave propagation and the application of virtual sound environments to evaluate acoustical conditions of a classroom, in order to determine the impact of acoustic variables on cognitive processes. The hybrid approach considers the combination of well-established Geometrical Acoustic (GA) techniques and the Finite Element Method (FEM), contemplating for the latter the definition of a real valued impedance boundary condition related to absorption coefficients available in GA databases. The realised virtual sound environments are verified against real environment measurements by means of objective and subjective methods. The former is based on acoustic measurements according to international standards, in order to evaluate the numerical approaches used with established acoustic indicators to assess sound propagation in rooms. The latter comprises a subjective test comparing the virtual auralizations to the reference ones, which are obtained by means of binaural impulse response measurements. The first application of the auralizations contemplates an intelligibility and listening difficulty subjective test, considering different acoustic conditions of reverberation time and background noise levels. The second application studies the impact of acoustic variables on the cognitive processes of attention, memory and executive function, by means of psychological tests.

Detta är en interventionsstudie av hur rumsakustiken i ett klassrum påverkar en lektion beträffande tidseffektivisering samt taluppfattbarhet. Studien jämför resultat av olika mätningar och tester före och efter en rumsakustisk åtgärd i form av ett nedpendlat akustiktak. Åtgärden utförs i ett klassrum på S:t Hansskolan i Visby, i syfte att undersöka huruvida en förbättring av ljudmiljön i klassrummet kan ge positiva samhällsekonomiska effekter. De mätningar och tester som genomförts ger tillsammans en bild av klassrummets akustiska egenskaper före och efter åtgärden. Mätningarna innefattar tidtagning av uppstartstid av en lektion samt olika rumsakustiska mätningar och tester beträffande taluppfattbarhet. Mätningar visar att klassrummets ljudmiljö efter den rumsakustiska åtgärden har förbättrats med kortare efterklangstider, förbättrade förhållanden med rummets reflexer samt ett förbättrat talöverföringsindex. Även ett lyssningstest har genomförts och resultaten visar att taluppfattbarheten har ökats. Lärarens tidtagning visar att uppstartstiden förkortats med åtminstone 15 minuter per vecka. Sammantaget visar studien att den rumsakustiska åtgärden inneburit en ökning i nyttjad lektionstid som dessutom blivit mer effektiv genom en uppmätt ökad taluppfattbarhet. Observerade nyttoeffekter anses väga tyngre än investeringskostnaden till den grad att installationen rekommenderas till befintliga skolmiljöer och inte bara vid nyproduktion.
This is an interventional study of how classroom acoustics affects a class in regards to time effectiveness and speech intelligibility. The study compares results of measurements and tests before and after acoustical treatments in the form of a new acoustic ceiling. The treatments are made in a classroom in S:t Hansskolan elementary school, with the aim to see whether an improvement in room acoustics can lead to socio economic gains through an increase in the effective time for a lesson. The combined measurements and tests show the state of the acoustical environment before and after the treatments. Measurements includes the time it takes to get a lesson going, as well as various acoustical measurements and tests regarding speech intelligibility. Results shows that the room acoustics have improved with reduced reverberation times, an increase in early reflexes compared to late, as well as improved speech transmission index values. The class also scores higher on hearing in noise tests, which implies an increase in speech intelligibility. The teacher’s timekeeping shows that the time it takes to start classes has shortened by at least 15 minutes per week. On a whole the study shows that the acoustic treatments has led to an increase in use of planned time for each lesson, which through increased speech intelligibility also has become more effective. Observed socio economic effects outweigh the cost of the installation to the point that it is recommended not only to new classrooms but also to existing school environments.

The acoustic design of classrooms has traditionally focused on pupils hearing the teacher. There is a need for guidance on the consideration of voice ergonomics for teachers in classroom design. This project undertook measurements of teachers' voices in classrooms with different acoustic properties to examine possible relationships between voice parameters and classroom acoustics. The mean voice level measured was classified as 'loud' (based on guidance values) and the participants spoke for a large proportion of the day (average 21%). Those teaching in rooms with higher unoccupied noise levels spoke with a higher sound level. There was a significant, moderate, positive correlation between voice levels in female participants and the unoccupied noise levels in the same region of the noise spectrum as the fundamental frequency of the female voice. There were signs of a similar relationship for male participants. This indicated that the control of low frequency noise levels and reverberation times (not currently covered by schools guidance documents in England) may be important in reducing voice levels and the associated vocal risks. An online survey was also undertaken which gathered 153 responses and included questions on voice problems, voice training, classroom acoustics and general health. The respondents reported a number of interesting findings. 66% reported having experienced voice problems, with many continuing to work despite these problems. A relatively small proportion of respondents had received voice training (41%), and many reported shouting or raising their voice. There were greater rates of reported voice problems in teachers of young children and those teaching in open plan classrooms. Subjectively the main acoustic issues for teachers were inadequate internal sound insulation and excessive reverberation. External noise intrusion was not reported as significant.

Orientador: Stelamaris Rolla Bertoli
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo
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Resumo: As atividades desenvolvidas num ambiente definem quais as condições acústicas requeridas para que este apresente um bom desempenho acústico. No caso das salas de aula, para garantir a nitidez dos sons pronunciados, com suficiente intensidade e sem distorções é necessário que o ambiente tenha um bom desempenho acústico, promovendo o aprendizado. Esta preocupação se torna ainda maior quando nos referimos aos espaços destinados ao ensino de uma língua estrangeira. Esta pesquisa se focaliza em avaliar o desempenho acústico de salas de aula de dimensões reduzidas usadas em escolas de idiomas visando a qualidade da inteligibilidade. Primeiramente foi feito um levantamento dos dados arquitetônicos e construtivos das salas de aula selecionados, em seguida foram feitas medidas acústicas através da técnica impulsiva. Os parâmetros medidos foram: nível de pressão sonora por freqüência e equivalente para medir o ruído de fundo; tempo de reverberação, tempo de decaimento inicial, definição, para avaliar o efeito das reflexões sonoras nas salas; índice de transmissão da fala, índice rápido de transmissão da fala e porcentagem de consoantes não compreendidas na fala, que avaliam a qualidade da inteligibilidade. Com a realização das medidas acústicas foi feita uma análise e discussão dos resultados encontrados para verificar se atendem às normas para conforto acústico brasileiras e índices recomendados por pesquisas nacionais e internacionais. Nas salas de aulas avaliadas nesta pesquisa não foi encontrada aquela que atendesse a todas as recomendações aceitáveis paraconforto acústico, o que compromete a qualidade da inteligibilidade nessas salas de aula
Abstract: The ideal acoustic conditions for an environment depend on the activity developed in it. In case of classrooms, to assure the sharpness of pronounced sounds, with sufficient intensity and without distortions it is necessary that the environment have a good acoustic execution, fostering learning. This preoccupation becomes even bigger when it comes to rooms destined to the teaching of a foreign language. This research focuses on evaluating the acoustic performance of reduced dimensions classrooms used in language schools aiming the quality of intelligibility. First of all, a survey of architectonic and constructive data of selected classrooms was done, and then some acoustic measurements were done through the impulsive technique. The parameters measured were: sound spectrum and global level pressure sound to measure the background noise; reverberation time, early decay time, definition; to evaluate the effect of the sound reflection of the classrooms; speech transmission index, rapid speech transmission index and percentage articulation loss of consonants, that evaluate the quality of intelligibility. With the achievement of acoustic measurement an analysis was done and also an argumentation of the found outcome to verify whether they meet the requirements to Brazilian acoustic comfort and indices recommended by national and international research. In all the classrooms evaluated it was not found that classroom that met all the acceptable recommendations for an acoustic comfort, which implicates the quality of intelligibility in those classrooms
Mestrado
Arquitetura e Construção
Mestre em Engenharia Civil

Behavior during transitions in classrooms is an area in need of additional supports in order for teachers to effectively manage classrooms. Extended transition durations, particularly transition periods between one activity and another are related to problem behavior among children in educational settings. This study evaluated the use of acoustical feedback aimed to improve transition behaviors of elementary school students, using a multiple-baseline design across participants. Teachers were trained to implement the acoustical feedback procedure. Data on teacher treatment fidelity, student transition behavior (transition duration and problem behavior), generalization probes, and social validity were collected to examine the feasibility and potential efficacy of acoustical feedback. The results indicated that the participating teachers successfully implemented the acoustical feedback procedures with high levels or moderately high levels of fidelity and their implementation of the intervention was successful in reducing problem behavior and transition duration for all three participating children. Support for generalization was strong for two teachers and their students and minimal for one teacher and her student.

Boas condições acústicas, para a transmissão e para o entendimento da mensagem falada, são importantes para a eficácia do processo de aprendizagem. Para tanto, além de se minimizar a intrusão do ruído externo, é fundamental que a distribuição da energia sonora no interior das salas de aula seja adequada. Quando não se adotavam soluções prescritivas, utilizava-se para projeto, apenas, o tradicional tempo de reverberação. Na literatura, há faixas de valores para outros descritores que, por falta de estudos específicos, não são empregados para salas de aula. Esta pesquisa enfoca essa lacuna no conhecimento, ou seja, estabelecimento de faixas adequadas de outros descritores que possam ser empregados na otimização do projeto acústico de salas de aula sob a perspectiva dos alunos. Para atingir esse objetivo utilizou-se de métodos de Avaliação Pós-Ocupação, com a aplicação de questionários e a medição de descritores, usando-se a técnica de medição da resposta impulsiva, de várias salas de escolas diferentes, a fim de associar os valores medidos com o grau de satisfação expressado pelos usuários dos espaços. As medições foram feitas, em oitavas, ao longo de uma malha de pontos. Os valores medidos foram complementados com simulações computacionais para avaliar outras posições no interior dos recintos. Foram analisados os descritores TR, EDT, BR, Ts, D50 e RASTI. Destes parâmetros, foram selecionados aqueles que podem ser otimizados pelas decisões de projeto arquitetônico, sendo estes: TR, EDT, Ts e RASTI.
Good acoustic conditions, for the transmission and understanding of the spoken message, are important for the effectiveness of the learning process. Therefore, in addition to minimizing the intrusion of outdoor noise, it is essential that the distribution of the sound energy inside the classrooms is adequate. When prescriptive solutions were not adopted, only the traditional reverberation time was used for design. In the literature, there are ranges of values for other descriptors that, for lack of specific studies, are not used for classrooms. This research focuses on this knowledge gap, that is, the establishment of adequate ranges of other descriptors that can be used to optimize the acoustic design of classrooms from the perspective of the students. In order to accomplish this objective, Post-Occupancy Evaluation methods were used, with the application of questionnaires and the measurement of descriptors, using the impulse response measurement technique of several classrooms from different schools, in order to associate the measured values with the degree of satisfaction expressed by its users. Measurements were made in octave bands along a mesh of points. The obtained values were complemented with computational simulations to evaluate other positions inside the rooms. The descriptors TR, EDT, BR, Ts, D50 and RASTI were analyzed. From these parameters, those that can be optimized by the architectural design decisions were selected, being these: TR, EDT, Ts and RASTI

Orientador: Stelamaris Rolla Bertoli
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo
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Resumo: Estudos sobre a acústica de salas de aula estão cada vez mais comuns no meio acadêmico e científico, devido à sua influência nas questões do ensino-aprendizagem. Os ambientes escolares exigem qualidade acústica que deve ser prevista já na concepção do projeto. A inadequação acústica de escolas e salas de aula é apontada em diversas pesquisas que utilizam variadas metodologias, geralmente através da aplicação de testes de acertos e erros de vocábulos, e também da análise de parâmetros de avaliação como medidas dos níveis de pressão sonora e do tempo de reverberação. Na rede estadual de ensino público em São Paulo, as salas de aula são projetadas a partir de diretrizes pré-estabelecidas que visam a padronização dos projetos de escolas. Portanto, este trabalho tem como objetivos identificar as formas geométricas mais comuns de salas de aula propostas para a rede pública estadual de ensino em Campinas-SP, apresentar o comportamento dos parâmetros acústicos quanto à inteligibilidade da fala e apontar as formas mais favoráveis à qualidade acústica de salas de aula. Para a definição da amostra realizou-se um levantamento cadastral das escolas e o levantamento arquitetônico das salas. Desse levantamento, identificou-se o número de configurações geométricas mais comuns de salas. Foram analisadas as salas dentro da uma mesma configuração padrão, totalizando dezessete salas de aula. Para a medição acústica foi utilizada a técnica da resposta impulsiva da sala e os parâmetros acústicos foram obtidos através do programa de avaliação acústica de salas, o DIRAC®, da empresa Brüel & Kjaer. Os parâmetros derivados da resposta impulsiva analisados neste trabalho foram: o Tempo de Reverberação (TR), o Tempo de Decaimento Inicial (EDT), a Definição (D50), o Índice de Transmissão da Fala (STI) e a Porcentagem de Perda na Articulação de Consoantes (%ALCons), em função da freqüência na faixa de bandas de 1/1 de oitava. Também foi medido e analisado o Nível de Pressão Sonora ou ruído de fundo ambiental equivalente (LAeq) interno e externo à sala, obtido com o medidor de pressão sonora. A análise complementar da forma para cada sala foi feita pela proporcionalidade das dimensões, segundo a escala do Diagrama de Bolt. As formas geométricas em planta mais comuns de salas são as quadradas (7x7m) e retangulares (6x8m). Dentro de cada configuração as salas apresentaram diferentes desempenhos acústicos. Pelo fato de existir uma grande variedade de fatores e parâmetros que interferem na acústica da sala, foi possível identificar algumas tendências de comportamento acústico por configuração geométrica
Abstract: Studies about classroom acoustics are developed each time more into the scientific and academic society, due to its influence in the teach-learning. The school¿s environments demand acoustical quality that must be foreseen already during the design planning. Some situations of acoustic not adjusted on classrooms are shown in research that using several methods, generally with application of word¿s rightness and error tests as well as of the analysis and evaluation of parameters as the sound pressure levels and reverberation time. In the State of Sao Paulo the classrooms of public education buildings are projected in accordance with same lines of direction that aim at the school design standardization. Therefore, this work has as objective to identify what geometric shapes are more common on classroom¿s design found in public schools at Campinas-SP, to present the acoustic parameters behavior how much to the speech intelligibility of classrooms and to point the shapes that are most favorable to the acoustical quality for classrooms. It was made classroom¿s cadastral survey for sample definition and after was made architectural survey hers. This procedure allows identifying the number of the rooms more common geometric configurations. The classrooms which have the same configuration standard were selected and analyzed, totalizing seventeen classrooms. The acoustical measurements were made using the impulse response technique of the room and the acoustical parameters were obtained of the room acoustics evaluation software, the DIRAC®, by Brüel & Kjaer. The parameters were derived from the impulse response were analyzed in this work: Reverberation Time (RT), Early Decay Time (EDT), Definition (D50), Speech Transmission Index (STI) and Percentage Articulation Loss of Consonants (%ALCons), for each 1/1 octave frequency band. Also it was analyzed the internal and external background noise or ambiental Equivalent Sound Pressure Level (LAeq), which were measured with sound pressure level meter. Complementary analysis of the form for each room was made by the proportionality of the dimensions, according to Bolt¿s Diagram scale. Among the more common geometric shapes in plant of rooms had found were: the square shaped (7x7m) and rectangular (6x8m). Inside each configuration of classroom had presented different acoustical performances. For the fact to exist a great variety of factors and parameters intervening on classroom acoustics, it was possible to identify some acoustical behaviors trends for geometric configuration
Mestrado
Arquitetura e Construção
Mestre em Engenharia Civil

Klassrumsakustik behandlar rumsliga förutsättningar för ljudutbredning där god talhörbarhet är av vikt för elevers och lärares välbefinnande och möjligheter till goda lärmiljöer. Även kognitiva förmågor som minnesfunktioner påverkas av ljudmiljöer, där lägre bakgrundsljudnivåer och kortare efterklangstider förordas av forskning och byggnadstekniska standarder. Bakgrundsljudnivåer, efterklangstider T20 och reflexnivåer C50 kan tillsammans ge en bild av en god ljudmiljö för lärande i klassrum. I denna undersökning har fem klassrums ljudmiljöer utvärderats och enkätundersökningar har använts för att undersöka elevers och lärares subjektiva upplevelser av dessa ljudmiljöer under aktuella lektionstillfällen. Det har inte kunnat dras några tydliga korrelationssamband mellan akustiska data och subjektiva upplevelser av ljudmiljön från denna undersökning. Dock har undersökningen erhållit akustiska mätvärden från de aktuella klassrummen och speciellt två av klassrummen har funnits undermåliga i jämförelse med riktvärden från standarder med avseende på efterklangstider.
Classroom acoustics deal with spatial prerequisites for sound propagation, where good speech audibility is important for the well-being of students and teachers and provide opportunities for good learning environments. Cognitive abilities as memory functions are also influenced by sound environments, where lower background noise levels and shorter reverberation times are advocated by research and acoustical performance criteria for classrooms. Background noise levels, reverberation time T20 and room response C50 can together provide a picture of a good sound environment for classroom learning. In this survey, five classroom sound environments have been evaluated and questionnaires have been used to investigate the subjective experiences of pupils and teachers in these sound environments during current investigated lessons. There has been no clear correlation between acoustic data and subjective experiences of the audio environment from this survey. However, the survey has obtained acoustic measurements from the current classrooms and especially two of the classrooms have been found to be substandard in comparison with the guideline values of reverberation time from standards.

Where do beginner readers read in the English, mainstream primary school and where could they read? Emma Jane Dyer This thesis explores design for the beginner reader in Year One by evaluating existing spaces in the English primary school and imagining new ones. Three significant gaps identified in the literature of reading, the teaching of reading and school design are addressed: the impact of reading pedagogies, practices and routines on spatial arrangements for beginner readers inside and beyond the classroom; a theoretical understanding of the physical, bodily and sensory experience of the beginner reader; and the design of reading spaces by teaching staff. The study uses a design-oriented research methodology and framework proposed by Fällman. A designed artefact is a required outcome of the research: in this case, a child-sized, semi-enclosed book corner known as a nook. The research was organized in three phases. First, an initial design for the nook was created, based on multi-disciplinary, theoretical research about reading, school design and architecture. Secondly, empirical research using observation, pupil-led tours and interviews was undertaken in seven primary schools to determine the types of spaces where readers read: spaces that were often unsuitable for their needs. Thirdly, as a response to the findings of phases one and two, the nook was reconceived to offer a practical solution to poorly-designed furniture for reading in schools and to provoke further research about the ideal qualities of spaces for the beginner reader. The study demonstrates how the experience of the individual reader is affected by choices made about the national curriculum; by the size of schools and the spaces within them where readers can learn; by the design of classrooms by teachers; and by regulatory standards for teaching and non-teaching spaces. In developing a methodology that can stimulate and facilitate communication between architects, educators, policy-makers and readers, this thesis offers a valuable contribution to the ongoing challenge of improving school design for practitioners and pupils.

碩士
國立成功大學
建築學系
103
Noise problems can have a significant impact on teaching quality in campus environment. On the basis of the noise problem in enclosed patio, the main purpose of this study is analysing the influence of noise in enclosed patio and proposing the improvement plan for appropriate school courtyard acoustics. Through case study method, field measurement was carried out to study the noise problem in enclosed patio. Numerical simulation with ODEON software was then conducted for evaluating the effect of improvement strategies. As the results, changing the location of source-classroom on the receiver-classroom might be positive or negative influence for noise improvement. With sound absorptive materials installation, two improvement plans were proposed for appropriate school courtyard acoustics. One is to centralize the source-classrooms with sound absorptive materials to higher floor; the other way is to disperse the source-classrooms and install sound absorptive materials in all floors.

High speech intelligibility is imperative in classrooms where verbal communication is critical. However, the optimal acoustical conditions to achieve a high degree of speech intelligibility have previously been investigated with inconsistent results, and practical room-acoustical solutions to optimize the acoustical conditions for speech intelligibility have not been developed. This experimental study validated auralization for speech-intelligibility testing, investigated the optimal reverberation for speech intelligibility for both normal and hearing-impaired listeners using more realistic room-acoustical models, and proposed an optimal sound-control design for speech intelligibility based on the findings. The auralization technique was used to perform subjective speech-intelligibility tests. The validation study, comparing auralization results with those of real classroom speech-intelligibility tests, found that if the room to be auralized is not very absorptive or noisy, speech-intelligibility tests using auralization are valid. The speech-intelligibility tests were done in two different auralized sound fields--approximately diffuse and non-diffuse--using the Modified Rhyme Test and both normal and hearing-impaired listeners. A hybrid room-acoustical prediction program was used throughout the work, and it and a 1/8 scale-model classroom were used to evaluate the effects of ceiling barriers and reflectors. For both subject groups, in approximately diffuse sound fields, when the speech source was closer to the listener than the noise source, the optimal reverberation time was zero. When the noise source was closer to the listener than the speech source, the optimal reverberation time was 0.4s (with another peak at 0.0s) with relative output power levels of the speech and noise sources SNS = 5dB, and 0.8s with SNS = 0dB. In non-diffuse sound fields, when the noise source was between the speaker and the listener, the optimal reverberation time was 0.6s with SNS = 4dB and increased to 0.8 and 1.2s with decreased SNS = 0dB, for both normal and hearing-impaired listeners. Hearing-impaired listeners required more early energy than normal-hearing listeners. Reflective ceiling barriers and ceiling reflectors--in particular, parallel front-back rows of semi-circular reflectors--achieved the goal of decreasing reverberation with the least speech-level reduction.
Medicine, Faculty of
Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of
Graduate

碩士
國立雲林科技大學
創意生活設計系
106
The design of inclined roof is apply on many different kinds of building now which including school building. We cannot deny the inclined roof has article value, and it can not only increase the flexible application of space but also decrease the possibility of leaking on the roof. However, when the inclined roof is used on the type of classroom, the bigger space makes the reverberation time longer. It causes the voice unclear that makes the students decrease on the ability of listening to the class, and then impact on their learning. Therefore, this research wants to figure out the acoustical performance on inclined roof now. We take the classrooms of inclined roof in Yunlin county’s elementary schools as research subjects, and that of not inclined roof as a control group to measure and discuss the acoustical performance in the space. We hope to reach the goals below: 1. Understand the situation of indoor acoustical performance in the classroom of inclined roof. 2. Understand the indoor acoustical quantity differences between the classrooms of inclined roof and not inclined roof. 3. Provide the design references and suggestions about future classrooms. The research data shows that inclined roof classrooms are not good on the assessment indexes of acoustical performance because of the big space.Only background noise has good performance and below the recommended value of this study. The data information of acoustical performance comparison between inclined roof and flat roof shows that when the inclined roof classroom’s average space volume is bigger then the flat roof classroom, the inclined roof classroom performs worse then the flat roof classroom on these five assessment indexes of acoustical performance, Background Noise, Reverberation Time, C50, STI and RASTI.

碩士
國立高雄師範大學
聽力學與語言治療研究所
95
The purposes of this study are to understand the soundproof classroom acoustics, the effectiveness of the use of these classrooms, and the speech stimuli upon speech perceptions of elementary school students; moreover, to realize students’ satisfaction at using these classrooms. Three soundproof classrooms were measured with Signal-to-Noise Ratio, windows anti-noise performance, and reverberation time with teachers and students in Tainan Municipal Jinsyue Elementary School. Eighty-two elementary students as subjects were seated in thirty different spots, and divided into two groups as in the front area and in the back area in order to listen to a speech stimulus with one of the two different conditions in the classroom. One of the two different conditions was opening windows with fans, and another one was closing windows with air conditioners. And, the different speech stimuli for understanding the speech perception include mandarin consonants, high-predictability sentences and low-predictability sentences. After the test, each student would evaluate the satisfaction of the soundproof classroom by filling out a questionnaire. The results of this study are listed as follows： 1. In the condition of opening windows with fans, the average values are 54.9dB(A) for background noise, +8.2dB for Signal-to-Noise Ratio, 5.0dB for windows anti-noise performance, and 0.70 seconds for reverberation time. In another condition of closing windows with air conditioners, the averages values were 51.2dB(A) for background noise, +11.7dB for Signal-to-Noise Ratio, 8.9dB for windows anti-noise performance, and 0.78 seconds for reverberation time. But all soundproof classrooms did not exceed the ANSI recommendation of Signal-to-Noise Ratio of ≧+15dB and reverberation time of ≦0.6 seconds. 2. The proportion of answering correctly was not significantly related to Signal-to-Noise Ratio in the speech discrimination test. 3. The students in the condition of closing windows with air conditioners had significantly higher speech discrimination scores than the students in the condition of opening windows with fans. The high-predictability sentence discrimination scores were significantly higher than the Mandarin consonant and the low-predictability sentence scores. This result indicated that context cues can improve speech discrimination. 4. In the condition of closing windows with air conditioners, the students seating in the front area had significantly higher speech discrimination scores than the students seating in the back area. But in the condition of closing windows with air conditioners, the students seating in the front area only had significantly higher scores than the students seating in the back area in the low-predictability sentences. 5. 80% of the students were satisfied with the soundproof classroom in the condition of closing windows with air conditioners.