Identifying a sound environment for secondary schools
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Psychology and Human Development
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Julie Dockrell (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Bridget Shield (Author)
(2013)
Acoustics and Noise in secondary schools
Connolly DM
(2013)
Adolescents' perceptions of their school's acoustic environment: the development of an evidence based questionnaire.
in Noise & health
Dockrell J
(2012)
Effects of noise in high schools on pupils' perceptions and performance
in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Julie Dockrell (Author)
(2013)
Pupils'perceptions of noise in English Secondary Schools
Mydlarz C
(2013)
Comparison of environmental and acoustic factors in occupied school classrooms for 11-16 year old students
in Building and Environment
Robert Connetta (Author)
(2012)
Acoustics of indoor sports halls and gymnasia
in Acoustics Bulletin
| Description | The project produced an evidence-base about how poor acoustics affects teaching, performance and learning in secondary schools. In 2010, the Coalition Government threatened to abolish most legislation relating to the design and building of new schools. The results of this project have been influential in persuading the government to retain acoustic regulations in both the Building and School Premises Regulations. We found that adolescents were reliable judges of their school's acoustic environments and the ways in which acoustics impact on their experiences of teaching and learning. Four factors were identified which could differentiate the impact of acoustics on learning: ease of hearing in school spaces, sensitivity to noise, the consequences of noise in the classroom, and annoyance to intermittent noise. Pupils reporting additional learning needs or speaking English as an additional language were significantly more negatively affected by poor acoustics. Noise levels and reverberation times (RT) were measured in 185 unoccupied spaces in 13 schools. The results showed that the introduction of the Regulations in 2003 helped to greatly improve the acoustic quality of new schools. Noise levels were measured during 282 lessons and found to have a very consistent average of 64 dBA. The lesson noise was positively correlated with RT and unoccupied ambient noise levels. Environmental parameters were also measured (e.g. CO2 count, relative humidity, temperature and light intensity). Classrooms with mechanical ventilation had higher background noise levels than those using natural ventilation. Most environmental parameters were uncorrelated with acoustic parameters. Using noise levels that we had found in typical classrooms we assessed pupils learning in a series of experimental studies. Performance in numeracy and literacy tasks was significantly poorer when students completed these tasks in higher noise levels (70dB). There was also a significant difference in speed of reading and accurate responses to comprehension questions for the 50 and 64dB conditions, with worse performance in the 64dB condition. |
| Exploitation Route | The results of the current set of studies are relevant for policy, practice and in developing theory. Investigators were instrumental in the Institute of Acoustics' Sound Schools campaign which lobbied the government to retain acoustic regulations. There is further work to support schools and local authorities in developing their policies and liaising with architects. The work has identified a gap in teacher knowledge about the impact of background noise and the differential negative impact of classroom noise on some learners. Strategies are needed to support teachers in managing classroom noise levels for all pupils. The studies have also identified a number of important further research questions - a) there is a need to examine the ways in which sound amplification and modification of the classroom environment differ in their impact on teaching and learning, b) the experimental studies identified the need to evaluate the ways in which different sounds sources impact on learning and performance. |
| Sectors | Education,Environment |
| URL | http://www.salford.ac.uk/computing-science-engineering/research/acoustics/architectural-and-building-acoustics/acoustic-design-of-secondary-schools |
| Description | The project produced an evidence-base about how poor acoustics affects teaching, performance and learning in secondary schools. In 2010, the Coalition Government threatened to abolish most legislation relating to the design and building of new schools. The results of this project have been influential in persuading the government to retain acoustic regulations in both the Building and School Premises Regulations. |
| Sector | Education,Environment |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Arup acoustics - research support engagement |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | This was dissemination of the project results to inform the design of work on the plans for the new Heathrow runway and its impact on schools |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | International Presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Keynote presentation University of Lund - the impact of noise in secondary school classrooms - barriers to learning |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |