Class Room Acoustics Impact on Learning - Essay Example

Room Acoustics – Impact on Learning Introduction This paper would attempt to have an understanding about the manner in which room acoustics exercise their impact, in terms of the learning experience of children. It (the paper) would also elaborate on how the children with hearing disabilities as well as normal children can get affected by unpleasant acoustics. Classroom Acoustics – A Grave Issue “Classrooms with poor acoustics have been in vogue since a long time. In fact, it is being estimated that, in a classroom and on an average, for every four words spoken by the teacher, the students tend to miss one. Many people have recognized the fact that classrooms having small area are most conducive for the students, for they are then enabled to get personalized attention. Here, it has to be noted that, along with the aspect of small area, the classroom’s structure and shape are equally important.” (1) “As has been mentioned earlier, poor acoustics serve as major impediments for even students whose hearing abilities are normal. And when the students in question are those who are afflicted by hearing and learning disabilities, the acoustics further compound the problem. In this context, a special mention has to be made about the students who are just in initial stages of learning English Language. In fact, in face of bad acoustics, the problems confronted by these students are on par with those (problems) related to students with hearing disabilities.” (1) “Several extensive researches carried out, in this direction, go on to show that the contents elaborated in the preceding two paragraphs are in no way exaggerations. As a matter of fact, it has been noted that improper classroom acoustics gravely impede both the psychosocial and also the psycho-educational growth of children. Here, it needs to be stated that the aforementioned acoustics also adversely impact the abilities related to spelling, reading, appropriate behavior, academic growth and concentration, to cite a few, for children with even mild hearing disorders.” (2) Hearing Loss – Impact on Perception of Acoustic Speech Cues “Several studies that have been carried out in the realm of speech perception of people with hearing disabilities have depended solely on audiograms. And it is purely based on the results of the audiograms that people are being classified as those whose hearing is normal, and those with a hearing disability. At this juncture, it needs to be conceded that the hearing ability/disability cannot be precisely ascertained, when only the audiogram is taken into account. In fact, audiogram tends to ignore some vital parameters.” (3) “At this point, it needs to be understood that speech perception is inclusive of both cognitive and also sensory processes. When solely the sensory parameters are taken into consideration, the aspect of speech perception cannot be fully explained. There are quite a few facets of the process of speech perception that can be best explained only when the process (of explanation) encompasses the vital cognitive factors. In this connection, a very crucial point is worthy of special mention. It needs to be noted that there is a tremendous variation of the cognitive parameters related to hearing disability, from one person to another.” (3) “It has to be mentioned that speech is nothing but a dynamic acoustic phenomenon that keeps undergoing a constant change. The acoustic cues of speech that are considered to be stable are in fact so (stable) only on a comparative basis. This is in the sense that they are present only for about 300 ms. Perception of these cues surely gets adversely impacted for people having a hearing impairment. The following are the two ways in which perception of the acoustic cues can get impacted: improper auditory acuity and bad frequency selectivity.” (3) “For an apt understanding of this part of the topic, some elaboration on the term “Temporal Integration” is more or less imperative. Temporal Integration denotes the manner in which the primary auditory neurons come out with a temporal response, on suddenly being exposed to loud noise. The functioning of healthy auditory systems is characterized by both swift onset response and also a relatively slow offset response. To elaborate further, the offset response of a given burst of loud noise conceals the similar (offset) response to a succeeding burst (of noise), provided the time span between both of them (bursts) is very less.” (3) “The aspect discussed in the previous paragraph is known as forward masking. At this point, a mention needs to be made also of backward masking, which is the auditory system’s small onset response to a noise that is preceded by a different burst of noise. In this phenomenon, when one temporal response overlaps to a marked extent over the next one (temporal response), the gap between both the bursts of noises gets hidden. As a matter of fact, it is based upon the threshold of the gap detection that the capability of the auditory system in identifying gaps is determined. In people bogged down with hearing disabilities, the aforesaid thresholds are highly improper. To be stating more specifically with an example, owing to the bad thresholds, these people tend to perceive that they have heard the word “seed”, when in fact the word uttered is “speed”. They have lot of trouble in differentiating words that are pronounced in a more or less similar way.” (3) “It is primarily because of minimized frequency selectivity that people with hearing impairments are more impeded than those with healthy auditory system, in perceiving speech. Minimized frequency selectivity exercises its impact in two different ways. Firstly, owing to the improper auditory filters, the peaks get abnormally flattened and as well as broadened. The other effect of a drop in frequency selectivity is seen along with a rise in phase sensitivity.” (3) “People with normal hearing depend upon both frequency and time associated with noise gaps, for the purpose of comprehending speech that is fairly unclear. Noise, attributable to the fact that it is not stable, sometimes reaches the intensity where, speech details drop to a particular level. At this level, it becomes comparatively easier to analyze the acoustic cues of speech. But when people with hearing disabilities are taken into account, the frequency acuity and the bad temporal could lead to a situation where, the components of noise rapidly spread to adjoining points having low levels of noise intensity.” (3) “Owing to all the contents elaborated in this section of the write-up, persons hindered by hearing disabilities are not in a position to make use of the gaps that have been mentioned earlier. As a result, they are unable to appropriately segregate noise and speech” (3) Improvement of Classroom Acoustics All the key aspects that have been emphasized upon in this write-up strongly focus on the necessity of improving classroom acoustics. The contents of the next few paragraphs denote as being some of the means, by which, a noteworthy improvement in classroom acoustics can be realized. “At this point it has to be highlighted that bringing about an improvement in the acoustics does not necessitate incurring high costs. On the contrary, an enhancement (of acoustics) can be made at a fairly affordable cost. When the benefits felt by students with hearing impairments are taken into consideration, this cost can be rated to be on the lesser side.” (1) “By making some needed modifications to the classroom, the acoustics can indeed be improved significantly. Here, it has to be stated that sound travels in the form of waves after originating from the source, and it continues to do so until it is faced with some obstacles. When there are conventional ceilings and walls, sound gets reflected back after hitting them (ceilings and walls). Hence, it is necessary that the ceilings and walls are made of a material that supports absorption.” (1) “During the construction of the classroom itself special importance has to be given to the manner in which the wall is built. When bulky and thick materials are used for building the wall, undoubtedly, the outside sounds are prevented from finding their way into the class. But then, reverberation cannot be avoided and consequently, the very purpose of improving the acoustics is destroyed. This situation can be avoided by going with materials supporting absorption, for they effectively trap the sound and make sure that it (sound) loses its strength. At the same time, these materials also ensure that there is no reverberation. It has to be ensured that tiles of ceilings of classrooms are of good quality having a good rating” (1) “The most commonly used material of that pattern is the acoustical wall covering, which is also called as wall carpet. Notwithstanding the fact that their capacity to absorb sound is less when compared with the general acoustical wall panel, wall carpets are still highly effective. The same is attributable to one of their features: having adequate surface covering. Devices of sound diffusion are also very helpful for the given purpose, but here, it is essential that the concerned classrooms are suitable for their usage.” (1) “Last but in no way the least, when proper steps are initiated for isolating vibrations related to HVAC and some other concerned devices, they (vibrations) become unable to spread across the building and classrooms.” (1) Conclusion This write-up can be concluded with the comments that the learning experience in the ambience of a classroom can be enhanced, only when there are no unwanted sounds and noises. So, it is indispensable that the all-important issue of good acoustics is promptly addressed, lest the students are hindered. The topic in question in an exhaustive one and all its related points cannot be covered in a brief paper such as this one. Yet, a sincere attempt has been made to cover the most relevant of all the aspects. Read More