Acoustics Introduction
Research and findings on impacts of acoustics in the learning environment.
Like the other environmental factors affecting learning, such as lighting, ventilation and air temperature, acoustics also has an important role. Research shows that bad acoustics alone can have the greatest influence on learning, particularly for young children. The Ministry is therefore taking positive steps to stimulate awareness about the important role that acoustics have.
The links above will provide Boards of Trustees and designers with information detailing the Ministry's requirements. The section on "Current research" highlights gives a brief outline of the importance of good classroom acoustics. It also backs this up with links to important research documents which give a more detailed analysis of acoustics in the learning environment.
Self-assessment templates provide classroom users with a range of tools whereby they can assess the acoustical qualities of a teaching space. These questionnaires, though deliberately unscientific, provide a starting point from which further detailed analysis can be done.
The outcome of a building project is very much dependent on the quality of the brief that the designer receives. Preparing a detailed brief which highlights your acoustical requirements will not only make you aware of its importance but will also make you more able to assess its performance at the end of the project.
Many older style classrooms display classic examples of bad acoustics; long reverberation times and ambient noise intrusion. Once you have made an initial assessment of the room using the above template, rectifying any defects so as to improve the acoustic qualities are well within the capability of a Board appointed contractor. This section provides practical examples of how to improve a classroom's acoustics.
Finally, an occupancy evaluation will assess the effectiveness of your brief by measuring this against the performance of the classroom using the assessment templates. Identifying and describing problems will hopefully eliminate them in a future project. Schools will be able to post examples of a project as well as learn from the experiences of others.