Pupils’ perceptions of noise in English secondary schools

Julie Dockrell, Daniel Connolly, Bridget Shield, Robert Connetta, Charlie Mydlarz, Trevor Cox

    Research output: Published contribution to conferenceAbstractpeer-review

    Abstract

    A recent project has investigated acoustical conditions in secondary schools, in order to examine the effects of the acoustic environment on teaching and learning of 11- to 16-year-olds. The project has included objective acoustic surveys, subjective surveys of pupils and teachers and cognitive testing of pupils. For the subjective surveys an online questionnaire concerning the acoustic environment in schools was developed. Around 2600 pupils and 200 teachers from six secondary schools in England responded to the questionnaire; this paper reports the pupils’ responses. Pupils were asked to identify sounds heard in their school, to rate spaces in their school in terms of ease of hearing the teacher, and to comment on the effects of noise. They were also asked to identify rooms in which it was hardest and easiest to hear and understand the teacher. Examining the differential responses between various groups of pupils showed that those with particular learning needs were more affected by noise than other pupils. Acoustic surveys were also undertaken in the six schools, and, where possible, the subjective data has been compared with data on noise and reverberation times in the schools.
    Original languageEnglish
    Number of pages10
    Publication statusPublished - 15 Sept 2013
    EventInternoise: Noise Control for a Quality of Life - Congress Centre, Innsbruck, Innsbruck , Austria
    Duration: 15 Sept 201318 Sept 2013
    https://euracoustics.org/events/events-2013/internoise-2013

    Conference

    ConferenceInternoise
    Country/TerritoryAustria
    CityInnsbruck
    Period15/09/1318/09/13
    Internet address

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