Classroom Acoustics Research in New Zealand

Past, Present and Future

James Whitlock
Marshall Day Acoustics, 84 Symonds St, Auckland City, [email protected]

A paper previously presented at the 2008 NZAS Conference

ABSTRACT
This paper briefly reviews the notable body of research on primary school classroom acoustics to come out of New Zealand in
the last ten years. Major findings are summarised and discussed in context with recent studies abroad and hotly debated topics
amongst the international classroom acoustics community. Additionally, future proposed NZ re-search which plans to aid in
resolving the formidable classroom amplification system issue.

Introduction and In short, a primary school classroom is For several years they undertook
a very complex but very critical acoustic the largest research survey of NZ
Background space, and research conducted over the Primary School Acoustics resulting in
The acoustical design of a classroom last 10 years in NZ has suggested that all their acclaimed publication in 2002
is important be-cause it influences the is not well. Classroom Acoustics A New Zealand
ability for students and teachers Perspective[1]. The research
to communicate. A classroom was funded by the Oticon
with too high a reverberation Foundation,
time (RT) or excessive intrusive Their work involved acoustic
background noise is a difficult measurements and building
learning environment because inspections of classrooms in seven
speech intelligibility is reduced, primary schools in Auckland and
meaning students may not fully a questionnaire survey of 122
understand what their teacher or teachers about their classroom.
fellow classmates are saying. Selected classrooms were then
This is particularly relevant in upgraded acoustically by installing
Primary School class-rooms where high quality acoustic ceiling tiles
language and listening skills of (donated by building industry
the occupants are still developing. suppliers) and measurements were
Imagine, during language class, Figure 1. Proportion of teaching style from repeated to assess the effect of this
trying to learn and adopt new Wilson, Dodd et al. 2002 upgrade.
words in a room where you cant A brief summary of their findings
hear those words properly. is included below (copies of their
Primary School classrooms are also New Zealand Research full publications can be obtained from
dynamic teaching spaces where teachers www.oticon.org.nz.):
The following research studies
use a range of teaching styles from one- Our classrooms are too noisy: 71%
conducted in New Zealand have begun
on-one tuition to group work activities. of teachers reported classroom
do deconstruct the issue through
Didactic teaching (that is, the teacher at noise as a problem. Aver-age noise
questionnaires, building surveys and
the blackboard and all students facing levels range from 50 to 70 decibels
controlled psycho-acoustical experiments
the front) is no longer the norm, and in (equivalent in noise level to a busy
on the acoustic needs of children.
the main, classroom acoustic design has restaurant)
not changed to accommodate this. NZ Classroom acoustics Research
Group Oticon Study (Wilson, Acoustic ceilings make a positive
Another issue is that New Zealand difference: Classrooms with
favours lightweight timber design Dodd et al)
absorptive ceilings were rated more
with openable windows for natural In 1999 the NZ Classroom Research highly by teachers, and the up-graded
ventilation. This is wonderful in Group (NZCRG) - a group of rooms were rated significantly better
providing a natural, fresh environment, professionals from the fields of after the upgrades
but it can lead to higher noise levels audiology, acoustics, education, building
in the class due to outside noises As shown in Figure 1 below, group
science and special needs education, was
like traffic, roadworks or other class work activities are the most common
formed in Auckland.
activities. teaching-style (38%). Traditional
didactic teaching accounts for only
New Zealand Acoustics Vol. 21 / # 4 25
 12% of all activities. background noise This paper focuses in particular on
recent large-scale classroom surveys in
Optimum reverberation time (RT) for This second point is especially relevant
The United Kingdom and Germany,
children is 0.4 seconds. This is less than in classroom group work activities,
and the powerful influence of the
the previous internationally accepted where noise breeds noise as group
Coalition for Classroom Acoustics in
standard of 0.6 seconds. members compete to be heard over
the United States, and their online
other groups. This social manifestation
FM hearing systems are essential discussion forum.
of the Lombard Effect is called the Cafe
for hearing impaired students:
Effect because the effect is often seen in Largest ever noise study on British
This means a microphone worn by
cafes too. Class-rooms (Shield & Dockrell)
teacher, with the signal transmitted
directly to students hearing aids. Experiments on both children and This major study [6] was a government
(Note system this is different from a adults showed that there is indeed funded joint collaboration between
teacher voice amplification system, a measurable difference between South Bank University, London
which will be discussed be-low.) their ability to understand speech in Universitys Institute of Education and
reverberant conditions, and the effect of several government departments.
The day-long classroom levels
background noise on their speech level.
in upgraded rooms The two-year project looked
dropped more than at the effects of noise
acoustic theory alone on the attainment and
predicts. This suggests cognitive development of
there was a change in primary school children in
childrens behaviour. three London boroughs.
We suspect this is Over 2000 children aged
due to the Lombard 7 and 10 were surveyed to
Effect, which was later establish how disruptive
researched in greater classroom noise was.
detail (Whitlock, 20032
Whitlock & Dodd, The researchers carried
20083, as discussed out internal and external
below) noise surveys of schools,
undertook experimental
The NZCRG was also testing of children in
instrumental in pushing for different noise conditions.
the NZ standard on acoustic ...acute exposure to noise affected performance on The teachers were also
criteria AS/NZS 2107:20004 academic tasks, with language-based tasks being questioned on their
to include 0.4 seconds RT perceptions of noise.
for primary school class- particularly affected by background babble... Key findings include the
rooms. following:
Integration Time and Lombard Work was also begun developing a Most external noise came from road
Effect studies on children prediction model to determine the traffic, although air traffic noise was
(Whitlock, Dodd and Francis) activity noise level in a classroom, based also common
on the number of occupants, and the
One of the points underlined by the rooms acoustic properties. Children were aware of external
NZCRG study above was that children noise and annoyed by specific
have specific intelligibility needs in a The full breadth of this research is sounds
classroom situation. included in Whitlock, 2003[2] and
Francis, 2005[5], and is summarised in Classroom noise levels were often
For this reason, additional research Whitlock & Dodd, 20083 dominated by the noise made by the
followed on directly from the NZCRG children themselves
study which directly tested the These findings add weight to the
NZCRG recommendation that reducing Acute exposure to noise affected
differences in speech intelligibility needs performance on academic tasks,
of children compared with adults. reverberation time and limiting
background noise are essential in a with language-based tasks being
In particular, the research looked at two learning environment for children. particularly affected by background
psychoacoustical phenomena: babble
The Integration Time of Speech, International Research And Children with special educational
which reflects ones ability to decode Discussion Forums needs were especially vulnerable to
speech which has been compromised the effects of back-ground noise.
The NZ studies above complement the
by echoes and reverberation, and These findings strongly echo the
international surge by researchers and
The Lombard Effect, which is ones professionals in the last ten years who NZCRG study high-lighting on a large
susceptibility to increasing their have made significant advances in the scale the classroom acoustics issue.
vocal output in the presence of field.

26 Vol. 21 / # 4 New Zealand Acoustics

Large German study supports RT audiologists, educators and parents) and Continued debate on the benefit
reduction (Oberdrster & Tiesler) organisational advocates whose work (or otherwise) of teacher voice
directly resulted in the development of amplification systems (TVAS).
This study [7] was another significant the ANSI S12.60 standard.9
work involving in-situ noise This last topic regarding
measurements of 175 lessons at TVAS (also known as sound-
two primary schools with different field amplification systems, or
pedagogical approaches. The sound distribution systems) is
researchers focused on the effect a significant one, which has
of reducing reverberation time, generated much lively debate.
and teaching method on classroom
Teacher Voice Amplification
noise.
Systems, And The Next Step
Key findings include the following:
For NZ Research
The primary source of noise
A developing trend for achieving
in a classroom is from the
better audibility of the teacher in
students themselves
classrooms is the installation of
The activity noise was higher in TVAS, where the teacher wears
the classrooms with higher RT Figure 2. Classroom noise for two teaching a wireless microphone and his
(i.e. prior to treatment) methods, with reduced RT (reprinted from or her voice is amplified and
Noise from group work
Oberdrster & Tiesler, 2006[8]) delivered to the class via an array of
loudspeakers fixed to the walls in
activities reduced significantly
each corner of the room.
more than didactic teaching
with reduced RT (as shown in Figure Members of the group are still active These systems are currently considered
2 be-low). and hold regular conversation (and to be must-haves for primary schools,
often, vigorous debate) via the classroom and consequently there is some
The measurements showed a linear
acoustics discussion forum on Yahoo! considerable pressure on school boards
reduction of the L95 sound pressure
Groups[10]. The group currently has and management to adopt them.
level by around 1.6 to 2 dB per 0.1
343 subscribers. Additionally, the fact that hearing
sec reduced reverberation time
impaired children are mainstreamed
Recent topics of note include:
Supports 0.4 seconds as ideal RT in NZ schools means that teachers
Review of the ANSI S12.60 standard often already utilise FM systems
This is another well received and well
criterion for RT of 0.6 seconds. (see NZCRG findings above). These
published study, whose findings strongly
Should this be reduced to 0.5 or 0.4 systems (whilst wholly different from
support the NZCRG research.
seconds in light of the studies above? TVAS) also incorporate a teacher-worn
Lively debates on the US-based Discussions on how to meet microphone, so this may naturally lead
Classroom Acoustics email forum the ANSI standard unoccupied to predisposition towards TVAS.
(Lubman, Rollow, Stewart & background noise criterion of 35 Research has shown that TVAS provide
Campanella primary contributors) dBA with HVAC systems benefits in students learning outcomes
The classroom acoustics movement A detailed account of the German and reduce teacher voice strain, however
in the US began in 1998 with the Oberdrster & Tiesler study many parties worldwide feel that these
formation of the Coalition for systems fail to address the central issue
Costs and cost-benefits associated of poor room acoustics and only aids
Classroom Acoustics, a group of
with designing classrooms with good the teacher-student speech stream,
individuals (including acousticians,
acoustics

New Zealand Acoustics Vol. 21 / # 4 27

neglecting both the student-teacher room requirements, and New Zealand Acoustical Needs for Pri-mary School
stream and the crucial student-student research has been at the forefront. Children Building Acoustics, Vol. 15,
stream during group work. It is this No. 1, 2008
Regular discussion takes place via the
dichotomy which is fuelling the US
classroom acoustics Yahoo! Group, and [4] AS/NZS 2107:2000 Acoustics
debate.
any interested parties are encouraged to Recommended design sound levels
There are fears that if students join this group and contribute. and reverberation times for building
experience these systems from a young interiors Standards Australia/New Zea-
The hot issue of teacher voice
age, their development of essential land, 2000
amplification systems is enjoying much
listening skills (such as localization &
debate at present. Further work pro- [5] Francis, R. The Influence of the
discrimination) may be hindered, as the
posed by New Zealand researchers looks Lombard Effect on Speech Level in
amplification system removes the need
to assess this in a balanced way, with a Adults, Research Paper, School of
for really attending to the speaker.
view to developing guide-lines for their Music, University of Auckland, New
Acousticians tend to take the view that implementation to complement the Zealand, 2005
the natural acoustics of the room should natural classroom acoustics.
[6] Shield, B. & Dockrell, J., The
be improved as much as possible so that
Acknowledgements Effects of Noise on the Attainments
the environment lends itself to good
and Cognitive Performance of Primary
speech communication without the Thank you to all the NZ and School Children Research Paper, South
need for aids. US research has indicated International researchers, whether Bank University, 2003
that the costs of a TVAS system and mentioned in this paper or not, for
acoustic improvement of a classroom are their dedication to this important issue. [7] Oberdrster, M. & Tiesler, G.
comparable. Thanks in particular to Dr. George Acoustic Ergonomics of School
Dodd, Rebecca and Gabriel Whitlock, Research Report Fb 2071, Institute
The NZCRG has recently reformed and
and the team at Marshall Day for their of In-terdisciplinary School Research,
expanded to include experts in TVAS
support. University of Bremen, 2006
systems to undertake an investigation
into appropriate uses of amplification [8] Oberdrster, M. & Tiesler, G.
systems in classrooms. References Acoustic Ergonomics of School
[1] Wilson, O., Dodd, G., et al. A Premise for Modern Teaching?
We propose to compare and contrast the
Classroom Acoustics A New Zealand Proceedings of Euronoise 2006,
benefits of TVAS and acoustical design
Perspective The Oticon Founda-tion, Tampere, Finland, 2006
in classrooms to establish a structured
approach for their implementation. Wellington, New Zealand (ISBN 0-473- [9] ANSI S12.60-2002 Acoustical
08481-3), 2002 performance crite-ria, design
Summary [2] Whitlock, J.A.T., Acoustical requirements and guidelines for Schools
The issue of classroom acoustics is a Mechanisms Influenc-ing Speech American National Standards Institute,
worldwide concern, with many groups Intelligibility for Primary School Chil- 2002
and individuals taking a proactive dren Masters Thesis, Acoustic Research [10]Classroom acoustics Yahoo! Groups
approach. Centre, University of Auckland, New listserv http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/
Zealand, 2003 group/classroomacoustics
There have been significant
developments in the last 10 years with [3] Whitlock, J.A.T & Dodd, G. Speech o
respect to understanding and refining Intelligibility in Classrooms: Specific

28 Vol. 21 / # 4 New Zealand Acoustics