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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

CEFPI Workshop Darwin 2009

Improving Hearing Health in

Classrooms to boost Student

Learning and Teacher Wellness

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

Today we will discuss how:

• Noise pollution limits each learner’s ability to comprehend

• The peril of distance impedes the peak performance of young brains

• Teacher wellness can be boosted

• Not all children are the same and they do not have all word files

• Hearing Health of classrooms can be instantly improved to benefit the educational ambitions of students, teachers, administrators and architects

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

Aging and changing infrastructure

More ESL students Larger classrooms

More vulnerable learners

Literacy and numeracy assessment/funding

Teacher wellness

All children do not have all words files installed yet – two thirds heard is

two thirds learned

All children do not have all words files installed yet – two thirds heard is

two thirds learned

Learning today involves ….

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

External Noise Internal School NoiseAmbient Noise is measured in an empty classroom

Classroom Noise

Noise pollution reduces the ability of young brains to capture and process the sounds of teaching

Barriers to Hearing Clearly

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

Typical Ambient Noise: 45 dB

Hyper Physics (@ C.R. Nave, 2005)

Inverse Square Law

• The Inverse Square Law: Voice level is reduced

by 50% each time the distance from the sound

source doubles.

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

Directionality and distance• The further a learner is away from

a sound source, the less they get.

• Visual technology can compound

the problem

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

Teacher wellness:

Fatigue Stress Job SatisfactionIllness

1996 2007

Teachers with voice related problems are on the rise• 18% miss work each year due to voice issues• 43% reduce instructional activity• National estimated cost - $2.5B

20042004

Source: Parker & McDade 2004

Other Issues Now Linked to Classroom Hearing Health

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

Not all Children are the same

• Conductive hearing loss• Fluctuating hearing loss• Central auditory processing disorders• Developmental delays• Attention deficits• Minimal hearing loss• Language delays• Culturally and linguistically diverse• Articulation disorders• English as a second language • 6:1 boys

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

How can technology improve Hearing Health?

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

How It Works: Capture all the sounds of teaching in ‘huggable’ way

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

Delivery

Consider technology which embraces

• Wide dynamic range to ensure consonant sounds are

delivered to maximize speech intelligibility

• Voice capture for all presenters

• Best distribution to compliment aesthetics and purposes

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

• Alters frequency delivery to compliment the room

Spread of frequencies

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

• NXT™ Technology – Entire panel projects sound in all directions

– VERY wide dispersion of sound

– Excellent reproduction of high vocal-range frequencies

• Cone Speaker Technology– VERY directional

– Best for larger rooms with more complex

demandsSingle NXT™ Speaker

Cone Speakers

Speaker Technology

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

MINI WALL SPEAKER

MCQ Multimedia CEILING SPEAKER

NXT FLAT-PANEL WALL SPEAKER

CEILING SPEAKER

Delivery

• Different designs and purposes of learning spaces

• Minimize adoption threats

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

What are teachers and school administrators saying about Classroom Sound Enhancement?• “It makes words sound clearer. For example I don’t have to ask “what was the word” again and

again”. “It’s just great and clearer.  I just love it” Student, Sunshine Coast Grammar

• “Delivery of clearer and more easily understood instructions has enabled the students at the back of the room to become part of the class and they are less likely to be disengaged and distracted. The ‘quieter’ students now feel that they can have the opportunity to be involved.  The opportunity to quickly and efficiently use the huge range of resources on the internet (including sound resources) has positively impacted my classroom” Cronulla High

• “The gentle amplification of the teacher's voice enables boys to more clearly hear what is being taught or asked, meaning for the first time, some boys are able to be focussed right from the start of a lesson, rather than in the follow up phase. It is even more impressive when boys themselves realise the impact this has on their ability to learn” Scotch College Junior School, Melbourne.

• “We have just had a revolutionary new classroom sound system put in each classroom here as part of our redevelopment. The feedback from the boys has been incredibly positive and we have only had it in less than a week.” Newington Preparatory School

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

Formative Assessment

Action Research

National Studies

Enhancing the delivery of the sounds of teacher is a key

The teacher – student connection is at the heart of learning

Research Findings

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

Classroom Sound Enhancement Validated

• Massie, R. (2003). The impact of sound field amplification in mainstream classrooms.

• This study supports the use of sound-field amplification to advance the acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills for children in mainstream classrooms, and not only for those children with identified hearing loss or with ESL backgrounds. Sound-field amplification may be viewed as a cost-effective part of the solution to improving classroom listening environments for all children.

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

12 Positive Changes in StudentFunctioning

1. Increased students’ attention spans

2. Decrease in need for behavior management

3. Decreased number of requests for repetition

4. 72 % decrease in teacher redirection

5. Decreased vocal strain and fatigue for teachers

Independent Trost Study December 2002; Language, Speech and Hearing

Services in Schools October 2000; Language Speech and Hearing in Services in

Schools July 1990.

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

12 Positive Changes in Student Functioning

6. 35% increase in reading fluency

7. 35 % growth in test scores

8. 72 % decrease in teacher redirection

9. Improved academic achievement

10. Decreased Special Education referrals

Independent Trost Study December 2002; Language, Speech and

Hearing Services in Schools October 2000; Language Speech and

Hearing in Services in Schools July 1990.

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

Summary

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

Summary• Classrooms are polluted with noise

• Not all learners are close to sound sources

• Not all children are the same

• There are many sounds of teaching we need to embrace and plan for

• Hearing is fundamental to learning

• Optimizing hearing health is simple, huggable and cost effective

• The results are proven and easy to understand

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Classroom Acoustics and Student Learning

This concludes the Hear and Learn / Lightspeed

CEFPI Darwin Workshop September 2009

Hear and Learn-Classroom Sound Enhancement LIGHTSPEED TECHNOLOGIESwww.hearandlearn.com.au www.lightspeed-tek.comPh. 03.9370.9355 Fax: 03.9370.9366 David Downing-Director Thomas Roth-Dir. International Business Development0400.149.399 david@hearandlearn.com.au +1.503.4422339 thomas.roth@lightspeed-tek.com

Questions?