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Small Changes have big effects: Non-structural sound absorbing furnishings

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Abstract:

Poor classroom acoustics are known to negatively impact the academic performance, speech perception, and wellbeing of children. Moreover, with emptier classes due to altered teaching schedules because of COVID-19 regulations that limited learner numbers, reverberation times in emptier classrooms may be accentuated and need to be minimised for optimal teaching and learning environments. A case study, utilizing a multi-group pre-test-post-test experimental design, examined the extent to which carpeting and curtains reduced reverberation times in one unoccupied preschool classroom after 960 reverberation measurements were taken over an octave range of 125 Hz to 8000 Hz. Averaging within the Interrupted Noise Method, data indicated that curtains had a greater, statistically significant difference in the 250 Hz to 1000 Hz range, whereas carpeting, had a greater, statistically significant difference in the 2000 Hz to 8000 Hz range. Thus, the combination of both curtains and carpeting was particularly effective in reducing the disruptive effect of prolonged reverberation time in the classroom, across all frequencies. Leveraging on self efficacy theory and, in particular, teacher-efficacy, an improvement of classroom acoustics is an opportunity for teachers and schools to enhance the learning environment by addressing the sound environment, an often-overlooked and invisible component of the classroom, especially with limited classroom occupancy due to COVID-19. Furthermore, ways of improving classroom acoustics ought to be given greater consideration at schools through the use of sound-absorbing carpets and curtains.

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