Persson Waye Kerstin, Magnusson Lennart, Fredriksson Sofie, Croy Ilona
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Department for Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Section for Audiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
PLoS One. 2015 Jan 23;10(1):e0116572. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116572. eCollection 2015.
Perception of speech is crucial in school where speech is the main mode of communication. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether a web based approach including listening tests and questionnaires could be used as a screening tool for poor classroom acoustics. The prime focus was the relation between pupils' comprehension of speech, the classroom acoustics and their description of the acoustic qualities of the classroom.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In total, 1106 pupils aged 13-19, from 59 classes and 38 schools in Sweden participated in a listening study using Hagerman's sentences administered via Internet. Four listening conditions were applied: high and low background noise level and positions close and far away from the loudspeaker. The pupils described the acoustic quality of the classroom and teachers provided information on the physical features of the classroom using questionnaires.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In 69% of the classes, at least three pupils described the sound environment as adverse and in 88% of the classes one or more pupil reported often having difficulties concentrating due to noise. The pupils' comprehension of speech was strongly influenced by the background noise level (p<0.001) and distance to the loudspeakers (p<0.001). Of the physical classroom features, presence of suspended acoustic panels (p<0.05) and length of the classroom (p<0.01) predicted speech comprehension. Of the pupils' descriptions of acoustic qualities, clattery significantly (p<0.05) predicted speech comprehension. Clattery was furthermore associated to difficulties understanding each other, while the description noisy was associated to concentration difficulties. The majority of classrooms do not seem to have an optimal sound environment. The pupil's descriptions of acoustic qualities and listening tests can be one way of predicting sound conditions in the classroom.
在以言语为主要交流方式的学校环境中，言语感知至关重要。本研究的目的是评估一种基于网络的方法，包括听力测试和问卷调查，是否可作为课堂声学不佳的筛查工具。主要关注点是学生的言语理解、课堂声学以及他们对教室声学质量的描述之间的关系。
方法/主要发现：瑞典38所学校的59个班级中，共有1106名13 - 19岁的学生参与了一项通过互联网进行的使用哈格曼句子的听力研究。应用了四种听力条件：高背景噪声水平和低背景噪声水平，以及靠近扬声器和远离扬声器的位置。学生们描述了教室的声学质量，教师通过问卷调查提供了有关教室物理特征的信息。
结论/意义：在69%的班级中，至少有三名学生将声音环境描述为不利，在88%的班级中，有一名或多名学生报告经常因噪音而难以集中注意力。学生的言语理解受到背景噪声水平（p<0.001）和与扬声器距离（p<0.001）的强烈影响。在教室的物理特征方面，吸音吊顶板的存在（p<0.05）和教室长度（p<0.01）可预测言语理解。在学生对声学质量的描述中，“噼里啪啦”显著（p<0.05）可预测言语理解。此外，“噼里啪啦”与相互理解困难相关，而“嘈杂”的描述与注意力集中困难相关。大多数教室似乎没有最佳的声音环境。学生对声学质量的描述和听力测试可以作为预测教室声音状况的一种方法。
