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 Good Acoustics For A Better Learning Environment In a 1995 survey by the General Accounting office, school administrators ranked poor acoustics as the most significant problem affecting the learning environment. Siebein is leading an effort to include noise criteria in national guidelines for classroom construction or renovation. In November 1999, the U. S. Access Board accepted his findings as part of the basis for draft standards on school construction and renovation that could become part of the Americans with Disabilities Act. His suggestion would establish a maximum allowable background noise level of 35 decibels in the classroom that Seibein says would make it much easier for children to concentrate. To accomplish this, the code would require the air conditioning to be minimized and outside sounds, such as cars or airplanes, to be decreased with noise reducing windows, doors, and walls. Builders would be required to use sound absorbing material on floors, walls and ceilings. Carpet could be an integral part of this sound reduction. It is thought that these improvements would also help students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders. Improving the condition of education is important. The student's ability to hear the teacher is a basic. (Information taken from Explore Magazine, Spring 2000 issue, The University of Florida, "Listen to the Teacher, Good Classroom Acoustics are Vital to Effective Learning," by Kristin Harmel) | ||
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