Architects' and acoustic consultants' low-cost considerations for improving classroom acoustics in the South African context
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Date
2019
Authors
Kassuto, Chantal Jacqui
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Abstract
Literature reports on the negative effects poor classroom acoustics could have on
learners' academic performance. South Africa is a mixture of a developing and developed
country, therefore there is a need to be cost-conscious due to the possible limited resources
available. There is limited research on how to address the above issue of poor acoustics.
Thus, a low-cost method to acoustically treat an existing classroom needed to be explored.
Architects and acoustic consultants were used as the participants as they are professionals
who may be involved in classroom acoustic treatments. The aim of the study was to obtain
architects' and acoustic consultants' low-cost considerations to acoustically treat an existing
classroom. This aim was achieved through a mixed-method sequential explanatory approach.
A qualitative approach involved the participants having to draw out their considerations to
acoustically treat an example classroom, while simultaneously participating in a semistructured
interview. The qualitative data were placed into the Sabine reverberation equation
for a quantitative approach to calculate the post-acoustic treatment reverberation time. The
study found that there are methods to acoustically treat classrooms in a low-cost yet effective
way. Prioritising the treatment of reverberation and treating the entire ceiling with Class C
acoustic ceiling tiles with a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) of 0.70 seemed to be the
most ideal solution. The study concluded that by using the Sabine reverberation equation, one
could implement the bare minimum treatment needed in order to achieve an appropriate
reverberation time. This is important for South Africa, where resources may be limited.
Through this study, a basic acoustic treatment guideline was developed, however, there is a
need for change in policy at a government level to ensure that all classrooms are conducive to
learning and teaching.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the discipline of Speech Pathology and Audiology, School of Human and Community Development, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Masters in Audiology, 2019