Acoustical Comfort in Classrooms: Case Study at the University of Brasília

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clarice C. Daga ◽  
Hetty N. C. C. Lobo ◽  
José A. P. C. Lobo ◽  
Carlos E. L. Melo
Keyword(s):  
Background Noise ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Sound Perception ◽  
Acoustic Comfort ◽  
Two Parameters ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Acoustic Conditions

The acoustic conditions in school spaces are fundamental for the success of the learning process. This article aims to present the results of acoustic comfort by the analytical method of 9 classrooms with different geometric characteristics of the University of Brasília. In classrooms the background noise limits are 40 to 50dBA and considering that the teacher’s voice reaches a certain 65 decibels we can highlight that it can be heard clearly by the students. However in an environment with a lot of reverberation of sounds the teacher will have to exert more effort to be understood. The sound perception in a room depends on the intensity and temporal relationship between the direct sound and the indirect sound reflected by the walls of the room, therefore, in the present study were verified two parameters namely the reverberation time and speech intelligibility. The results obtained were compared with the normative parameters of ANSI S12.60: 2010 and it was verified that all rooms are not suitable for teaching-learning activity. To guarantee an environment with better conditions of concentration and learning for the students, acoustic coverings were suggested in order to fit the normative limits.

Speech Intelligibility Parameters for Evaluating the Perception of Background Noise in Open-Plan Office Users: A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Serrano Ruiz
Keyword(s):  
Background Noise ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Space Design ◽  
Transmission Index ◽  
Open Plan ◽  
Design Characteristics

This document presents a case study of acoustic analysis in an open-plan office. Since Mexico does not have a standard for evaluating acoustic conditions in offices, it is relevant to compare different acoustic evaluation methods used for open-plan offices. According to several studies, one of the main acoustic characteristics for open-plan office spaces is speech intelligibility. Therefore, the purpose of this document is to compare psychoacoustic parameters to evaluate speech intelligibility in open-plan offices. We analyzed physical factors as reverberation and speech clarity in different office points, as well as semantic factors based on subjective methods with standardized values of the quality of speech intelligibility. The study was carried out under real open-plan office conditions in a library in a university in northern Mexico. The study factors of interest were type of sound, sound source, and location of the listener, with Reverberation Time (RT), Speech Transmission Index (STI) and Loss of consonant articulation (%ALCons) as the measures of impact on intelligibility. This case study provides additional evidence of the relationship between intelligibility and the position of sound sources; also, it was noted that location of listeners influenced analyzed intelligibility parameters. On the other hand, this case study offers information concerning to use psychoacoustic parameters for subjective classification of quality of the speech intelligibility to evaluate how is background noise perceived in open-plan office users. However, it is noteworthy that this study represents a single office with its own interior and space design characteristics.

scholarly journals University Students' Perception on the Verbal Interaction through WhatsApp Chat Group

AL-TA LIM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-257
Author(s):  
Sujarwo Sujarwo ◽  
Sukmawati Sukmawati ◽  
Asdar Asdar ◽  
Suharti Siradjuddin ◽  
Nina Ariani
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Verbal Interaction ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Verbal Interactions ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The University

Verbal interactions will occur when both the teacher/lecturer and learners could completely understand what each other means. It happens verbally among the teacher and learners during the teaching learning activity (Mardiana et al., 2019). This study was mainly conducted to examine the University students’ perception on verbal interaction through WhatsApp chat group. This study used qualitative descriptive method was used to achieve the objective of this study. Observation and a questionnaire were adopted as tools for data collection. A total number of samples was 14 English as a Foreign Language learners in university students. The analysis of the data revealed that university students’ perception on verbal interaction gave the positive feedback towards WhatsApp chat group. This proves that ordinarily learners selected agree with utilizing WhatsApp chat group in doing verbal interaction. Hence, utilizing of WhatsApp chat group can be recommended as an efficient technique in verbal interaction for teaching and learning process.

Supporting Mobile Access to VLE Resources through MobiGlam

2012 ◽  
pp. 315-332
Author(s):  
Fatma Meawad ◽  
Geneen Stubbs
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Mobile Access ◽  
Generic Framework ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

MobiGlam is a generic framework of interoperability with existing virtual learning environments (VLEs) that provides a compact and easy to use implementation of learning activity on Java enabled mobile devices. A case study was conducted at the University of Glamorgan, UK where MobiGlam was seamlessly integrated with the university’s VLE to support the delivery of computer courses at the foundation level. Such integration showed an added value to the participants and in many cases, it improved their use of the VLE. This chapter reports on the deployment, the evaluation, and the results of this case study. The results are analysed from two views: the impact on the participants’ use of the VLE and the framework’s overall usability.

Mobile phone vs paper-pencil mode of note-taking, a case study among the students of Bankura University

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnab Kundu ◽  
Tripti Bej
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Note Taking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Modern Age ◽  
Wide Implication ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this study is to recommend the university authorities to build better teaching-learning environment for its students to use variables and multiple note-taking methods in class for best results fundamental in each method. Design/methodology/approach The study is a case study that follows a ‘problem-driven’ approach concerned specifically with providing practical solutions to real-world problems. A sample size of 320 respondents was obtained, in which 300 were university students selected from the first, second and third years of study and 20 were professors. Findings This case study made it very obvious to all that mobile phone note-taking is a regular practice among students at Bankura University. At the same time, the study also reveals that the practice does not significantly differ based on students’ sex. Research limitations/implications Based on the findings, the study recommends for the need to educate students on the importance of paper and pencil note-taking method so that they do not fall prey to such risks. A befitting environment should be created so that students can use various methods of note-taking in classrooms avoiding their negative impacts. Practical implications It has a wide implication in the modern age where cutting-edge technologies are shaping our course actions every day. We cannot keep ourselves from this technological association and our mobile phones have become our friend, philosopher and guide. In this scenario, this study bears a big implication in itself. Originality/value This study is based on the authors’ ground study and is purely original and unique in the true sense.

scholarly journals Electroacoustic assessment of wireless remote microphone systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haniyeh Salehi ◽  
Vijay Parsa ◽  
Paula Folkeard
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Signal ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
The Other ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Significant Interest ◽  
Acoustic Environments ◽  
Acoustic Conditions

Wireless remote microphones (RMs) transmit the desired acoustic signal to the hearing aid (HA) and facilitate enhanced listening in challenging environments. Fitting and verification of RMs, and benchmarking the relative performance of different RM devices in varied acoustic environments are of significant interest to Audiologists and RM developers. This paper investigates the application of instrumental speech intelligibility and quality metrics for characterizing the RM performance in two acoustic environments with varying amounts of background noise and reverberation. In both environments, two head and torso simulators (HATS) were placed 2 m apart, where one HATS served as the talker and the other served as the listener. Four RM systems were interfaced separately with a HA programmed to match the prescriptive targets for the N4 standard audiogram and placed on the listener HATS. The HA output in varied acoustic conditions was recorded and analyzed offline through computational models predicting speech intelligibility and quality. Results showed performance differences among the four RMs in the presence of noise and/or reverberation, with one RM exhibiting significantly better performance. Clinical implications and applications of these results are discussed.

Acoustic comfort in a worship space made of cross-laminated timber

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia Fratoni ◽  
Dario D’Orazio ◽  
Luca Barbaresi
Keyword(s):  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Spatial Perception ◽  
Sound Field ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Good Opportunity ◽  
Cross Laminated Timber ◽  
Worship Space ◽  
Acoustic Comfort ◽  
Sustainable Materials

The construction of a new worship space in cross-laminated timber provides a good opportunity to include acoustic needs in the whole design development. The surface porosity and the lightweight of wooden elements may be carefully considered in order to improve the intelligibility of priests’ voice. In this work, a practical approach for obtaining a global acoustic comfort using sustainable materials is provided, using geometrical acoustic simulations. Material properties and architectural geometries were taken into account in order to evaluate subjective reverberation, speech intelligibility, and spatial perception over the whole audience. Results show how the sound energy distribution in the case study follows the sound field models proposed by scholars and how the ceiling shape—inspired by industrial sheds—contributes to the acoustic comfort of the faithfuls.

scholarly journals An Experimental Study of Acoustic Comfort in Open Space Banks Based on Speech Intelligibility and Noise Annoyance Measures

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 333-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rostam Golmohammadi ◽  
Mohsen Aliabadi ◽  
Trifah Nezami
Keyword(s):  
Background Noise ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Open Space ◽  
Irrelevant Speech ◽  
Acoustic Properties ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Noise Annoyance ◽  
Transmission Index ◽  
Acoustic Comfort ◽  
Bank Employees

Abstract Tasks requiring intensive concentration are more vulnerable to noise than routine tasks. Due to the high mental workload of bank employees, this study aimed to evaluate acoustic comfort in open-space banks based on speech intelligibility and noise annoyance metrics. Acoustic metrics including preferred noise criterion (PNC), speech transmission index (STI), and signal to noise ratio (SNR) were measured in seventeen banks (located in Hamadan, a western province of Iran). For subjective noise annoyance assessments, 100-point noise annoyance scales were completed by bank employees during activities. Based on STI (0.56±0.09) and SNR (20.5±8.2 dB) values, it was found that speech intelligibilities in the workstations of banks were higher than the satisfactory level. However, PNC values in bank spaces were 48.2±5.5 dB, which is higher than the recommended limit value for public spaces. In this regard, 95% of the employees are annoyed by background noise levels. The results show irrelevant speech is the main source of subjective noise annoyance among employees. Loss of concentration is the main consequence of background noise levels for employees. The results confirmed that acoustic properties of bank spaces provide enough speech intelligibility, while staff’s noise annoyance is not acceptable. It can be concluded that due to proximity of workstations in open-space banks, access to very short distraction distance is necessary. Therefore, increasing speech privacy can be prioritised to speech intelligibility. It is recommended that current desk screens are redesigned in order to reduce irrelevant speech between nearby workstations. Staff’s training about acoustic comfort can also manage irrelevant speech characteristics during work time.

Assessing e-readiness of the Copperbelt University, Zambia: case study

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 315-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matuka Chipembele ◽  
Kelvin Joseph Bwalya
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Working Environments ◽  
Methodological Triangulation ◽  
Ict Infrastructure ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The University

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess e-readiness (preparedness) of the Copperbelt University (CBU) with a view to ascertain the likelihood of the university benefiting from various opportunities unlocked by the adoption and use of ICT in advancing its core mandate of teaching, learning and collaborative research. Design/methodology/approach The study used the network readiness model emanating from the socio-technical theory, which underpins the extended technological enactment framework. Further, it employed a positivist approach and adopted a case study method coupled with methodological triangulation at data collection stage. With a 95 per cent confidence level of a possible sample frame of 2,980, the study sampled 353 respondents with a response rate of 81 per cent. Findings The results show that anticipated ICTs users have not leveraged available ICT infrastructure or are unaware of its existence. Further, quantitative constructs: “accessibility to ICTs” and “requisite ICTs skills” has significant impacts on e-readiness indicators and in integration of ICTs in CBU core business activities. Also, the study argues that institutional ICT policy and working environments reshape users’ perception of ICTs for teaching, learning and research. Research limitations/implications The proposed conceptual framework only accounted for 43 per cent variance of the factors determining e-readiness of CBU. Originality/value Investigating CBU’s e-readiness will enable policy-makers to prioritise interventions needed for transforming the university into an e-ready entity favourably placed to benefit from digital opportunities. Also the emanating conceptual framework is important to theory and practice in integrating ICTs universities business value chains especially in contextually similar environments.

scholarly journals Learning Management System (LMS): The Perspectives of Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol VI (I) ◽  
pp. 183-196
Author(s):  
Farzana Yousaf ◽  
Kiran Shehzadi ◽  
Areeba Haider Aali
Keyword(s):  
Management System ◽  
Faculty Perceptions ◽  
Learning Management System ◽  
Intensive Training ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Learning Management ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Phenomenological Case Study

The emerging trend of the use of LMS (Learning Management System) in higher educational institutes is improving the teaching-learning process. The purpose of this research was to find out the perspectives of teachers towards the use of LMS. The phenomenological case study approach was the focus of this study. All the teachers who were involved in course, section, and teachers allocations in LMS were taken as the participants of the study. The sample was selected by purposeful and convenient sampling techniques. Six teachers gave interviews, while 12 teachers filled the open-ended questionnaire from three campuses of the University of Education, Lahore. Thematic analysis of data indicated that there were four main categories of faculty perceptions towards using the Learning Management System. These were advantages, disadvantages, features, and problems faced by teachers in LMS. The researchers recommended intensive training of university faculty and students in the employment of the LMS.

scholarly journals Inclusive University didactics and technological devices: a case study

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catia Giaconi ◽  
Arianna Taddei ◽  
Noemi Del Bianco ◽  
Simone Capellini
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Learning Disorders ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Inclusive Practices ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Specific Learning ◽  
Pedagogical Framework

This paper provides a review of projects related to new technologies used to favour the teaching-learning processes and the inclusive practices in the University context for students with disabilities and with Specific Learning Disorders. Authors present a review of strategies, trajectories and perspectives activated in the national and international scene, aiming to guarantee a significant pedagogical framework of reference. Furthermore, the paper focuses on a meaningful path activated at the University of Macerata, the project Inclusion 3.0, a relevant example of new technologies in support of teaching-learning processes and inclusion practices among all students.   

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