A site-based ergonomic assessment of acoustics in school settings and the proposal of a fuzzy-logic metric

Abstract

As hearing loss among youth becomes more common, a compelling body of research which indicates that the thirteen years of school, from grades kindergarten to twelve, may be contributing to the problem. A literature review examines current research in the areas of child hearing loss and noise in schools. A site-based study was conducted using a Sound Level Meter to sample noise on two school campuses. The results of the study were analyzed and reflect a noise level which exceeds ideal learning conditions and potentially endangers hearing. Based on these findings and those of other researchers, a rudimentary research proposal to develop a fuzzy-logic model of auditory risk is proposed.

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