A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Sounds of learning: Soundscapes - teacher perceptions of acoustic environments in Finland's open plan classrooms




AuthorsHytönen-Ng Elina, Pihlainen Kaisa, Ng Kwok, Kärnä Eija

PublisherAustralia's Institutes for Educational Research in New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia

Publication year2022

JournalIssues in educational research

Journal name in sourceIssues in Educational Research

Volume32

Issue4

First page 1421

Last page1440

eISSN1837-6290

Web address http://www.iier.org.au/iier32/hytonen-ng-abs.html

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/177371847


Abstract

The construction of new schools has undergone much debate as children and teachers spend a significant proportion of their lives in physical learning environments in schools. The school soundscape is central but often underestimated. In this study, we investigated teachers' experiences of soundscapes in two modern Finnish comprehensive schools by interviewing teachers (N=10). In addition, we analysed the data by the constant comparative method. According to the results, the school architecture influenced the soundscape and organisation of teaching. The designs of the schools encouraged collaborative learning through open plan learning spaces and flexible classrooms. Yet, the open plan learning environment and its soundscape did not always support the instructional needs of all children. We conclude that soundscape design should consider both the learning needs of children, and the well-being of both children and teachers.


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Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 20:35