Noise Levels in Malaysia primary schools: are we meeting the international standards?

Noise is increasingly becoming a problem in schools and affects the audibility of speech. The effects of noise hamper learning opportunities for students. Noisy classrooms affect students’ academic performance and wellbeing. Studies have shown that children perform more poorly in noisy situations co...

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Main Authors: Ismail, Noraidah, Karim, Khairnai, Othman, Nur Ain
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IIUM Press, International Islamic University Malaysia 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/82123/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/82123/1/82123_Noise%20Levels%20in%20Malaysia%20Primary%20Schools.pdf
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author Ismail, Noraidah
Karim, Khairnai
Othman, Nur Ain
author_facet Ismail, Noraidah
Karim, Khairnai
Othman, Nur Ain
author_sort Ismail, Noraidah
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
description Noise is increasingly becoming a problem in schools and affects the audibility of speech. The effects of noise hamper learning opportunities for students. Noisy classrooms affect students’ academic performance and wellbeing. Studies have shown that children perform more poorly in noisy situations compared to adults. The current study was done to measure noise levels in classrooms in primary schools in Kuantan. A total of 31 classrooms from eight residential primary schools were selected as the place of study. The noise levels were measured using a sound level meter (SLM) in occupied and unoccupied conditions. On-site observations and checking were done and documented in each school and classroom. The results showed that the noise levels of occupied and unoccupied classrooms were higher than the values recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) which are 35 dB(A) and 55 dB(A) respectively. The findings showed that the measured noise levels in the classrooms were high enough that it might interfere the effectiveness of teaching and learning among students and teachers. The source of noise was mainly from the students’ activities in the classes. The current study discusses a few possible suggestions to improve the classroom acoustics.
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spelling iium-821232020-08-12T08:06:18Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/82123/ Noise Levels in Malaysia primary schools: are we meeting the international standards? Ismail, Noraidah Karim, Khairnai Othman, Nur Ain RF Otorhinolaryngology Noise is increasingly becoming a problem in schools and affects the audibility of speech. The effects of noise hamper learning opportunities for students. Noisy classrooms affect students’ academic performance and wellbeing. Studies have shown that children perform more poorly in noisy situations compared to adults. The current study was done to measure noise levels in classrooms in primary schools in Kuantan. A total of 31 classrooms from eight residential primary schools were selected as the place of study. The noise levels were measured using a sound level meter (SLM) in occupied and unoccupied conditions. On-site observations and checking were done and documented in each school and classroom. The results showed that the noise levels of occupied and unoccupied classrooms were higher than the values recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) which are 35 dB(A) and 55 dB(A) respectively. The findings showed that the measured noise levels in the classrooms were high enough that it might interfere the effectiveness of teaching and learning among students and teachers. The source of noise was mainly from the students’ activities in the classes. The current study discusses a few possible suggestions to improve the classroom acoustics. IIUM Press, International Islamic University Malaysia 2020-07-22 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/82123/1/82123_Noise%20Levels%20in%20Malaysia%20Primary%20Schools.pdf Ismail, Noraidah and Karim, Khairnai and Othman, Nur Ain (2020) Noise Levels in Malaysia primary schools: are we meeting the international standards? International Journal of Allied Health Sciences, 4 (2). pp. 1139-1150. E-ISSN 2600-8491 https://journals.iium.edu.my/ijahs/index.php/IJAHS/article/view/176/353
spellingShingle RF Otorhinolaryngology
Ismail, Noraidah
Karim, Khairnai
Othman, Nur Ain
Noise Levels in Malaysia primary schools: are we meeting the international standards?
title Noise Levels in Malaysia primary schools: are we meeting the international standards?
title_full Noise Levels in Malaysia primary schools: are we meeting the international standards?
title_fullStr Noise Levels in Malaysia primary schools: are we meeting the international standards?
title_full_unstemmed Noise Levels in Malaysia primary schools: are we meeting the international standards?
title_short Noise Levels in Malaysia primary schools: are we meeting the international standards?
title_sort noise levels in malaysia primary schools: are we meeting the international standards?
topic RF Otorhinolaryngology
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/82123/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/82123/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/82123/1/82123_Noise%20Levels%20in%20Malaysia%20Primary%20Schools.pdf