Pedagogical aspects of teaching acoustics to a general student group

Abstract

At a number of colleges and universities courses in introductory acoustics and related areas are being offered. Often these courses are taught in the physics or physical science departments as a science subject. This is not a universal rule since similar courses are found in departments such as speech science, architecture, etc. The teacher may have a deep interest in acoustical phenomena without being a professional acoustician. The courses may serve as a required course for students in the speech sciences or music. These courses can have a large enrollment when they are open to general interest students. Many of the teaching methods relate to the task of explaining a phenomenon that is described perhaps best, at least compactly, by mathematical methods with visual or audible teaching aids.