The effect of the acoustic environment of learning spaces on students' learning efficiency: A review

Abstract

Numerous studies have demonstrated that the significant impact of sound on people's performance, especially in mental and physical health. With a focus on students' learning environments, this study aimed to explore the effects of different acoustic environments on students' learning efficiency. This study reviews the relevant literature on the effects of sound on learning efficiency in school and home-based learning environments since 2000. It specifically focuses on the effects of sound sources, sound pressure level, and reverberation time on students' learning efficiency across all school ages. A total of 67 pieces of literature met the criteria. Firstly, the literature is classified according to sound types, and the task types, experimental design are also presented. Then the effects of different acoustic environments on students' learning efficiency are summarized and compared. It has been found that the impact of different sound source types on learning efficiency varies significantly. There are clear changes under noise and variable effects in non-noise environments. Sound pressure level has a negative impact on learning efficiency, and this impact increases significantly when the sound environment exceeds a certain decibel level. Studies on reverberation time often overlook the limitations of background sound and its placement. The study proposes potential research and development directions in response to current research. It also suggests improvement strategies for architectural design, combined with the conclusions. This study may provide theoretical support for enhancing the learning environment and improving learning efficiency, as well as serving as a reference for similar experimental designs.