Assessing Acoustic Conditions in Hybrid Classrooms with COVID-19 Social Distancing at the University of Sharjah

ABSTRACT

In response to COVID-19 global pandemic, institutions are required to follow health protocols involving social distancing, which led to the need to redesign the teaching and learning spaces. The University of Sharjah (UOS), United Arab Emirates (UAE), has adopted a flexible hybrid teaching approach where the capacity of the classrooms is reduced to 50% and added the necessary audiovisual equipment to support the hybrid teaching model. As a result, the acoustic conditions are expected to be affected. The aim of this study is to assess the acoustic parameters in hybrid classrooms with a focus on reverberation time, sound clarity (C50), and strength (G). Measurements of the reverberation time, clarity, and strength were taken in six different classrooms were performed using a sound analyzer and ROOM EQ Wizard software in accordance with the guidelines set by ISO 3382. In addition, we compared the experimental data with the obtained from Sabine's diffuse-field theory and from a model developed by E. Nilsson, which considers that the absorption in classrooms is mainly due to an absorbing ceiling. Reverberation times results show that Leq (dBA) varies from 43.0-50.9 dBA. Results obtained from the theoretical model showed the same overall behavior over the investigated frequency range. Sound clarity and strength measurements indicated that the acoustic conditions in hybrid classrooms do not satisfy the international standards with the exception of one classroom, which was acoustically treated. © 2022 Internoise 2022 - 51st International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering. All rights reserved.