INTRODUCTION

This section provides the background of the study. Likewise, it discusses the

problem, significance, scope and delimitations, and terms used in this research. It

elaborates the issue of noise pollution and its effect on the learning environment. It

outlines the questions that this research addresses. In addition, it clearly explains the

variables and other information catered by the study.

Background of the Study

Learning is an interaction of ideas whose effectiveness lies in the

consideration of both the teacher and the learners as they all contribute to the

outcome (Ziwira, 2015). It is the essence of an educational institution. Learning may

depend in the way student acquires knowledge, the way they exchange ideas with

the educators and create a good performance in school. One factor that helps

students learn effectively is by having a conducive learning environment. By

definition, a conducive learning environment is a platform devoid of both physical

intimidation and emotional frustration, which allows for a free exchange of ideas. The

learning environment of the school is one of the first things that a student should

consider when learning. The learning environment will dictate how well or poorly a

child will learn (Nosal, 2012). Hence, there is a need for schools to establish a

conducive learning environment. The way a school positions itself with its learning

environment can affect the students’ learning process.

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Astoundingly, research findings suggest that the physical environment can

have such an impact on students that could affect a student’s academic progress by

as much as 25% (Warfield, 2016). A positive environment with bright lights, clean

surroundings, classroom organization, and the peacefulness of the place can result

into an enhanced learning experience of the student and may possibly boost student

achievement. On the other hand, the crowded rooms, disorganization, a high-density

of students, and the noise can possibly result into poor student disposition that leads

into lower student achievement in the school.

A student taking a test in a quiet, peaceful room will almost certainly do better

than a student taking the same test in a loud, chaotic room (Learning Liftoff, 2016).

The loud physical environment serves as a barrier for the students’ ability to think

properly which may result into poor test scores. If the student was able to take the

test in a much quieter place, the student may be able to think clearly and provide the

right answers, which may give better scores. Furthermore, such physical disturbance

may hinder their comprehension during the class discussions, which also affects

their examination and performance scores. With the two illustrated events, the

occurrence of poor physical setting affects the class discussion and examinations

negatively.

Therefore, educational zone requires a serene atmosphere instead of any

disturbances including from the traffic noise (Buchari and Matondang, 2017). Noise

has become an external factor affecting the learning environment. This is the reason

why a student will not be able to cope up with the learning process given that the

noise disrupts the student’s hearing. Consequently, it results to a failure of acquiring

knowledge. Numerous studies on noise effects on performance have been

conducted since the middle of the 20th century showing that—depending on

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characteristics of sounds and tasks—noise of low to moderate intensity may in fact

evoke substantial impairments in performance (Klatt, et al, 2013). This only shows

that noise pollution has been one of the major issues that a school faces. It has been

a disturbance to the learning environment of the institution. Under the psycho-

acoustic point of view, a noise would be an unpleasant sensation triggered by the

reception of acoustic energy (Dreossi, 2004).

This problem affects any institutions especially the learning environment of

every educational society. Consequently, the school would fail its purpose in

providing quality education to the students as well as the opportunity for the teachers

to exercise their expertise effectively. Given that the noise pollution takes place in

the environment, the students would also fail to apply and understand the

information provided by the school.

Recently, there had been complaints of noise pollution coming from both the

Senior High School or College students in Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan. It

has become a disturbance to the Xavier University main campus. This issue had

been circulating around the campus and even made rounds in the social media.

Some College students complain that the activities conducted by the a few Senior

High School cause noise that is very disruptive to their classes. Likewise, some

Senior High School students complain about the noise from the activities done by the

a few College students. There were also complaints about the noise from the

students who play around the field and who do academic tasks loudly on areas

outside the classroom. These have become the common problem of both the Senior

High School and College students, even to the teachers. The students point out that

they cannot study well with all the noise in the environment. It diverts their attention

and loses their focus, which results into a poor outcome of events, activities or tasks.
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With this, the student researchers investigate the effect of the noise pollution

on the learning environment of the Senior High School and College Students of

Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan (A.Y. 2017-2018).

Statement of the Problem

This qualitative study aims to determine whether the noise pollution hinders

the learning environment in Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan. Likewise, the

researchers seek to describe the effect of noise pollution through the perspectives of

the Senior High School and College students (A.Y. 2017-2018).

The study sought to answer the following questions:

1. In what way do the Senior High School and College students perceive noise

pollution?

2. How does noise pollution affect the learning environment of the Senior High

School and College?

2.2. How do they describe the level of noise pollution in Xavier

University – Ateneo de Cagayan?

3. How do students manifest resiliency amidst the occurrence of noise pollution

in their learning environment?

4. What does it mean to describe the effect of noise pollution on the learning

environment of Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan Senior High School

and College students?

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Significance of the Study

The study discusses Noise Pollution and its impact on the learning

environment, in particular to the Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan Senior High

School and College community. The facts and figures of this research study

becomes the basis in providing insights of the said issue. Furthermore, this research

also provides solutions and guidelines for further studies. The findings of the study

benefit the Senior High School students, College students, the teachers, the

institution and the future and/or aspiring researchers.

The results of the study will be beneficial to the following:

Senior High School Students

The results of the study provide sufficient information on noise pollution and

its effect on the learning process and environment to the Senior High School

Students. In addition, it would be the basis on how to minimize irrelevant noises

inside the campus.

College Students

The outcome of this study will also give College students psychological

expositions about causes of noise pollution, how it affects the learning process of co-

students and how to lessen noises inside the campus.

Teachers

The given data will serve as a guide to the teachers on what to do with the

students who create the causes of noise pollution. In addition, the teachers of the

university will be able to render different strategies and impose teaching styles that
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are flexible for the students in terms of gauging the noise level to be able to provide

more quality in teaching despite the noise that is being produced by different

sources.

Staff Members

The results of the study will provide the staff member’s awareness about the

causes and effects of Noise Pollution. Moreover, the effects that it imposes in the

university environment.

Future and/or Aspiring Researchers

The study gives the future and/or aspiring researchers “exteroception” and of

noise pollution inside and outside the university, additionally, the result from this

study can be used by future researchers as baseline data for their research on noise

pollution. With this information, researchers may find it helpful to design other studies

that are related to this research which can guide them in setting the direction of the

study.

Thus, this study credibly caters the entire university for this will serve as the

school’s basis in terms of noise pollution of how it affects the learning process, skill

development and enhancement of the students in visual perception of Xavier

University - Ateneo de Cagayan's duty as home for formation, learning and

development.
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Scope and Delimitation

The study reaches the extent of the noise pollution in Xavier University –

Ateneo de Cagayan Senior High School and College learning environment in terms

of its effect(s).

The study site, Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan, is located at 73

Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City, 9000 Misamis Oriental. The issue on noise

pollution is based on the recent events and activities circulating within the Senior

High School and College students of the Academic Year 2017-2018. Thus, the

population data used in deriving the sample size of the study are of the above-

mentioned period.

The respondents of the study are divided into two (2) different strata, each

with sub-strata. The two (2) strata are Senior High School and College students

since they occupy one campus, and share one building. The Academic Track’s

Accountancy, Business and Management strand (ABM), General Academic Strand

(GAS), Humanities and Social Sciences strand (HUMSS), and Science, Technology,

Engineering, and Mathematics strand (STEM), as well as the Technical Vocational

Track are considered as sub-strata of Senior High School. Unlike the first strata,

tertiary level is divided in to different courses. Catering all of them would be more

time-consuming and costly for the conduct of the research. Hence, the College

respondents are chosen in terms of buildings; the School of Business and

Management building (Commerce), College of Engineering building (Engineering),

College of Nursing building (Faber Hall), College of Agriculture building (Agriculture),

and STC building. The College students from different buildings are from the courses

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA), Bachelor of Science in

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Electrical and Computer Engineering (BSECE), Bachelor of Science in Nursing

(BSN), Bachelor of Science in Development Communication (BSDC), and Bachelor

of Arts in International Studies (BAIS). The five (5) buildings are chose purposively

due to the fact that: first, the Commerce, Agriculture, and STC buildings cater both

classes from Senior High School and College students; and second, although the

Engineering building and Faber Hall are not occupied by the Senior High School,

considering them in the study would provide a diversity of data to the study’s

findings.

In an educational institution, the occurrence and effect of noise pollution on

the learning environment of Senior High School and College are best described

through the perceptions of students within the said communities. In addition, the

research study uses a Deductive Grounded Theory research design; the ideas

extracted move from a more general level to a more specific one, and the data are

collected from different categories. It begins with assumptions as supported by

existing scholarly researches, and then followed by the collection and analysis of

data.

The data gathering is only limited to the constructed and approved interview

schedule. And focuses on group discussions that are conducted to obtain raw

information from the respondents. The collected data will then be analyzed through

the descriptive approach, based on the assumptions of the study.

Generally, the investigation would interpret the information collected from the

respondents. It will determine the effects of noise pollution on the learning

environment of the institution as described by the Senior High School and College

students of Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan (A.Y. 2017-2018). Likewise, it

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will also present the preferred coping mechanism of the respondents on the noise

pollution in their learning environment.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding of the study, the following operations are defined

operationally:

Noise pollution. It is the spread or radiation of noise, which can affect creature life

in a distracting and damaging way. It refers to the extreme noise that disturbs the

students in focusing on their academic lives. Furthermore, it is considered as threat

to the conducive learning in Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan.

Learning. It refers to the progression of one’s memory and knowledge. Further, it

manifests a comprehension on presented ideas or any information.

Conducive learning environment. It is an ideal setting or atmosphere for learning

that guarantees an efficient and productive process of teaching and learning to

happen for both teachers and students. Likewise, it is an environment void of noise,

which could affect the process of learning.

Physical environment. It is the portion of a classroom environment which only

involves physical elements such as classroom organization, surroundings, and noise

level.

Noise. It refers to sound that is excessive, unnecessary, and disruptive, which

causes disturbance and is not pleasant to the ears.

Physical Intimidation. It refers to the extreme forces existing in the physical

environment which may be considered as external factors.

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Psychoacoustic. It is the branch of science that studies the perception of sound and

audiology, particularly, the reactions connected with sound psychologically and

physiologically.

Acoustic energy. It is a form of energy which is related with the vibration of

substances. It is created when an object or matter is brought about by a force to

vibrate.
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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This section presents: the review on related literature of noise pollution and its

effects, learning environment and the factors that affect it, and common student

behaviors; as well as different related studies. Moreover, this part discusses the

conceptual framework and assumptions of the study that further establish the

foundation of this research.

Review of Related Literature

Noise Pollution

Mostly, people determined noise pollution as a simple matter, however this kind

of pollution if pro-longed will probably harm you both physically and psychologically.

Noise pollution is basically defines as an unwanted sound that creates commotion to

people and even to other species. This noises can also interferes the daily activities

of humans such as to their studies, work, home and even during leisure time and as

a result, researchers and experts somewhat believe that the more we are exposed to

this noise the more chance we are to take the risks that will lead us to inauspicious

effects. It is stated that three of the main factors that causes noise pollution are the

transport vehicles, household, and miscellaneous. And it was also expressed that in

workplace sounds, constant loud music, industrial sounds like fans, generators,

compressor, and mills may also contribute to the noise that causes a range of health

troubles ranging from tensions, poor concentration, productivity losses in the

workplace, and communication difficulties. Noise pollution is a topic that is often

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been thoroughly studied. Nevertheless further study of different factors that causes

noise pollution will lead to better understanding. Specifically, noise pollution in

Universities should be studied in order to learn what may be causing it to elevate the

level of noise around the campus and ultimately lead to a better understanding of

how to maintain normal level of noise and to prevent noise pollution.

Effects of Noise Pollution

Noisy indoor climates affect teachers' work days and can result in lower job

satisfaction, increased fatigue and tiredness, and a lack of energy and motivation

among the teachers (Hear-it, 2013).

A study was conducted by Abdolreza and Amir in Ahvaz, South-West of Iran

to examine the impact of noise on learning and academic achievement of students.

The outcomes demonstrated that noise in educational institutions negatively affects

learning and scholarly accomplishment of primary school students in Ahvaz

(P<0.05).

The reviewed studies document harmful effects of noise on children's

learning. Children are much more impaired than adults by noise in tasks involving

speech perception and listening comprehension. Non-auditory tasks such as short-

term memory, reading and writing are also impaired by noise. Depending on the

nature of the tasks and sounds, these impairments may result from specific

interference with perceptual and cognitive processes involved in the focal task,

and/or from a more general attention capture process (Klatte et al, 2013).
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Learning Environment
The study of learning environments in the classroom plays a major role in

improving the teaching techniques of the teachers and the learning process of the

students. Learning environments have different varieties depending on the culture,

curriculum, and classroom management. This study will identify the various

techniques and instruments that you need to consider or apply in making a positive

learning environment (Goh and Khine, 2018).

Learning environment is about the location, contexts, and the culture of the

student. A student’s learning strategy is very vast. Creativity is very important

because each type of student has a different approach in learning. Learning

environment from a teacher’s perspective is also very technical. Each student has a

different type of learning strategy and teachers have to make sure that their

environment will also help them in teaching the knowledge to his/her students. The

chair arrangements, cleanliness, location, and many other things are to be

considered in order to attain a positive learning environment (Bates T, 2015).

Learning environment will give us a deeper understanding as to what is the

best way for a person to learn. A person’s learning environment cannot only be

found in the classroom or schools, but also in our homes. Some of us try to self-

study when we get home especially when a teacher’s teaching technique was not

effective for us (Springer, 2018).

Teaching and learning is very technical, basically because there is so many

things you have to consider. From the simplest things like wall color or chairs

arrangement to noise pollution or teaching techniques, these things will make a big
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difference in a student’s learning process. These things play a major role in a

student’s learning process and strategy.

Factors Affecting Learning Environment

There are many factors that affect the learning environment of students. First

is the student and teacher’s relationship which means that if the teacher reaches out

and is very approachable, the students will feel better and are inspired to study hard.

Second is the sleep factor, the favorable hours of sleep for students is at least 9-13

hours so that the brain will work, and can insert information. Third is the health

factor, in order for students to completely listen and be productive, they should be

healthy to increase the concentration and the memory. Stress is also one factor that

will affect the learning environment of the students especially when there are a lot of

projects that needs to be submitted soon (Adams Educational Consulting, 2015).

One of the factors of affecting the learning environment is the noise. Older

students who attended schools near major New York airports had lower reading

scores than children in schools located further from the airports did. Noise is more

bothersome in crowded classrooms; teachers in those classrooms might resort to

quieter, less effective teaching methods because of the conditions. Children living

near noisy highways in Los Angeles had lower reading scores and children living

near a major airport there had more difficulty solving cognitive problems (Green &

Shore, 1982; Gifford, 1987; Cohen et al, 1980).

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Student Behaviors

Student misbehaviors retard the blandness and effectualness of teaching and

also impede the acquisition of the student and his/her classmates (Sun and Shek,

2012). The common misbehaviors observed are the following:

Talking out of Good turn; this was mainly referred to students schmoozing

among themselves on irrelevant issue that disrupts the lessons, calling out

somebody or something without instructor’s permit.

Non-attentiveness/Daydream/Idleness; changing of seats deliberately,

wandering around the classroom , catching, running away from the classroom

without permission were commonly reported as trouble doings inside classroom.

Disrespecting Teacher; it appeared to be an attitude; a teacher mentioned

that refusing to follow instructions was a disobedient and disrespectful demeanor.”

Verbal Aggression; it was referred to more aggressive verbal expression,

such as teasing, attacking, wrangling, and speaking foul language.

The teachers perceived student problem conduct as those behaviors involving

rule-breaking, violating the implicit norms or prospect, being inappropriate in the

schoolroom setting and upset teaching, which mainly required intervention from

teachers.

In another study, Dreossi and Santos (2005) found out that the interference

originated inside the school may be: the cafeteria, the terrace, the play area noise,

etc. As the noise originated inside the classroom we have the feet and desk

creeping, the teacher and students’ vocalism, the air conditioning, ventilator, etc. The
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outside noises include honks, car locomotive engine, woodworking plane, churches,

etc.

The noise generated inside the campus must be analyzed thoroughly, so that

students during any extracurricular activities don't distract other students that are still

in the classroom having classes; or that the phonations from the fun gymnasium

don’t interfere with the other classes.

Servilha and Delatti (2014) stated that noise in elevated sound pressure levels

has been indicated as a major jeopardy element for human health. However, a great

section of the population with young individuals, especially high school and college

students have sociable and personal habits that expose them to this risk, and are not

always aware of how harmful it may be. Some cases have shown that excess noise

is destructive to the educational.

In addition, their study showed that university and the classrooms were

considered noisy by the students; they indicated themselves as the main origin of

noise; they react to noise with an effort to listen, difficulty in concentration and

soreness which interfere in learning, grades and health. In noisy situations, the

students ask for quiet, to sit in front of the class or to study at home.

Review of Related Studies

A study conducted by Woolner and Hall (2010) which is related assesses the

impact of the different levels of noise and its measurable outcomes relating to

health, psychological functioning or learning found out that:

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1. Noise interferes with learning, through direct effects on information

processing, and via indirect effects on teachers, learners and

communication in the classroom.

2. Although educational activities are not equally dependent on understanding

speech, high background noise levels and poor acoustics decrease speech

intelligibility.

Seetha et al (2008) conducted a study that determines the noise level in

school classrooms during class hours and identifies the effects of noise to teaching

environment in classrooms. She arrived at the following conclusions:

1. The school is not in a conducive learning environment for teaching and

learning purpose.

2. The teachers were disturbed by the noise level.

3. The male and female teachers were both affected by the noise level.

4. In terms of “stress or headache”, female teachers health is more affected

compared to male teachers.

5. The noise effects on teachers increases as the age increases.

6. The noise in classrooms caused by misbehaving pupils and their disrespectful

behavior links to the numerous stress factors faced by the teachers.

7. The noisy classrooms also create difficulties for children to hear and

understand their lessons.

Connolly (2015) presented the findings of an online questionnaire survey of

11-16 year old’s impressions of their school’s acoustic environment. The effects on

of typical levels of classroom noise on an adolescent’s performance on numeracy

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and cognitive functioning tasks were also presented in his study. He found out the

following:

1. Poor school acoustics affect pupils who reported additional learning needs

such as hearing impairment, speaking English as an additional language or

receiving learning support.

2. The pupils that were not exposed to a nearby noise sources were more

positive about their school acoustics than the pupils who were exposed to

external noise sources.

3. The adolescents are held responsible for their school’s acoustic environment

and they contribute to the disruption to teaching and learning caused by poor

listening conditions.

4. The pupils with additional learning needs are more at risk from the negative

effects of poor school acoustics.

Astolfi et al (2008) assesses the perceived environmental quality with different

aspects such as the acoustical, thermal, indoor air, and visual quality through a

subjective survey on 51 secondary-school classrooms, some have been acoustically

renovated. The findings were the following:

1. Acoustical and visual quality had the most influence on students in their

school performance.

2. Acoustical quality of the school classrooms was correlated to speech

comprehension.

3. Acoustical satisfaction was lower in non-renovated classrooms.

4. One of the most important consequences of poor acoustics was a decrease in

concentration.
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A study conducted by Diaco (2014) identifies the relationship between the

intensity and the sources of the noise pollution and the cognitive performances of the

college students. He arrived at the following conclusions:

1. Elevated levels of noise pollution in the common learning environments are

primarily caused by the students themselves

2. Statistical evidence shows that the student-participants’ cognitive

performances are negatively influenced by noise pollution.

Neuman (2010) determines how the combinations of noise level and the

reverberation of typical of ranges found in current classrooms affect speech

recognition performance of children with normal speech, language, and hearing and

in comparison with that of adults with normal hearing. His findings were:

1. There are changes in the speech recognition performance with age in

elementary school children listening to speech in noisy, reverberant

classrooms.

2. The results show that the more reverberant the environment, the better the

SNR (Signal to Noise Ratios) required.

3. The younger the child, the better the SNR required.

4. Results support the importance of attention to classroom acoustics and

emphasize the need for maximizing SNR in classrooms, especially in

classrooms designed for early childhood grades.

Oswald (2000) seeks to add more information about the effects of irrelevant

sound on comprehension tasks by having to investigate Bransford and Franks’

(1971) abstraction of linguistic ideas paradigm particularly on both meaningful and

meaningless speech on its visual version. The method allows the effects of irrelevant
 20

sound to be examined at two stages: through acquisition and recognition. His

findings were as follows:

1. Irrelevant sound effect can be due to interference of both serration and

semantic processes.

2. Meaningless material is also potentially disruptive of reading comprehension

aside from meaningful irrelevant speech.

3. Silence still appears to be the optimal working environment, although further

investigation is required before this conclusion can be generalized.

Conceptual Framework

The study is best associated with the assumptions made by Woolner

and Hall (2010). In their study, they investigated the impact of noise to schools. They

had formulated our (4) common assumptions on the above-mentioned matter: 1)

Noise over a given level does appear to have a negative impact on learning; 2) If the

unnecessary sound is beneath the levels, noise may or may not be problematic,

depending on the social, cultural, and pedagogical expectations of the students and

teachers; 3) When noise is deemed to be a difficulty this can affect language and

reading development as well as cause indirect problems to learners through

distracting or annoying them; and 4) The way that noise affects a classrooms

conduciveness is not entirely based just on the noise emitted outside the school

bounds. Their assumption indicates that various physical elements, particularly

noise, can affect a learning environment.

According to Graetz (n.d.), all learning takes place in a physical environment.

That is why; students are overstocked in environmental information. Thus, they are

not able to attend to all of these events at the same time. In a classroom, students’
 21

attention is divided between the teacher’s discussion and other environmental

factors. Their capability in understanding incoming information is limited. He stated in

his study that:

“Students may direct their attention to particular targets in the

learning environment that they find more interesting, important, or
unfamiliar than others. For some, it might be the instructor's engaging
chemistry demonstration. For others, it may be the silvery crystal ball
on the shelf…Clearly, some learning environments are more
comfortable and offer fewer distractions than others. In any learning
environment, physical characteristics that cause discomfort can be
expected to interfere with learning….”

Furthermore, he had identified four (4) psychological factors such as

environmental, educational, human factor, and social psychology. Environmental

psychology refers to the physical characteristics of an environment. This includes the

classroom acoustics such as temperature, light, and noise. Consequently, some of

these factors may have been caused by other variables affecting the human

thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

Weinstein had set the following example:

“For example, distracting noises appear to slow reaction time

and degrade performance to a greater degree in older versus younger
adults and for introverts to a greater degree than extraverts.”

Speech intelligibility studies have found that students’ ability to recognize

speech sounds is decreased by even modest levels of ambient noise, and this effect

is magnified for younger children. Intelligibility refers to the 'understandability' of

speech, the match between the intention of the speaker and the response of the

listener. Excessive background noise or reverberation (i.e., many delayed reflections

of the original sound) can interfere with speech perception and, consequently, can

impair educational outcomes (Pascoe, n.d.).

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These claims were supported by several researches conducted in the schools

around the globe, as reviewed in the prior sections. Hence, as Xavier University –

Ateneo de Cagayan inevitably engages teaching with the physical environment,

several environmental risks may arise which becomes a barrier to learning. The

existing conflict of the above-mentioned problem had been evident in the community.

Complaints had been consistently vented out in social media where College students

are disturbed with the noises produced by their surroundings, as well as the Senior

High students. Although the environmental variable had been considered normal in

today’s environment, we can never neglect its significant effects to the students’

psychological health, in particular to their attentiveness during class discussions.

Studying its effects would help assess the relationship of noise pollution and learning

environment, as well as prove the formulated assumptions of Woolner and Hall

(2010) on the grounds of Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan Senior High School

and College levels (A.Y. 2017-2018). Moreover, it would help improve classroom

acoustics for effective learning. As humans are claimed to have limited cognitive

ability, risks such as noise may continue to hinder the development of their

comprehension.

Discovering the different perceptions of both strata the College and Senior

High School students would enable the study to identify the level and effects of noise

pollution to the institution’s learning environment.

Paradigm of the Study

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INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

 Senior High Collection of data  Identified

through: level of noise
School pollution
Students  Focus Group  Assessed
 College Discussion relationship
Students between
 Experiences noise
Analysis of data through:
pollution and
and
 Cross-tabulations learning
Perceptions environment
 Contingency
Table

Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study

Assumptions of the Study

Woolner and Hall (2010) studied the noise in schools and its impacts, in which

the following common assumptions were found:

1. Noise over a given level does appear to have a negative impact on learning

2. If the unnecessary sound is beneath the levels, noise may or may not be

problematic, depending on the social, cultural, and pedagogical expectations

of the students and teachers.

3. When noise is deemed to be a difficulty this can affect language and reading

development as well as cause indirect problems to learners through

distracting or annoying them.

4. The way that noise affects a classrooms conduciveness is not entirely based

just on the noise emitted outside the school bounds.

“The learning environment provided by a school should be

understood as resulting from a complex, dynamic relationship between
the various physical elements and the attitudes and actions of the
different users who constitute the school community.”
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The study is based on the following assumptions:

1. Noise affects performance on memory tasks, an effect which is at least partly

explained by noise interfering with language processing.

2. Noise in the school environment has tended to center on the potentially more

widespread problem of students struggling to learn because of noise

generated within the school itself.

3. Noise intrusion can come from outside school but with the increase of noise

from other parts of the school, the leaking of noise into the classroom

becomes prevalent.

METHODOLOGY

This section describes the specific procedures and techniques used to

identify, select, and analyze information applied to understand the research problem,

thereby, allowing the reader to critically evaluate a study’s overall validity and

reliability.

Research Design

This study had utilized the qualitative type of study which implies an emphasis

on the qualities of entities and on processes and meanings that are not

experimentally examined or measured in terms of quantity, amount, intensity, or

frequency (Denzin et al., 2000). In this type of research, the emphasis will be on the

relationship between the noise pollution and the conducive learning environment of

Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan community, whether noise pollution will be

 25

deemed as a threat to the learning environment of the community or not. This study

utilizes the grounded theory method. The grounded theory method is a set of

rigorous research procedures leading to the emergence of conceptual categories

(Grounded Theory Institute, 2008).

A deductive grounded theory will be utilized since there had been existing

assumptions and generalizations on the effects of noise pollution to the learning

environment. The data collection will then occur by gathering information about the

experiences the students in a focus group discussion.

The chosen research design and method correlates with the study since it

focuses on the effects of noise pollution that has been circulating in Xavier University

– Ateneo de Cagayan campus. They solicit the community’s personal views and

perceptions relating to the issue and determined whether the noise pollution is a

threat to the learning environment of the campus.

Research Setting

The location of the study will be set at Xavier University – Ateneo de

Cagayan. It is located in 73 Corrales Ave, Cagayan de Oro, 9000 Misamis Oriental.

Furthermore, it is where the researchers will gather data containing different

information that may describe the effect of noise pollution to the learning

environment of Senior High School and College students. The research framework,

design, and methods are developed from the data of the current Academic Year

(2017-2018).

Respondents of the Study

 26

The researchers will employ stratified sampling in deriving the sample size or

respondents of the study. The researchers seeks obtain the opinion of the

respondents regarding the noise pollution and how the noise pollution will affect their

studies.

The sampling method used in order to find the number of respondents is the

stratified sampling. It is when a researcher divides the entire population into different

subgroups or strata, then randomly selects the final subjects proportionally from the

different strata. The respondents of the study will be divided into two (2) different

strata, each with sub-strata. The figure below presents the strata and sub-strata of

the population.

Figure 2. Strata and Sub-strata

 27

The table on the next page shows the sample size of the senior high school

during the academic year 2017 to 2018. The researchers took into account all

strands from grade 11 and 12.

Table 1. Senior High School Sample Size

Senior High Students

11 12 Total Sample Size
ABM 316 355 671 537

GAS 58 60 118 112

HUMSS 192 229 421 360

STEM 406 624 1030 729

TVL 26 27 53 51
Total Samples / Respondents 1789

The table on the next page reflects the sample size of the college students

during the 1st semester during the academic year 2017 to 2018. The researchers

chose one course per building taking into account students from 2 nd year until 5th

year.
 28

Table 2. College Sample Size

College Students
Year Level Sample
Building Course Total
2 3 4 5 Size

SBM BSBA 98 102 200 185

College of
Engineering BSECE 5 39 34 36 114 109

College of
Nursing BSN 1 124 88 213 196

College of
Agriculture BSDC 2 44 72 118 112

STC BAIS 84 147 125 356 311

Total Samples / Respondents 913

 29

Thus, the total number of respondents will be 2702 as computed through the

Slovin’s formula. From 2702 respondents, 1789 are Senior High School students and

913 are College students

Instrument of the Study

The student researchers will utilize an interview schedule to efficiently conduct

the data gathering (refer to Appendix B), as well as an Informed Consent Form to

inform the respondents of the procedures and possible risks involved in the research

(refer to Appendix A). During the interviews, audio and video recorders will be used

to document the data collection. Nevertheless, the researchers would use the

traditional pen-and-paper-documentation or scribble method throughout the

interview.

There will be two one set of interview schedule for both the Senior High

School and College students. A preliminary test will be conducted to improve the

instrument for the students and teachers of Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan

community.

The results of the preliminary test will be studied closely and carefully to

ensure transparency and to determine whether they could provide the data needed

in the study. The results will be properly studied to ensure that every data used will

contain the necessary information for the study.

Data Collection

The following data collection process will be sent to the student-researchers’

Research teacher for approval.

 30

Before gathering the necessary data a letter will be addressed to the Office of

the Principal of Senior High School and Dean Offices of the selected College

courses to seek permission for their students to participate in this study. The

researchers will formulate a timeline for the collection of data. This would help the

conduct to be efficient. The respondents will be picked randomly given that they

belong to the identified strata of the study and that they will complete the computed

sample size

As soon as the researchers would start the focus group discussion, an

informed consent form will be presented to the respondents. The discussion would

be administered according to the approved interviews schedule. Audio and video

recorders will be used to document the activity, as well as the traditional pen-and-

paper method of documentation. The scribbled data will be stored in an envelope per

strata, and the audio and/or video recordings in a flash drive or hard drive storage.

Data Analysis Technique

The data gathered from the respondents will be interpreted, analysed, and

studied at Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan. Furthermore, the data and results

of the study will be analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics such as cross-

tabulations and contingency tables so as to come up with a conclusion.

Photo Documentation

Photo documentation will be taken throughout the conduct of the study. The

focus group discussions will be photographed using a smartphone camera. The

respondents’ images will then be filtered for anonymity.

 31

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Bates, A. (. (2015, April 05). Teaching in a Digital Age. Retrieved March 07, 2018,
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from https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitialage/chapter/5-2-what-is-a-
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Connolly, D. M., Dockrell, J. E., Shield, B. M., Conetta, R., &amp; Cox, T. J.
(2015).Students’ Perceptions of School Acoustics and the Impact of Noise on
Teaching and Learning in Secondary Schools: Findings of a Questionnaire
Survey. Energy Procedia, 78, 3114-3119. doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2015.11.766.

Environmental Factors that Influence Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2018,
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factors-that-influence-learning.

Diaco, S. B. (2014). Effects of Noise Pollution in the Learning Environment on

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Dreossi, R. C. and Santos, T. (2005. May 13). Noise and its interference over
students in a classroom environment: literature review. Retrieved from
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sci_arttext&amp;tlng=en.
 33

Have You Heard? Noise Can Affect Learning! (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2018, from
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr011.shtml.

IMPORTANCE OF A POSITIVE CLASSROOM CLIMATE. (2012, December 27).

Retrieved February 5, 2018, from https://mnosal49.wordpress.com/
2012/12/27/importance-of-a-positive-classroom-climate/.

Klatte, M., Bergström, K., & Lachmann, T. (2013, August 30). Does noise affect
learning? A short review on noise effects on cognitive performance in
children. Retrieved February 5, 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
pmc/articles/PMC3757288//.

Learning Environments Research. (n.d.). Retrieved March 07, 2018, from

https://link.springer.com/journal/10984.

Liftoff, L. (2016, May 17). How a School's Learning Environment Affects Student
Achievement. Retrieved February 5, 2018, from
https://www.learningliftoff.com/how-a-schools-learning-environment-affects-
student-achievement/.

Maria K., Kirstin B. and Thomas L. (2013, August) Does noise affect learning? A
short review on noise effects on cognitive performance in children. Retrieved
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from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3757288/.

Neuman A. C., Wroblewski M., Hajicek J., Rubinstein A. (2010). Combined effects of noise

and reverberation on speech recognition performance of normal-hearing children

and adults. Ear Hear. 31, 336–344 10.1097/AUD.0b013e3181d3d514 [PubMed]

[CrossRef].

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meaning of irrelevant sound. Memory 8, 345–350 10.1080/09658210050117762

[PubMed] [Cross Ref].

Seetha, P &amp; Karuppiah, Karmegam &amp; Ismail, Md &amp; Sapuan, S &amp;

Ismail, Napsiah &amp; Moli, Tamil. (2008). Effects to teaching environment of
noise level in school classrooms. Journal of Scientific and Industrial
Research. 67. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/238072696_Effects_to_teaching_
environment_of_noise_level_in_school classrooms.

Servilha, E. A. and M. A. (2014, April 7). College students&#39; perception of

classroom noise and its consequences on learning quality. Retrieved from
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&amp;pid=S2317643120140
00200138&amp;lng=en&amp;nrm=iso&amp;tlng=en

Studies in Educational Learning Environments. (n.d.). Retrieved March 07, 2018,

from https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/5014.

Sun, R. C. and Shek, D. T. (2012, August 1). Student Classroom Misbehavior: An

Exploratory Study Based on Teachers&#39; Perceptions. Retrieved from
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3415159/.

Teasdale, N. (2017, October 26). Have You Heard? Noise Can Affect Learning!
Retrieved March 23, 2018, from https://hushcitysp.com/2017/10/25/have-you-
heard-noise-can-affect-learning/.

Warfield, K. (2016, August 4). How Surroundings Affect Students' Learning.

Retrieved January 5, 2018, from http://info.character.org/blog/how-
surroundings-affect- students-learning.

What Is Noise Pollution? (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from

https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/noise-pollution/

Woolner, P., &amp; Hall, E. (2010). Noise in Schools: A Holistic Approach to the
Issue. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,
7(12), 3255-3269. doi:10.3390/ijerph7083255.
 36

APPENDICES
 37

Appendix A.

Informed Consent Form

Research project title:

NOISE POLLUTION: A THREAT TO THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT OF XAVIER
UNIVERSITY – ATENEO DE CAGAYAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE
STUDENTS (A.Y. 2017-2018)

Research investigator:

Privaldos, Charlene Ramos, Nicole

Soriano, Glister Talingting, Vic
Tolod, Cheska Torrepalma, Arabela
Udtog, Marha Undag, Lloyd
Yee, Fe
 38

Research Participants Name:

The interview will take more or less 10-15 minutes. We don’t anticipate
that there are any risks associated with your participation, but you have the right
to stop the interview or withdraw from the research at any time.

Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed as part of the above research

project. Ethical procedures for academic research undertaken from Xavier
University – Ateneo de Cagayan institution require that interviewees explicitly
agree to being interviewed and how the information contained in their interview
will be used. This consent form is necessary for us to ensure that you
understand the purpose of your involvement and that you agree to the conditions
of your participation.

Would you therefore read the accompanying information sheet and then sign
this form to certify that you approve the following:

• The interview will be recorded and a transcript will be produced

• You will be sent the transcript and given the opportunity to correct any
factual errors

• The transcript of the interview will be analysed by (name of the researcher)

as research investigator

• Access to the interview transcript will be limited to (name of the researcher)

and academic colleagues and researchers with whom he might collaborate
as part of the research process
 39

• Any summary interview content, or direct quotations from the interview, that
are made available through academic publication or other academic outlets
will be anonymized so that you cannot be identified, and care will be taken
to ensure that other information in the interview that could identify yourself
is not revealed

• The actual recording will be (kept or destroyed state what will happen)

• Any variation of the conditions above will only occur with your further
explicit approval

Quotation Agreement

I also understand that my words may be quoted directly. With regards to

being quoted, please initial next to any of the statements that you agree with:

I wish to review the notes, transcripts, or other data collected during

the research pertaining to my participation.

I agree to be quoted directly.

I agree to be quoted directly if my name is not published and a made-up
name (pseudonym) is used.
I agree that the researchers may publish documents that contain
quotations by me.

All or part of the content of your interview will be used for the completion of
the research, in particular to the analysis and interpretation of data.
 40

By signing this form I agree that;

1. I am voluntarily taking part in this project. I understand that I don’t have to

take part, and I can stop the interview at any time;

2. The transcribed interview or extracts from it may be used as

described above;

3. I have read the Information sheet;

4. I don’t expect to receive any benefit or payment for my participation;

5. I can request a copy of the transcript of my interview and may make

edits I feel necessary to ensure the effectiveness of any agreement
made about confidentiality;

6. I have been able to ask any questions I might have, and I understand
that I am free to contact the researcher with any questions I may have in
the future.

Participant’s Signature over Printed Name Date

Researchers Signature Date

 41

Contact Information

This research has been reviewed and approved by Ms. Dyan Mercado the research
instructor of the student-researchers. If you have any further questions or concerns
about this study, please contact:

Name of researcher: Arabela B. Torrepalma

Full address: Lot 19, Block 2, Woodland Heights Subdivision,

Buena Oro, Brgy. Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro
City

Tel: (0955) 614 8080

E-mail: palmatorreara@gmail.com

What if I have concerns about this research?

 42

If you are worried about this research, or if you are concerned about how it is
being conducted, you can contact the Senior High School administration of
Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan.

Appendix B.

Interview Schedule

[Greetings and/or Shake Hands] We are a group of researchers studying the

effects of noise pollution to the conducive learning environment of Xavier University

– Ateneo de Cagayan, particularly to students like you. We would like to ask you

some questions about your perception and experiences on the existing issue of

noise her in the campus.

We hope to use these information to provide awareness on the extent of the

noise pollution and to help the institution become more conducive for learning. The

interview should take about 10-15 minutes. Are you available to respond to some

questions at this time? Would you permit us to record the interview via audio or

video?

Questions:
 43

1. What is noise pollution for you?

2. Does noise pollution exist in the campus?

3. What do you think is the source of the noise?

4. How would you describe the level of noise pollution in the campus?

5. Does it occur during class periods?

6. How does it affect the class discussion?

7. How about your comprehension of the topic?

8. How do you cope up with this problem?

9. How conducive is the learning environment of Xavier University – Ateneo

de Cagayan amidst the noise pollution?

10. For you, what would probably the next step after knowing the extent of the

noise pollution?

Thank you for participating. We appreciate the time you have given for this

interview. We will keep your identity anonymous, and your given informations

safe.
 44

LIST OF FIGURES
 45

Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study

 46

Figure 2. Strata and Sub-strata

 47

LIST OF TABLES
 48

Table 1. Senior High School Sample Size

Senior High Students

11 12 Total Sample Size
ABM 316 355 671 537

GAS 58 60 118 112

HUMSS 192 229 421 360

STEM 406 624 1030 729

TVL 26 27 53 51
 49

Total Samples / Respondents 1789

Table 2. College Sample Size

College Students
Year Level Sample
Building Course Total
2 3 4 5 Size

SBM BSBA 98 102 200 185

College of
Engineering BSECE 5 39 34 36 114 109

College of
Nursing BSN 1 124 88 213 196

College of BSDC 2 44 72 118 112

 50

Agriculture

STC BAIS 84 147 125 356 311

Total Samples / Respondents 913