Hearing Education in Agriculture: Re-Evaluating Interest, Needs, and Growth

Agricultural mechanic student's perceptions of noise levels are above recommended exposure limit. Direct and indirect exposure to decibel levels in a laboratory setting aids in shaping student perceptions. Student perceptions can be affected by changes in course instruction.

Safety in agricultural laboratories is of the highest concern for teachers and instructors. While there is a known safety concern with hearing in agriculture, a deficiency in the attitudes and perceptions relating to the output of decibels of tools in agricultural laboratory settings has been identified. This research focuses on hearing and noise levels in an agricultural mechanics laboratory by exposing students directly and indirectly to noise levels through project-based learning and informational posters throughout the laboratory. Pre- and post-course data are used to address students' perceptions of noise level outputs and willingness to wear hearing protection. Pre-course responses show a disconnect between perceptions of noise levels and the given threshold for wearing hearing protection. This perception gap closed over the semester as post-course responses show an increase in correct tool to threshold responses. The frequency of responses aligned with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's recommended hearing protection threshold also shows growth. While there is still a knowledge gap that needs to be addressed, we feel that the exposure provided through both direct and indirect instruction throughout the course can lead to knowledge gained and perceptions changed.