Dangerous Decibels Interactives and Educational Materials Available for YOU

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Dangerous Decibels Interactives and Educational
Materials Available for YOU!
William Hal Martin, Ph.D., Linda A. Howarth,
B.S., Susan E. Griest, M.P.H. Oregon Health
Science University Oregon Hearing Research Center
TEACHERS RESOURCE GUIDE This is a downloadable,
free, 108 page K-8 curriculum supplement with
hands-on science activities about the anatomy and
physiology of hearing, the physics of sound, and
health-related behaviors for prevention of
noise-induced hearing loss. It includes diagrams,
illustrations, detailed descriptions of how to
prepare and perform activities, critical images
and a glossary of key terms. It also includes a
description of how this curriculum aligns with
the National Science Education Standards and
educational benchmarks. The materials were
compiled by hearing scientists and clinicians,
and translated into appropriate teaching
materials by educators and outreach specialists
from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

• ABSTRACT
• Hearing loss prevention has historically been the
  domain of military and occupational fields.
  Recently, it has become apparent that
  non-occupational activities include a host of
  noise exposures that can be potentially hazardous
  to adults and children.
• Dangerous Decibels is a public health
  partnership with the goal of reducing the
  incidence of noise-induced hearing loss and
  related tinnitus through creative education,
  museum exhibitry and outreach. The Dangerous
  Decibels project recently developed several
  educational resources as part of an NIH funded
  (NCRR and NIDCD) research project investigating
  the development and effectiveness of innovative
  hearing health interventions. The goal was to
  change knowledge, attitudes and behaviors
  regarding noise exposures, in the public.
  Special focus was given to developing
  interventions that were effective in elementary,
  middle and high school students.
• Many of these resources are now available for use
  in research and/or education regarding noise
  induced hearing loss prevention the Dangerous
  Decibels website. These include a database and
  research tool with 40,000 subjects, a virtual
  museum exhibit with eight fun, interactive
  activities and simulations, and a Teachers
  Resource Guide filled with activities,
  instructions and hearing health information. An
  instructional DVD with images, simulations and
  activities that parallel the Teachers Resource
  Guide is also available through contact
  information on the website. These resources can
  be applied in industrial, military or public
  educational hearing loss prevention efforts.
• The Dangerous Decibels educational messages
  include
• What are sources of dangerous sounds?
• What are consequences of being exposed to
  dangerous sounds?
• How do I protect myself from dangerous sounds?

• VIRTUAL MUSEUM EXIBITION
• Eight entertaining, educational activities based
  upon the Dangerous Decibels Museum Exhibition at
  the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
  Information covered includes
• Physics and measurement of sound
• Normal auditory anatomy and physiology
• Pathophysiology of NIHL
• Simulations of hearing loss
• Methods and strategies for hearing loss
  prevention
• Dealing with peer-pressure

TEACHERS RESOURCE DVD This DVD complements the
Teachers Resource Guide, but also serves as a
stand-alone resource that includes video
demonstrations, games, activities, simulations
and instruction that are appropriate for all
ages. It includes information about how we hear,
hearing loss, tinnitus, use of hearing
protection, physics of sound, use of a sound
level meter and demonstrations of how to prepare
several of the activities in the Teachers
Resource Guide.
ONLINE RESEARCH DATABASE One of the exhibit
components in the Dangerous Decibels exhibition
was designed to serve as a data acquisition
system to study NIHL in the public. The exhibit
is a sound shielded acoustic chamber that holds a
computer-based activity. During the course of
the activity, the participant provides
information about their age, gender, veteran
status, racial/ethnic background and reports
noise exposures during the past year. Embedded
within a game activity is a system that
determines the participants hearing threshold
between 20 and 65 dB HL to a 4kHz tone. The
results are transported to the Oregon Hearing
Research Center for detailed analysis. Over
40,000 participants data have been included in
the database to-date. Some components of the
database can be accessed by anyone through the
Dangerous Decibels website. Populations studies
of threshold and noise exposures can be performed
by by age, gender.
www.dangerousdecibels.org
Funded by NIH-NIDCD R25-DC006431 and NCRR
R25-RR15634