PROCEEDINGS of the
23rd International Congress on Acoustics
9 to 13 September 2019 in Aachen, Germany

ACOUCOU Platform to Acquire Professional Skills and Knowledge
in the Field of Acoustics.
Karolina Jaruszewska1; Filip Barański1; Magdalena Piotrowska2; Manuel Melon3; Oliver Dazel3;
Michael Vorländer4; Lukas Aspöck4; Marko Horvat5; Kristian Jambrošić5; Monika Rychtáriková6;
Leopold Kritly6; Andreas Herweg7;
1
2
3
4
5

KFB Acoustics, Poland

edTech & SCIENCE, Poland

LAUM UMR CNRS 6613, Le Mans Université, FranceInstitute of Technical Acoustics, RWTH Aachen University, Germany

University Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Zagreb, Croatia
6
7

KU Leuven, Belgium

Head Acoustics, Germany

ABSTRACT
Today, in the digital era, education must meet the needs and adapt to modern forms of knowledgetransfer. While this is often implemented in higher education programs (distance learning, OpenCourseWare
platforms), vocational education and training seems to be the most traditional branch of education, especiallyin the field of specialized courses for engineers. Our goal is to create space for new, innovative andmultidisciplinary approaches for teaching and e-learning acoustics (e.g., based on gamification, VR, or web
simulators). The ACOUCOU Platform (http://acoucou.org/) is a part of a strategy aimed at expanding andstrengthening acoustic knowledge, supporting the development of innovative teaching methods based on
attractive and effective delivery of content, services, teaching methodologies and practices at national andinternational levels. The form of materials and courses published on the Acoustic Courseware Platform aresuitable to be used for self-learning as well as in blended learning, where an educator uses materials fromplatform to carry out training among employees/students. Technical, professional knowledge is usuallypresented as text including equations and technical drawings. Presenting it in a visually attractive form ismore appealing and increases the motivation of the users. The visualization of phenomena simplifies theunderstanding of problems and makes it easy to acquire knowledge in similar, practical situations of anengineer’s work.
Keywords: Education, Industrial Acoustics, Room Acoustics, Noise Awareness, Acoustical Engineering

1. INTRODUCTION
Constant changes in technology, development of the labor market and the emergence of new
professions create new challenges for education. Nowadays, employers produce different expectations
from professionals - the skillset should not anymore be considered as an ability to work with particular
software or machines, since these assets change suddenly, it needs to focus on understanding andproficiency to learn and adapt to new conditions.
1{k.jaruszewska,f.baranski}@kfb-acoustics.com
magdalena.piotrowska@edtech-science.com
3{olivier.dazel, manuel.melon}@univ-lemans.fr
4{mvo,las}@akustik.rwth-aachen.de5
marko.horvat@fer.hr24348

During their formal education, students need to be trained in problem solving, how to learn new
skills, how to research, how to interact with new software and technologies. It is very hard to predict
what are the relevant technologies in 20 years and what professions will be needed (1). Often,
employers expect workers to master usage of particular software or machinery, while even 10 years
after the graduation, possibly most of the taught technology is outdated. Companies face newchallenges of providing extended training for their newly hired members of the team (2). Therefore,
the role of professional organizations becomes more and more important in the course of education andlife-long learning, especially in engineering.
Recently, shortage of so-called STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) workers
including specialized engineers is widely reported (3, 4, 5, 6) and this situation occurs also in field of
acoustics (7).
Moreover, education must meet the needs and adapt to modern forms of knowledge transfer. It'sbeing implemented in higher education programs (distance learning, OCW platforms), but vocational
education and training seems to be the most ossified branch of education, especially in the field ofspecialized courses for engineers. Our intent is to create space for new, innovative andmultidisciplinary approaches to teaching and e-learning acoustics.
The ACOUCOU Platform (8) is a part of a large, thought-out strategy aimed at expanding andstrengthening acoustic knowledge, supporting the development of innovative teaching methods basedon attractive and effective delivery of content, services, teaching methodologies and pract ices atnational and international levels. It incorporates new technologies (e.g. gamification, VR, web
simulator). The form of materials and courses published on the Acoustic Courseware Platform aresuitable to be used for self-learning as well as in blended learning, where an educator uses materials
from platform to carry out training among employees/students. More detailed description of
ACOUCOU is provided in the subsequent section. Paragraph 3 discusses strategies utilized in
ACOUCOU and final remarks and future development are summarized in paragraph 4.

2. WHAT IS ACOUCOU?
ACOUCOU is an online platform, where professionals, educators, students and other peopleinterested in acoustics can find educational materials regarding various branches of acoustics. It is
designed to serve as modern self-development tool for engineers as well as comprehensive solution for
professional education in work environment. ACOUCOU has been developed by accomplishedpractitioners and scientists. It has been created as a space for new, innovative and multidisciplinary
approaches to teaching and e-learning in field of acoustics.The main concept of ACOUCOU is todescribe and visualize acoustic phenomena and to present acoustic knowledge in a practical way.
Partnership ACOUCOU is based on essential partnerships. List of the contributors is presented in
Tab. 1 and develops on each stage of the project. All together (universities and schools, business
partners, educators) bring their expertise on essential level along with experience in education, which
creates unique combination of knowledge, experience and awareness of needs.
Table 1 – Partners involved in the ACOUCOU Platform
No.

Partner

1

KFB Acoustics, Poland (9)2Kahle Acoustics, Belgium (10)3gfai tech, Germany (11)4

HEAD Acoustics, Germany (12)5

Jazzy Innovations, Poland (13)6

Laboratoire d'Acoustique de l'Université du Mans, France (14)7Institute of Technical Acoustics, RWTH Aachen University, Germany (15)8KU LEUVEN, Belgium (16)9University Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Zagreb,
Croatia (17)

4349

10

Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland (18)11

Slovak University of Technology, Slovakia (19)12RUHR University Bochum, Germany (20)Multidisciplinary networking ACOUCOU provides also networking for a group of people withvery diverse interests. Not only it addresses needs of education for various target groups (i.e.
acousticians, architecture, engineering, EHS), but also brings together experts and professionals fromall around the world. Creative team work on educational materials involves scientists, edTech
enthusiasts and new technologies content producers. All these assets allow creating unique place for
networking for universities and schools, business partners, educators and end users (Fig. 1).

Figure 1 – ACOUCOU platform is created and aimed for an interdisciplinary team
Various fields of acoustics ACOUCOU contains modules, which cover various fields of acoustics
such as sound and vibration, psychoacoustics, hearing and room and theater acoustics. Lindsay’s
Wheel of Acoustics (21) is presented in Fig. 2 and describes the scope of acoustics starting from thefour broad fields of Engineering, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, and th e Arts.
Content is designated for different target groups i.e. acousticians, architecture, civil engineering,
EHS specialization, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, process engineering,
environmental engineering. ArAc introduces room acoustics of in context of architecture and design.
Acoustic Course for Engineers (ACE) helps understanding the basic concepts of noise control inmachinery and equipment. Acoustic Course for Industry (ACI) is a visual introduction to industrial
acoustics including noise in environment and industry, impact of noise on human health and noise
management.

4350

Figure 2 – Branches of acoustics presented as Lindsay's Wheel of Acoustics (21)Visualizations Technical, professional knowledge is usually presented as text with formulas andtechnical drawings. Presenting it in a new, visually attractive form, it is certainly more interesting andaddress needs of engineers according to theories of learning (22). The visualization ofphenomena leads to a better understanding of the discussed issues as well as it enables easy conversionof acquired knowledge into particular situations and problems encountered in an engineer’s work. The
main idea was to simply describe and visualize acoustic phenomena and to present acoustic knowledge
in a practical way. An example of the interactive visualization utilized in ACOUCOU is presented inFig. 3. User can modify relationship between velocities in both media, and visualization changes
according to these settings. According to learning theories, abstract conceptualization (generalizing
and drawing conclusions from the experience).

4351

Figure 3 – ACOUCOU Interactive visualization of the sound wave traveling between media (22)Hands-on simulation Theories of learning state that active experimentation is extremely important
especially in field of engineering (24). Therefore ACOUCOU contains modules containing simulation
based on real machines and measurements.
Technology Incorporating newest technologies, ACOUCOU offers interactive visualizations,videos and VR experiences. Users are attracted and motivated using new technologies (gamification,
VR, Virtual Acoustics, multibook, web simulator).
All of the issues discussed in this paragraph are explored by the ACOUCOU Team and result in theset of strategies, to provide space for learning and networking. Key points of the utilized approach aredescribed in subsequent paragraphs.

3. STRATEGIESStrategies incorporated in ACOUCOU are result of work of interdisciplinary team of experts inacoustics, educators, business partners and new technologies experts. Target groups representatives
are also very important part of the creation process and their feedback is crucial to the final form of the
products.
3.1 Learning process
ACOUCOU follows philosophy of experiential learning, where both, theoretical and practical
approach supplement each other (25). Experiential learning perceives knowledge as created throughthe transformation of experience Kolb’s popular experiential learning cycle describes four stages ofthe learning process:1. Concrete experience - immersing in a task, doing
2. Reflective observation - stepping back from doing by thinking on what has been done
3. Abstract conceptualization - generalizing and drawing conclusions from the experience
4. Active experimentation - testing, redoing the task and refining the performance
In this perspective, experience is the basic foundation of learning and is actively changed into
deeper understanding by reflection. These generalizations give a framework for further actions,leading to new experiences - and so the cycle continues. The learning process may begin at any stageof the circle and can be continued limitlessly. ACOUCOU support the learner at every stage of theprocess: by allowing for and enriching experience, facilitating reflection, leading to conceptualizationand giving space for the application of newly formed concepts in active experimentation. Besides
ACOUCOU, some other modern engineering training programs (i.e. Eaton's program for consulting
engineers) include the experiential learning concept in their curriculum (26, 27).

4352

3.2 Adequate form
Over the last decades, much research has been conducted that shows advantages of transferringknowledge visually. Their results prove that visual methods can learning time and improveunderstanding of the subject matter, enhance the time of remembering and help to speed up the processof recalling. Moreover, the effectiveness of learning with the use of visual methods increases with time.
It's happening in school education (new learning methods such as Montessori, using educational
applications and games), it's being implemented in higher education programs (distance learning), but
vocational education and training seems to be the most ossified branch of education, especially in thefield of specialized courses for engineers.
In ACOUCOU, the entire team works on the form how educational materials are presented and how
the interaction between a user and course induces learning process results. Another advantage is thatthe professional skills of engineers can be easily upgraded and adapted to current trends in the use of
information and communication technologies in vocational education. Technical, professional
knowledge is usually presented as text with formulas and technical drawings. Presenting it in visuallyattractive form is surely more interesting and draws attention of engineers. The visualization ofphenomena let understand discussed issues better as well as makes it easy to convert acquired
knowledge into particular situations and problems present in an engineer’s work (28).
One of the biggest and most popular MOOCs – edX (29)– offers course management system called„Open edX”. Analysis of its possibilities, requirements and possible ways of development showed
limitations that could not be accepted. The main limitation is the structure of the course and the abil ity
to use various knowledge transfer methods – Open edX does not provide mechanisms for using
simulations, virtual reality or gamification.
Partnership with its own ACOUSTIC COURSEWARE PLATFORM goes a step further.
Specification of the platform allows one to go beyond the framework of a typical online course. ACE
uses gamification methods as well as virtual simulations based on real measurements (perfect method
for problem-based teaching and learning). ACI consists of materials enriched with case studies a s VR
videos. Effects can be watched on a computer or using the VR headset.
The form of materials and courses published on the ACOUCOU Platform is suitable to be used for
self-learning as well as in blended learning, where an educator uses materials from pl atform to carryout training among employees/students.
3.3 Availability
Free access to the knowledge is one of the main foundations of ACOUCOU. The platform isdesigned to serve as modern self-development tool for engineers, young professionals, students andother people interested in acoustics. The ACOUCOU team not only cares to find the most adequate
form of the materials, but also to make them accessible for a wide range of users.
Besides being a hosting for courses (with extended functionality unlike the other MOOCs) the
Acoustic Courseware Platform will be a place where companies, VET institutions, educational units,
educators, trainers can publish articles, findings, result of studies. It is a platform for sharing
knowledge, experience between all participating users as well as for establishing new contacts.
3.4 Noise awareness and public policy
The importance of sound in today’s world has been emphasized by Unesco (30). The noise problem
has become large: in the developed countries, about 40% of the population is exposed to road trafficwith an equivalent sound pressure level exceeding 55 dB during daytime, which is considered toomuch.
A recent scientific study has also classified noise, from road traffic alone, as the second worst
environmental stressor affecting human health in Europe (31), just behind air pollution caused by veryfine particulate matter. Media use term "noise pollution" (32) to emphasize serious costs to wildlife
and human health caused by noise levels. By better informing the public, not only noise awareness isincreased but also the public interest in noise control and political support of investment into noise
control is increased.
ACOUCOU addresses challenge of noise awareness in the society by educating in the area ofindustrial noise. ACI module is a visual introduction to industrial acoustics including noise inenvironment and industry and impact of noise on human health and noise management. It is aimed
mianly for the Enviroment, Health & Safety teams but can also succesfully serve everyone as a freeresource about noise and its consequenses.

4353

3.5 Constant development
The ACOUCOU Team constantly develops by creating new partnerships, organizing conferences,including more branches of acoustics and incorporating new technologies. It also applies to theutilized tools and adequate form of the materials - while ArAc was created as a multibook, ACE
contains numerous interactive and engaging visualizations, ACI uses Virtuar Reality to show theessence and consequences of the noise.

4. FINAL REMARKSAs the constant evolution is one of the ACOUCOU strategies, future plans include further
development by continuous networking, including more materials dedicated for diverse target groups,
utilizing modern edTech tools and finding adequate form for each aim. At the same time, all of therecently available resources are going to be monitored and updated accordingly to the users' needs.
ACOUCOU receives positive feedback from universities, business partners, educators andself-educating professionals. In future, ACOUCOU Team is hoping to continuously address upcoming
challenges in education and awareness in field of acoustics.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Educational platforms presented in this research are partially founded by ERASMUS+ Acoustic
Courseware Platform- Strategic Partnership in field of acoustics (2018-1-PL01-KA202-050820),
ERASMUS+ Acoustics Course for Industry (2017-1-PL01-KA202-038577), ERASMUS+ Acoustics
Course for Engineers (2016-1-PL01-KA202-026719) and ArAc Multibook of Architectural Acoustics(2013-1-PL1-LEO05-37588).

REFERENCES
1.

The Future of Jobs Report 2018, Centre for the New Economy and Society,http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2018.pdf, accessed May 20, 2019
2.
McDowellE,Six
trendsinengineering
hiringfor2018
andbeyond,https://www.csemag.com/articles/six-trends-in-engineering-hiring-for-2018-and-beyond/, accessed May
20, 2019
3. Poznak H, The great UK engineering shortage: 1.8 million are needed by 2025,
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/stem-awards/energy/the-great-uk-engineering-shortage/,accessed May 20, 20194.
GillmannB,
Germanytechworkershortagegets
worse,
https://www.handelsblatt.com/today/companies/stem-skills-germany-tech-worker-shortage-gets-worse/2
3695034.html?ticket=ST-1533154-iqMVM1wMRNmNTCAi1uv7-ap4, accessed May 20, 2019
5.
Body
M,
Is
there
reallyaStemskillsshortage?,https://www.theguardian.com/careers/work-blog/stem-skills-shortage, accessed May 20, 20196.
Engineering
UK
2018:
The
state
of
engineering
Synopsis,
https://www.engineeringuk.com/media/1576/7444_enguk18_synopsis_standalone_aw.pdf,
accessed
May 20, 20197.
GerrardN,
Construction
plea
for
roles
on
'Shortage
Occupation'
list
http://www.constructionmanagermagazine.com/news/call-18-construction-roles-be-added-shortage-occup/, accessed May 20, 2019
8. ACOUCOU Acoustic Courseware, acoucou.org, accessed May 20, 2019
9. KFB Acoustics http://kfb-acoustics.com, accessed May 20, 2019
10. Kahle Acoustics http://www.kahle.be, accessed May 20, 201911. gfai tech https://www.gfaitech.com, accessed May 20, 201912. HEAD Acoustics https://www.head-acoustics.com, accessed May 20, 201913. Jazzy Innovations http://jazzy.pro, accessed May 20, 2019
14. Laboratoire d'Acoustique de l'Université du Mans, http://laum.univ-lemans.fr/fr/index.html, accessed
May 20, 201915.
InstituteofTechnical
Acoustics,
RWTH
AachenUniversity,
http://www.akustik.rwth-aachen.de/cms/~dwma/Technische-Akustik/?lidx=1, accessed May 20, 2019
16. KU LEUVEN https://www.kuleuven.be, accessed May 20, 201917. University Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, https://www.fer.unizg.hr/en,

4354

accessed May 20, 2019
18. Wrocław University of Science and Technology https://pwr.edu.pl/en/, accessed May 20, 201919.
DepartmentofArchitecture,
SlovakUniversityofTechnology,
https://www.fa.stuba.sk/english.html?page_id=771, accessed May 20, 201920. RUHR Univeristy Bochumhttp://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de, accessed May 20, 2019
21. Lindsay RB. The story of acoustics. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 1966
Apr;39(4):629-44.
22. Acoustic Course for Engineers, https://ace.acoucou.org/, accessed May, 20 2019.
23. Kolb, A. Y. & Kolb, D. A. (2009). Experiential learning theory: A dynamic, holistic approach to
management learning, education and development. The SAGE handbook of management learning,education and development, 42-68.
24. Schunn CD, Silk EM. Learning theories for engineering and technology education. InFostering humandevelopment through engineering and technology education 2011 Jan 1 (pp. 1-18). Brill Sense.
25. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development(Vol. 1). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
26. Nowicki M, Training program targets experiential learning for power engineering fields,
https://www.csemag.com/articles/training-program-targets-experiential-learning-for-power-engineeringfields/, accessed May 20, 2019.
27.
Eaton
Experience
Centers
https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/markets/eaton-experience-centers.html?wtredirect=www.eaton.com/ex
perience, accessed May 20, 201928. Marković MG, Pogarčić I, Mezak J. Role and importance of presentation design in learning and inquality of multimedia learning material. In8th WSEAS International Conference on EDUCATIONALTECHNOLOGIES (EDUTE'12) 2012 Jan 1.
29. edX https://open.edx.org, accessed May 20, 2019.
30. The importance of sound in today's world, Unesco 39th general Conference, 2017https://www.lasemaineduson.org/IMG/pdf/39c-49.engl.pdf, accessed May 20, 2019.
31. Hänninen O, Knol AB, Jantunen M, Lim TA, Conrad A, Rappolder M, Carrer P, Fanetti AC, Kim R,
Buekers J, Torfs R. Environmental burden of disease in Europe: assessing nine risk factors in six
countries. Environmental health perspectives. 2014 Feb 28;122(5):439-46.
32. Owen D, Is Noise Pollution the Next Big Public-Health Crisis? The New Yorker, May 6, 2019https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/05/13/is-noise-pollution-the-next-big-public-health-crisis?fbclid=IwAR1Vi2QkLYuzobowd2_ufhjwbJueXOYNo1ywkKY0Xe5wSM9O5cy1vAlCIB8, accessed
May 16, 2019.

4355