Voice Dosimetry in an Elementary Music Student Teacher

This study pilots a new voice dosimeter device applied to a music student teacher across five consecutive school days. The aim of this study was to measure voice use during instructional periods in the music teacher classroom, and the participant wore the dosimeter during the school day in two elementary school buildings with children aged 5-11. The device was successfully deployed, and the results indicated that measures of fundamental frequency (F0) and volume (dB) and ambient sounds (dB) varied across the school day and according to student teacher activities. Significant differences were found between voice use when teaching full time for 1 day versus partial instruction and class participation. Phonation percentage time varied by day (M = 28.12%), including 27.08% on Day 1, 24.41% on Day 2, 43.49% on Day 3, 27.24% on Day 4, and 18.40% on Day 5.